Common Raven

A common raven sitting on a wooden fence post.

NPS

The Common Raven, Corvus Corax is among the smartest of bird species. They can be found year-round in most areas of the Western United States, as well as Canada and Alaska.The raven’s appearance is similar to that of a crow, with a few distinctions. While both are large entirely black birds, ravens are usually larger. Ravens also have a longer beak, and while in flight, their tails have a wedge shape that tapers to a point, while crows’ tails are flat.

They can thrive in a variety of habitats, including evergreen and deciduous forest, high desert, seacoast, and tundra. Their intelligence also allows them to live near human populations with relative ease, living off roadkill, trash or unattended food. They are omnivorous scavengers and predators, making them extremely adaptable.



While they can be social birds, most often mated pairs will lay claim to “territories” and protect it from other ravens. In winter, itinerant ravens who discover a carcass will call other ravens to the site, a behavior meant to overwhelm the local territory owners from hoarding the kill to themselves.

In Muir Woods, you are most likely to see our ravens patrolling the plaza, inquisitive and confident, eyeing the passing visitors in the hope someone will abandon their food or trash. Disposing of waste properly allows the ravens to soar above the creek in search of prey or carrion, giving visitors the chance to watch these acrobatic fliers soar through the redwoods. To learn more about the birds of Muir Woods visit Birds of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.