A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus Corvus. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigned to different species chiefly by size.
The largest species are the common raven and the thick-billed raven; these are also the largest passerine species.
Etymology
The term raven originally referred to the common raven (Corvus corax), the widespread species of the Northern Hemisphere.
The modern English word raven has cognates in all other Germanic languages, including Old Norse (and subsequently modern Icelandic) hrafn[1] and Old High German (h)Raban,[2] all of which descend from Proto-Germanic *hrabanaz.[3]
Collective nouns for a group of ravens include a "conspiracy", a "treachery", a "rave" and an "unkindness";[4][5] in practice, most people use the more generic "flock".[6]
Extant species
- Corvus albicollis – White-necked raven (eastern and southern Africa)
- Corvus corax – Common raven (Northern Hemisphere)
- Corvus coronoides – Australian raven (Australia)
- Corvus crassirostris – Thick-billed raven (Horn of Africa)
- Corvus cryptoleucus – Chihuahuan raven (United States and Mexico)
- Corvus edithae – Dwarf raven (Horn of Africa)
- Corvus mellori – Little raven (southeastern Australia)
- Corvus rhipidurus – Fan-tailed raven (eastern Africa and Arabian peninsula)
- Corvus ruficollis – Brown-necked raven (northern Africa, Arabian peninsula, greater Middle East)
- Corvus tasmanicus – Forest raven (Tasmania, southern Victoria and north-east New South Wales in Australia)
Extinct species and morphs
- †Corvus moriorum – Chatham raven
- †Corvus antipodum – New Zealand raven
- †Corvus corax varius morpha leucophaeus – Pied raven (extinct morph of common raven)
Gallery
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A raven with a damaged wing. It can still fly with ease. -
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See also
References
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary entry for "raven".
- ^ Simpson, J.; Weiner, E., eds. (1989). "Raven". Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-861186-2.
- ^ "Raven". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 14 May 2007.
- ^ Lipton, James (1991). An Exaltation of Larks. Viking Press. ISBN 978-0-670-30044-0.
- ^ Walker, Niccoy (15 February 2023). "What is a Group of Ravens Called?". A-Z Animals.
- ^ "flock of ravens, unkindness of ravens, treachery of ravens, conspiracy of ravens". Google Books Ngram Viewer. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
External links
- Raven videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- North American ravens on eNature
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