The omnivorous Australian Ravens are black with white eyes in adults. Prolific across Australia in almost all habitats, the Raven is often called a crow. There are three species of raven in Australia, and two species of native crows. Ravens are generally bigger than crows, but other differences (e.g. range, calls) are more reliable for identifying which species is which.
Australian Ravens are black with white eyes in adults. The feathers on the throat (hackles) are longer than in other species, and a bird tends to extend these when calling, while holding its head and body in a horizontal position.
Australian Ravens are usually seen in pairs. Another aid to identification of this species is the absence of wing-flicking while calling.
Young birds resemble the adults, but have dark eyes, shorter throat hackles and often the presence of a pink, fleshy gape.
Average size is 52cm and average weight is 650grams.
The territorial call is a slow, rather high “ah-ah-ah-aaaah” with the last note drawn out. Bird call recorded by: Marc Anderson
The Australian Raven is found in eastern, southern, south-western and central Australia.
Habitat: Wetland, Coastal, Heathland, Forest, Woodland, Rainforest
The Australian Raven is found in all habitat types, except for the more arid areas of Western Australia and wet tropics of Queensland.
The populations of Australian Ravens in built-up areas have increased greatly in recent years.
Like Silver Gulls and Australian White Ibis, the number of ravens has boomed because of the proliferation of refuse generated by our materialistic, disposable society.
The degree of the population’s expansion is difficult to quantify — unlike gulls and ibis, ravens do not nest colonially, making it difficult to gauge the increase. It seems that by looking at the number of ravens regularly congregating at rubbish tips, it may be substantial.
The Family Corvidae has a wide-ranging diet that may consist of grains, fruits, insects, small animals, eggs, refuse and carrion; however, the Australian Raven is mainly carnivorous with only about 1/4 of its food coming from plants.
Australian Ravens construct a large untidy nest, normally consisting of bowl or platform of sticks, lined with grasses, bark and feathers. Both sexes construct the nest and feed the young. The incubation of the eggs is performed solely by the female, and only one brood is raised in a year.
