Brown-necked Raven
Encyclopedia
The Brown-necked Raven is a larger bird (52–56 cm in length) than the Carrion Crow
though not as large as the Common Raven
. It has similar proportions to the common raven but the bill is not so large or deep and the wings tend to be a little more pointed in profile. The head and throat are a distinct brownish-black giving the bird its English
name, while the rest of the plumage is black glossed with purple, blue or purplish-blue. The feathers of this species often fade quite quickly to a brownish black (even the truly black feathers) and the bird can look distinctly brown by the time it moults. The feet, legs and bill are black. The Dwarf Raven was formerly considered a subspecies (Corvus ruficollis edithae) but this bird now appears to be closer to the Pied Crow
(C. albus) than this species. Hybrids between this species and the Pied Crow seem to reinforce their close relationship. This species is found principally in Somalia
and neighbouring areas.
This species has a wide range across virtually the whole of North Africa
, down as far as Kenya
, the Arabian peninsula
and up into the Greater Middle East
and southern Iran
. It lives in a predominantly desert
environment visiting oases and palm groves.
Food consists of a wide range of items including carrion, snakes, locusts and other grasshoppers, stranded fish (in coastal areas), grain stolen from bags, dates and other fruits. It is quite fearless when not persecuted but is quick to become wary and shy if too much attention is paid to it. A 2009 Israeli study showed the species to cooperatively hunt lizards, with birds blocking exits while others hunted.
The nest is very much like the Common Raven's, and may be found in trees, on cliffs or in old and ruined buildings. The Dwarf Raven seems to prefer thorn trees for its nest building. There are usually 4-5 eggs laid and incubated over 20–22 days. The young usually leave the nest by the 37th or 38th day and can fly well by 42–45 days.
The voice is very similar to the Common Raven's consisting mainly of croaks, though higher in pitch; and a harsh "karr-karr-karr" very much like a Carrion Crow too. In flight, it will utter a "kuerk-kuerk" call.
Carrion Crow
The Carrion Crow is a member of the passerine order of birds and the crow family which is native to western Europe and eastern Asia.-Taxonomy:...
though not as large as the Common Raven
Common Raven
The Common Raven , also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids...
. It has similar proportions to the common raven but the bill is not so large or deep and the wings tend to be a little more pointed in profile. The head and throat are a distinct brownish-black giving the bird its English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
name, while the rest of the plumage is black glossed with purple, blue or purplish-blue. The feathers of this species often fade quite quickly to a brownish black (even the truly black feathers) and the bird can look distinctly brown by the time it moults. The feet, legs and bill are black. The Dwarf Raven was formerly considered a subspecies (Corvus ruficollis edithae) but this bird now appears to be closer to the Pied Crow
Pied Crow
The Pied Crow is a widely distributed African bird species in the crow genus.Structurally, the Pied Crow is better thought of as a small crow-sized Raven, especially as it can hybridise with the Somali Crow where their ranges meet in the Horn of Africa...
(C. albus) than this species. Hybrids between this species and the Pied Crow seem to reinforce their close relationship. This species is found principally in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and neighbouring areas.
This species has a wide range across virtually the whole of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, down as far as Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, the Arabian peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
and up into the Greater Middle East
Greater Middle East
The Greater Middle East is a political term coined by the Bush administration to group together together various countries, pertaining to the Muslim world, specifically Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Various Central Asian countries are sometimes also included. Some speakers may use the...
and southern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It lives in a predominantly desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
environment visiting oases and palm groves.
Food consists of a wide range of items including carrion, snakes, locusts and other grasshoppers, stranded fish (in coastal areas), grain stolen from bags, dates and other fruits. It is quite fearless when not persecuted but is quick to become wary and shy if too much attention is paid to it. A 2009 Israeli study showed the species to cooperatively hunt lizards, with birds blocking exits while others hunted.
The nest is very much like the Common Raven's, and may be found in trees, on cliffs or in old and ruined buildings. The Dwarf Raven seems to prefer thorn trees for its nest building. There are usually 4-5 eggs laid and incubated over 20–22 days. The young usually leave the nest by the 37th or 38th day and can fly well by 42–45 days.
The voice is very similar to the Common Raven's consisting mainly of croaks, though higher in pitch; and a harsh "karr-karr-karr" very much like a Carrion Crow too. In flight, it will utter a "kuerk-kuerk" call.
Image Links
External links
- Brown-necked Raven videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection