Raven
A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus Corvus. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigned to different species chiefly by size.
The largest species are the common raven and the thick-billed raven; these are also the largest passerine species.
Etymology
The term raven originally referred to the common raven, the widespread species of the Northern Hemisphere.The modern English word raven has cognates in all other Germanic languages, including Old Norse hrafn and Old High German Raban, all of which descend from Proto-Germanic *hrabanaz.
Collective nouns for a group of ravens include a "conspiracy", a "treachery", a "rave" and an "unkindness"; in practice, most people use the more generic "flock".
Extant species
- Corvus albicollis – White-necked raven
- Corvus corax – Common raven
- Corvus coronoides – Australian raven
- Corvus crassirostris – Thick-billed raven
- Corvus cryptoleucus – Chihuahuan raven
- Corvus edithae – Dwarf raven
- Corvus mellori – Little raven
- Corvus rhipidurus – Fan-tailed raven
- Corvus ruficollis – Brown-necked raven
- Corvus tasmanicus – Forest raven
Extinct species and morphs
- †Corvus moriorum – Chatham raven
- †Corvus antipodum – New Zealand raven
- †Corvus corax varius morpha leucophaeus – Pied raven