Brown-necked Raven

Corvus ruficollis

Least ConcernUncommonOmnivoreDesertCup nestLarge · 574 g

About the Brown-necked Raven

The brown-necked raven is a larger bird than the carrion crow though not as large as the common raven. It has similar proportions to the common raven but the bill is not so large or deep and the wings tend to be a little more pointed in profile. The head and throat are a distinct brownish-black giving the bird its English name, while the rest of the plumage is black glossed with purple, blue or purplish-blue. Like the common raven, thick-billed raven and white-necked raven, it is one of the larger raven species. The feathers of this species often fade quite quickly to a brownish black and the bird can look distinctly brown by the time it moults. The feet, legs and bill are black. The dwarf…

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

Voice: The voice is very similar to the common raven's consisting mainly of croaks, though higher in pitch; and a harsh "karr-karr-karr". In flight, it will utter a "kuerk-kuerk" call. Like all corvids, the Brown-necked raven is capable of vocal mimicry, however this behavior is mostly recorded in captivity and, although rarely, in the wild.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it lives

Regular rangeRare visitor

Recorded as a rare visitor in Spain, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Somalia, Qatar, Italy.

When to see it

Peak activity in March · a variable species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Learn the Brown-necked Raven for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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