Corvus cryptoleucus
The Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus) is a strikingly intelligent and adaptable corvid, an inhabitant of the arid landscapes of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Measuring 44-51 cm in length with a wingspan of 100-110 cm and weighing 380-560 grams, it is a medium-sized all-black bird, smaller than the Common Raven but larger than the American Crow. Its plumage is glossy black, often with a purplish or bluish sheen, and features long, shaggy throat feathers, known as hac...
This species primarily inhabits arid grasslands, desert scrub, and open plains with scattered trees or utility poles, ranging from sea level up to elevations of approximately 2,200 meters.
The diet is highly omnivorous, consisting of a wide range of items including insects, carrion, seeds, fruits, eggs, nestlings, and small vertebrates, primarily obtained through ground foraging.
Chihuahuan Ravens are highly social and diurnal birds, spending their days foraging and often forming large communal roosts, sometimes numbering in the thousands, outside the breeding season. They are opportunistic foragers, typically searching for food on the ground, often utilizing their intell...
The Chihuahuan Raven is primarily found across the Chihuahuan Desert and surrounding arid grasslands of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its breeding range extends from southeastern Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas, north into the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas, southea...
Least Concern
- The name 'cryptoleucus' means 'hidden white,' referring to the white feather bases on its neck that are usually concealed by black plumage. - Often confused with the Common Raven, it is typically smaller and has a distinctly different, more nasal call. - Chihuahuan Ravens are incredibly intelli...