Chihuahuan Raven

A Chihuahuan Raven is a fun bird to see while bird watching. Below are some tips to help you identify Chihuahuan Ravens. We have also put together a list of fun Chihuahuan Raven t-shirts, Chihuahuan Raven bird patches, bird houses, bird feeders, binoculars, stickers and other fun bird watching items.

About Chihuahuan Ravens

The Chihuahuan Raven is an intermediate bird of the crows and ravens. It bears some features of crows and also some of the Ravens.

Description and Identification

Chihuahuan Ravens are social birds often seen in small groups or large flocks. Their bases of neck and body feathers are white in colour. The white colour is difficult to spot in the field and is revealed only when the wind blows the feathers or when a bird fluffs its feathers. The colouration of the ravens is unique in North America, different from other American crows or ravens. Chihuahuan Ravens have dark brown irises, and the nasal bristles extend farther down the top of the bill. Their bill, legs, and feet are black. They have a hefty bill, long nasal bristles, and tail, broad and round wings. 

Chihuahuan Raven Size

Length: 46 to 53 cm

Weight: 380 to 670 g

Wingspan: 104 to 110 cm

Both the males and females are of the same average size.

Chihuahuan Raven Appearance

They are medium-sized birds with a pure glossy black plumage. From different angles, they appear silvery and shiny. They have a distinct bill with long nasal bristles and a hefty black bill. They have rounded wings and a diamond-shaped tail, with long, black talons.

The juveniles are almost identical to the adults, with only their ruffled appearance and brownish tail ends and wings to set them apart.

Chihuahuan Raven Habitat

Chihuahuan Ravens inhabit very arid areas where Common Ravens or American Crows are less in number. Ravens occur in the southwestern and midwestern United States and northern Mexico. They are found in dry and open grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs and unbroken desert scrub. They build their nest in grasslands and deserts with yucca and scattered small trees, such as acacia, shinnery oak, creosote bush, and mesquite. Chihuahuan Ravens range into pinyon-juniper woodlands and into cottonwood-sycamore corridors, where they nest, at times. 

They are found in places with scattered trees. They also reside in dry, grassland areas, shrubs and unbroken desert scrubs. They build their nests on top of telephone and power poles and also use the pole as a perching ground.

Migration and Range

Chihuahuan Ravens, from the family of Corvidae, are native to the United States and Mexico. They occur in the Southwestern and Midwestern United States and northern Mexico, including Southwestern Arizona, southern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, western Kansas, western Oklahoma, and southern and western Texas. The ravens are fairly common but thinly distributed in their desert habitat. You can usually spot them around cliffs, near ranch operations, and at landfills. Chihuahuan Ravens are mostly permanent residents, but a few of them may withdraw in the fall from the northern part of the range. Flocks move around in winter to gather in good feeding areas.

Chihuahuan Raven Feeding

Chihuahuan Ravens are omnivorous and opportunistic, eating a variety of food. Their diet includes several kinds of insects, especially larger grasshoppers and beetles, and stinkbugs, treehoppers, and oak worms, which they glean from the bark. Ravens also eat spiders and many sorts of vertebrae, including fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals. At times, Chihuahuan Ravens capture live lizards, birds, and rodents, which they seize with their bill and consume immediately. They often eat carrion, garbage, grains, seeds, berries, and fruits, including cactus fruit. Ravens feed on sorghum, wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, milo, and rye, among 

They are omnivorous with a wide spectrum of food. They feed on large insects, lizards, and small mammals, grains from farms, fruits, young birds and garbage from homes.

Nesting

Chihuahuan Ravens build their nests either in trees, large shrubs, or even in old buildings, at times. In some areas, Ravens usually breed in summer to take advantage of a better food supply after summer rains begin. The female Ravens build a large, bulky nest, and the pair frequently reuse and enlarge their nests over several breeding seasons. They usually lay five to seven eggs late in the year during May to take advantage of insect food for their younger ones in their more arid environment. Male and female Ravens incubate the eggs, feed the young, and remain territorial in protecting the nesting area.

Chihuahuan Raven Life and Behavior

They are social birds that live in clusters or flocks made up of few individuals.

They live in mated pairs and after mating, the females lay 1 to 8 eggs that are green or blue with some blotches and streaks of brown colors. The eggs are laid in nests that are made from wires and sticks and are softened with wool, cotton, fur, grass, rope and paper. The nests can be found on treetops, utility poles, the tops of buildings or abandoned machinery

The female incubates the eggs until they hatch. After they hatch, the younglings are mostly helpless and cannot even stand on their own. They have tufts of down and no feathers.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Chihuahuan Ravens

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Chihuahuan Ravens are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

Chihuahuan Raven T-shirts

If you love the Chihuahuan Raven you should purchase a Bird Watching Academy & Camp T-shirt. To help support bird conservation we donate 10 percent to bird conservation activities.

Chihuahuan Raven Iron On Patches

Kids, Youth, and Adults love to collect our Bird Watching Academy & Camp iron on patches. Our bird watching patches help you keep track of the birds you have seen an identified. You can also display the patches on our Bird Watching Academy & Camp banners.

The Chihuahuan Raven is a great iron on patch to start your collection with. The patches are durable and can be sewn on or ironed on to just about anything.

Chihuahuan Raven Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Chihuahuan Raven. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders for Chihuahuan Raven

There are many types of bird feeders. Here are our favorite bird feeders for your backyard. We use all of these bird feeders currently. Kids will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. Using this collection of bird feeders will provide a wide variety and many types of birds.

Best Bird Houses for Chihuahuan Raven

There are many types of bird houses. Building a bird house is always fun but can be frustrating. These 4 bird houses have become our favorites. Getting a bird house for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. We spent a little extra money on these bird houses but they have been worth the higher price and look great.