The Raven in languages

To see one raven is lucky, 'tis true,
But it's certain misfortune to light upon two
And meeting with three is the devil!

Words from an unknown ballad, they accurately express our mixed emotions about the biggest songbird and largest all black bird in the world. The Common Raven, Corvus corax, can be found around the world throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is equally at home hawking for prey over an arroyo in the Arizonan deserts during the blistering mid-day heat, tumbling through the skies amidst the loftiest peaks in the Himalayas, or perching on a street light in urban Alaska waiting to steal its next meal from an unsuspecting human benefactor.

The raven is a member of a very successful family of birds, the Corvidae, which also includes jays, magpies, and crows. Many people confuse ravens and crows, and even experienced bird watchers slip up now and then. Although ravens are considerably larger than crows, a big crow and a small raven might be a little difficult to tell apart by size alone, especially if the bird is some distance away. Ravens have larger, stouter bills than do crows, and the tip of the upper beak is more downcurved. Ravens also have shaggy throat feathers and a wedge-shaped tail, visible best when the bird is in flight. Crows' tails are more square cut. The call of the crow is a nasal caw compared to the deep, gutteral croak of the raven, although both species have extensive and varied vocal repertoires.