Common Raven Essay

Introduction Most people know what a raven is or at least what they look like, but most people don 't know anymore than that it is a very large black bird that is similar to the american crow. The raven is actually the largest member of the corvidae family and is the also the largest bird that is classified as a songbird. The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is and has always been an iconic symbol many mythologies throughout all of the world. They are also symbols in many cultures including Greek, Celtic, and Native American cultures. In most cultures the raven and its relative the crow are considered messengers of death or symbols of bad luck. But some native american tribes revere the raven because of its intelligence.

Habitat

The common raven is a very widespread bird found throughout most of North America and part of Central America. The common raven is a very adaptable bird that can live in most environments, it can be found in boreal forest, prairie lands (if it contains good nesting sites), the coastal cliffsides of the west coast, in the cold tundra deserts in canada and alaska,and in the severely hot deserts of the southwest united states and in mexico. It may also be seen living in areas that have been altered by humans including landfills and campgrounds.

A raven has glossy black plumage and a large heavy black bill, its nostrils are covered in filoplume feathers. It has a wedge shaped tail that is visible during flight that is usable to distinguish it from an american crow. It has a flight pattern of flap, soar, and then flap