Order Passeriformes Mass 1.5 kg Rank Species Clutch size 3 – 5 | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Corvus crassirostris Higher classification African raven Length 64 cm | |
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Similar Bird, Crow, White‑necked raven, Fan‑tailed raven, Chihuahuan raven | ||
Thick billed raven
The thick-billed raven (Corvus crassirostris), a corvid from the Horn of Africa, shares with the common raven the distinction of being the largest bird in the corvid family, and indeed the largest of the most diverse bird order, the passerines. The thick-billed raven measures 64 cm (25 in) in length and weighs 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) on average. It has a very large bill that is laterally compressed and is deeply curved in profile giving the bird a very distinctive appearance. This bill is black with a white tip and has deep nasal grooves with only light nasal bristle covers.
Contents
- Thick billed raven
- Thick billed ravens at geech campsite simien mountains
- Distribution and habitat
- Diet
- Nesting
- Voice
- References
This raven has very short feathers on the head, throat and neck. The throat and upper breast have an oily brown gloss, while the rest of the bird is glossy black except for a distinctive white patch of feathers on the nape and onto the neck.
Thick billed ravens at geech campsite simien mountains
Distribution and habitat
Its range covers Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia; its habitat includes mountains and high plateau between elevations of 1500 to 3400 metres.
Diet
The thick-billed raven is omnivorous, feeding on grubs, beetle larvae from animal dung, carrion, scraps of meat and human food. It has been seen taking standing wheat. When seeking food from dung, it has been seen using a distinct scything movement to scatter the dung and extract the grubs.
Nesting
It nests in trees and on cliffs, apparently building a stick nest like the similar white-necked raven. It lays three to five eggs.
Voice
Its calls include a harsh nasal croak, a low wheezy croak, a "raven-raven", and sometimes a "dink, dink, dink" sound. Like many corvids, the thick-billed raven is capable of vocal mimicry; however, this behavior is rare in the wild, and is normally recorded only in captivity.