Crow

Appearance and description

The raven (Corvus corax) is the largest representative of the corvid family; it has a massive, compact body with tightly pressed plumage and a large, thick neck. The bird has a powerful, long beak, curved at the top, shaped like a cone. The feathers in the throat area are arranged like a fan and move when the raven makes sounds. These features serve as a distinctive feature of the genus.

The plumage of males and females is the same, there are no obvious sexual differences. The color depends on the species; it can be completely black, with white patches, or with shades of brown or cream.

Raven appearance

The bird's wings are quite long, narrowed, with a span of about 1.5 m. Movement is rare compared to other members of the family, the flight style is similar to that of an eagle, the raven can also soar for a long time in the air flow.

The paws are large, the claws are sharp, black, and protect against enemies. The raven also uses them to attack small rodents. The eyes are round, large relative to the size of the head, the iris is dark brown, with a reddish tint or light blue.

The raven makes abrupt loud sounds. The timbre is low, alarming - because of this feature, in popular beliefs it is considered a harbinger of trouble. Only during the mating season do males sing drawn-out songs with periodic guttural clicking.

Natural enemies

In the city, ravens have practically no enemies, with the exception of cats or dogs that hunt them. In the natural environment, this list increases significantly. All birds of prey, such as eagles or hawks, are considered enemies.

In search of carrion, a raven is forced to settle next to another predator - a wolf, a fox or even a bear. Another worst enemy of the raven is the eagle owl. At night, when the raven is sleeping, it can attack nests and steal chicks or even kill an adult. To protect themselves from enemies, crows are forced to gather in flocks.

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Dimensions

Externally, male and female individuals are very similar; they are distinguished by weight and size. The male has a thicker neck and a dense body. The weight of the bird depends on its habitat. In warm climates, the raven grows up to 55 cm and gains a mass of 1.5 kg. In northern latitudes, length is up to 70 cm, weight is 2 kg. The female has a shorter tail, a narrower chest, a thin neck, and weighs 500-1200 g.

Interesting fact : a raven can emit an unpleasant odor, so a person keeping the bird at home will have to pay attention to the hygiene of the bird.

Habitat - where it lives

Habitat of the raven
The raven lives in all countries of the Northern Hemisphere. It is found in Europe, Asia, North America, and also in North Africa. The bird can settle in the following places:

mountains;
deserts;
sea coasts;
dense forest - most often found here, especially if the forest is spruce;
parks and squares (most common).

Scientific classification

Domain: eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animals
Subkingdom: eumetazoans
No rank: bilaterally symmetrical
No rank: deuterostomes
Type: chordates
Subphylum: vertebrates
Infratype: gnathostomes
Superclass: quadrupeds
Class: birds
Subclass: real birds
Infraclass: new palatal
Order: passerines
Suborder: song passerines
Infrasquad: Corvida
Superfamily: Corvoidea
Family: corvids
Genus: crow

Interesting video about crows:

Character and lifestyle

Crows try to stay in their habitats all year round. But still, in some countries, for example, in the Caucasus and Turkmenistan, they roam.

Usually in winter the raven settles near people. This increases his chances of finding food. Another attractive place to live is a landfill, where a lot of garbage accumulates. The bird population is not very large; in some places they are considered rare.

The raven is smart enough that it can be kept at home, since the bird is trainable. However, it is important to be prepared for some difficulties. The raven is considered an angry, aggressive, jealous and vengeful bird. But if he becomes attached to a person, it will be for life.

Interesting: Bear