Raven

Head of a common raven

Common ravens

Chihuahuan raven

Fan-tailed raven

Australian raven

Ravaged wing of combative Raven, still allows him to fly with ease

A raven is one of several larger-bodied species of the genus Corvus. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus.

There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", and these appellations have been assigned to different species chiefly on the basis of their size, crows generally being smaller than ravens.

The largest raven species are the common raven and the thick-billed raven.

Etymology

The term "raven" originally referred to the common raven, the type species of the genus Corvus, which has a larger distribution than any other species of Corvus, ranging over much 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 (or at least the common raven) include "unkindness", "treachery",^[4] and "conspiracy".^[5] In practice, most people use the more generic "flock".

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 mellori – little raven (southeastern Australia)
Corvus rhipidurus – fan-tailed raven (eastern Africa and Arabian peninsula)
Corvus ruficollis – brown-necked raven (northern Africa, Arabian peninusla, Greater Middle East)
Corvus tasmanicus – forest raven (Tasmania and southern Victoria in Australia)

Extinct species

†Corvus moriorum – Chatham raven
†Corvus antipodum – New Zealand raven
†Corvus corax varius morpha leucophaeus – pied raven

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.
↑ "Baltimore Bird Club. Group Name for Birds: A Partial List". Retrieved 3 June 2007.
↑ "University of California Golf Club. List of Collective Nouns". Retrieved 16 July 2008.

External links

Raven videos on the Internet Bird Collection
North American ravens on eNature

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[1] Oxford English Dictionary entry for "raven."

[2] Simpson, J.; Weiner, E., eds. (1989). "Raven". Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-861186-2.

[3] "Raven". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 14 May 2007.

[4] "Baltimore Bird Club. Group Name for Birds: A Partial List". Retrieved 3 June 2007.

[5] "University of California Golf Club. List of Collective Nouns". Retrieved 16 July 2008.