Alternative names: Ethiopian Raven; Dwarf Raven; Somali Raven; Lesser Brown-necked Raven
- Corvus edithae
Identification
46cm. A large raven.
- Mostly black plumage
- Glossed dark green on crown and upperparts
- Glossed violet on upperwing and tail
- Shiny brown nape, upper mantle, throat and side of neck
Similar species
Differs from Common Raven by much smaller size, shorter throat hackles, brown colour on head and neck and narrower wings with more pointed wingtip.
Distribution
Found in Eritrea, Djibouti, eastern and southern Ethiopia, Somalia, extreme southeastern South Sudan, and northern Kenya.
Common and widespread in its range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Formerly considered conspecific with Brown-necked Raven but may be closer related to Pied Crow.
Habitat
Semi-desert and desert, dry savanna. Also in oasis, desert settlements and rubbish dumps.
Behaviour
Omnivorous. The diet includes carrion, snakes, locusts, grasshoppers, fruit and grain. Known to kill newborn lambs and gazelles.
Breeding season differs through range. It nest in trees or on cliffs; 4-5 eggs are laid and incubated for 20-22 days. The young fledge 37 or 38 days later.
A sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Somali Crow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Somali_Crow
