raven

Any of several large crows, genus Corvus, of the Corvidae family, order Passeriformes. The common raven C. corax is about 60 cm/2 ft long with a wingspan of nearly 1 m/3 ft, and has black, lustrous plumage; the beak and mouth, tongue, legs, and feet are also black. It is a scavenger and is found only in the northern hemisphere.

The nest is built in cliffs or in the fork of a tall tree, and is a bulky structure. In it are laid four or five pale-green eggs spotted with brown. Incubation by the female lasts about 21 days.

Ravens are traditionally associated with death, probably from their practice of gathering in large numbers around a carcass, despite being by habit a solitary species.