Family: Corvidae, Crows, Magpies, Jays view all from this family

Description 19-21" (48-53 cm). Similar to Common Raven, but somewhat smaller. White bases on feathers of neck seldom seen. Best told by voice.

Habitat Arid grasslands and mesquite; plains and deserts.

Nesting 5-7 dull green eggs, spotted and streaked with brown and purple, laid in a loose mass of thorny sticks lined with grass, moss, and bark strips, placed in an exposed tree or on a telephone pole.

Range Breeds from southern Arizona, southeastern Colorado, and western Kansas southward into Mexico. Winters in southern part of breeding range.

Voice   Harsh kraak, higher pitched than Common Raven's.

Discussion The Chihuahuan Raven replaces the Common Raven at lower elevations, and in the United States portion of its range is the only raven likely to be seen. More gregarious than its larger northern relative, it gathers in noisy and conspicuous roosts, soaring high in the air in group displays. During the breeding season, however, these birds are not social, with pairs nesting in widely spaced territories. A scarcity of trees may have originally led to this bird's habit of using the same nest year after year. Chihuahuan Ravens feed in groups on grasshoppers or other insects as well as carrion, and often frequent garbage dumps.