The common ravens are medium-sized birds from the family Corvidae and genus Corvus. The scientific name of the species is Corvus corax.
They are a very common bird species found across the world in different countries like entire North America, Europe, and South East Asia.
Eight different subspecies of ravens are found in different places which have different variations in their outer features.
Research also shows that they have genetic differences among the different species populations.
The species was named raven after the ancient English word Hrafn. Old Norse Hrafn is the word from which the name was derived, which means to clear the throat depicting their voice.
The ravens are an all-black bird with no outer difference between the male and female species.
But the males and females can be differentiated based on their size, weight, nesting, breeding, and territorial behaviors.
In this article, we are going to look at how to differentiate between the gender of the ravens and also specifically focus on the lifestyle of a female raven and all the other detailed information.
What Does A Female Raven Look Like?
Both the Female and Male Ravens are completely black birds having a huge body structure with their wingspan ranging from 115-150cm.
Female ravens weigh around 900 grams-2 kg (31-70 oz)on average. A female raven is mostly seen with larger body size than the males because of the presence of more feathers.
They have a featherless, large head with a hooked beak which helps them to crack open the animal bones in order to feed. The tails of the females are broad and long, rounded or wedge-shaped at the tip.
They have large feet and legs designed for walking and running on land.
The ravens are also called Carrion crows because they use large feet and bodies for walking on land and for grabbing food. This also helps them to dig holes easily for nesting purposes.
Female Raven: Size, Weight, Height, and Wingspan
Female Raven Size: The average size of a mature common female raven is somewhere between 54-67cm.
The size generally varies according to the physical conditions, the species found in the Himalayas and Greenland region are of larger size with longer bills making them one of the heaviest passerines.
The species found in the warmer countries are much smaller in size with small bills.
Female Raven Weight: The weight of a female raven varies between 900gms-2kgs (31-70 oz).
But this weight can vary according to the physical conditions like the California ones are of an average weight of 780 gms (28 oz).
The ravens from Alaska weigh around 1150 gms (40 oz) and the ones from Europe are more than 1200 gms (42 oz).
The size of the bills is also longer than the American ones but not like the bill of a thick-billed raven.
Female Raven Height: The female common ravens are generally smaller in height than their male counterparts. The average size of a common female raven is around 55-60cm.
But this can be different according to the physical conditions of each individual species found in different countries.
Female Raven Wingspan: The wingspan of a female raven varies between 115-150 cm. This depends on the size of their body and the physical condition of each individual found in different regions.
In some countries, the ravens are found in open areas where they have very long wingspan which can reach up to 150cm.
What is a Female raven called?
Raven generally have a gender-neutral name, so both the male and female gender are known as common ravens.
What Does a Female Raven Eat?
Female Ravens are omnivorous birds and eat almost everything which they can find in their surroundings.
They have a very keen sense of smell which helps them to catch the prey hiding in the bushes, grasses, or other forms of vegetation.
They also hunt small animals like mice, rats, and other small reptiles. In the summer season, they eat more fruits but when they face less food supply they start hunting animal food like insects, reptiles, and even small birds like swallows.
How can you Differentiate Between a Male and a Female Raven?
| Specifications | Male Raven | Female Raven |
| Size | The size of the males is longer than females. | The females are generally smaller. |
| Weight | 1000-2000gms (35-70 oz) | 900-2000gms (31-70 oz) |
| Beak | Larger than females. | Smaller than males |
| Eye colour | Grey in males. | Dark brown in females. |
| Sounds | Short, repeated, shrill voice and can go on continuously. | Deep, rasping voice compared to the males |
| Food habit | Likes to hunt and fight for food. | Can eat anything available in the surroundings but also hunts during needs. |
| Feather colour | Shiny blackish-blue. | Shiny black with blue, purple or green hues. |
| Nesting | Provides food supply and protects the nest. | Takes care of the babies, feeds them and protects them. |
Female Raven Behaviour, Breeding and Nesting:
The raven species are very social birds. They live in groups or flocks and form a communal lifestyle.
They also make very close relationships with their family members, sometimes even next to siblings.
The female raven can be seen in different areas because of which they must have adapted to various physical situations found throughout their natural habitats.
Breeding and nesting
The breeding seasons of a female raven vary according to the regions they live in. The common ravens normally breed between April and October, but they also breed at different times in different regions.
The breeding seasons can be influenced by various factors like temperature conditions, food availability, social acceptance and mating position, etc.
The female raven has to collect the materials needed for building their nests like dry leaves, small branches, twigs, grass, etc, and make sure she has a suitable place, somewhere safe where they can build a nest in order to raise the new generation.
After completing the construction of the nest, when it is time for mating, both the parents take care of their kids and provide them with food until they become adults.
Eggs: The nest is usually made in such a size that it can hold all the eggs laid by the female raven.
She usually lays 3-7 eggs each time and the width of the eggs varies between 3-3.5cm each.
The eggs are of green, olive, or blue color and are often mottled with dark greenish, olive, or purplish brown.
The incubation period varies between 20-25days whereas once the babies are born the nesting period is for around 60days until they learn how to eat, collect food, fly, and protect themselves.
Female Raven Habitat
The female ravens need to live in a habitat that has trees and bushes for protection, somewhere safe for them to start nesting and raising the new generation.
In order to survive and find enough food supply, they need to live near villages or towns where they can easily find food near them.
They also live in areas where there is less human disturbance and avoid living where dense human settlements are found because of the increasing risk of being crushed by vehicles or getting entangled in electrified fences etc.
Conclusion:
You can use the above guide to differentiate male ravens from female ones. I hope you learned something new from here.
Thank You For Reading!
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