Common Raven
Corvus corax
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCorvidae (Còrvids)
- GenusCorvus (Crows and Ravens)
- SpeciesCorvus corax (Common Raven)
The common raven or northern raven (Corvus corax) is a large all-black passerine bird. It is the most widely distributed of all corvids, found across the Northern Hemisphere. There are 11 accepted subspecies with little variation in appearance, although recent research has demonstrated significant genetic differences among populations from various regions. It is one of the two largest corvids, alongside the thick-billed raven, and is the heaviest passerine bird; at maturity, the common raven averages 63 centimetres (25 inches) in length and 1.47 kilograms (3.2 pounds) in weight, up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) in the heaviest individuals. Although their typical lifespan is considerably shorter, common ravens can live more than 23 years in the wild. Young birds may travel in flocks but later mate for life, with each mated pair defending a territory. Wikipedia →
60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Common Raven sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 2,867 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park
Chihuahuan Raven
Corvus cryptoleucus
Mexican Jay
Aphelocoma wollweberi
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
Cactus Wren
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Pyrrhuloxia
Cardinalis sinuatus
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Raven in Big Bend National Park?
About 64% of wildlife watchers report a Common Raven sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 2,867 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Raven in Big Bend National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Common Raven in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.