Bird
Thick-billed Raven
Corvus crassirostrisAlso known as Ethiopian Raven
Massive corvids dominate the Ethiopian highlands, readily distinguished by an oversized, strongly arched bill with a white tip and a stark white patch on the nape. Highly social scavengers, they form boisterous groups around mountain passes, markets, and cliffside roosts while uttering deep, guttural croaks. Paired birds remain together year-round, performing dramatic aerial maneuvers over steep rocky precipices.
HighlandEndemicScavenger
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyCarrion, Insects, Small Mammals
Predators
- Verreaux's Eagle
- Lanner Falcon
ThreatsHabitat alteration, persecution, pesticide poisoning
HabitatsMontane grasslands, rocky cliffs, mountain forests, villages
Life span15–20 years
Classification
- FamilyCorvidae
- SpeciesCorvus crassirostris
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Capable of a powerful peck if cornered or handled; observe from a respectful distance.
Responsible observation
- Cliff Watching: Scan high mountain passes and escarpments early in the morning for soaring pairs.
- Acoustic Identification: Listen for deep, guttural croaks that resonate far lower than typical crow calls.
- Food Protection: Keep camp provisions covered, as these bold scavengers investigate unattended food.
Competitor (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Brian Gratwicke, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative "Common Raven (Corvus corax)" by Franco Folini is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
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