Corvids, the family of birds that includes crows and ravens, are common in the Phoenix metropolitan area. These intelligent, all-black birds have successfully adapted to the unique challenges of the Sonoran Desert and the urban environment. Their adaptability and omnivorous diet allow them to thrive in human-modified landscapes across Arizona. To understand the corvids of Phoenix, it is necessary to distinguish between the two most common species: the American Crow and the ubiquitous Common Raven.
Distinguishing Crows from Ravens in Arizona
The most frequently seen large black bird soaring above Phoenix is the Common Raven, a species that is far more abundant in the desert Southwest than its smaller cousin, the American Crow. Distinguishing between these two can be challenging, but key differences in size, sound, and flight pattern exist. The Common Raven is a massive bird, comparable in size to a Red-tailed Hawk, measuring up to 27 inches in length.
The American Crow is noticeably smaller, closer to the size of a large pigeon. A visual identifier is the shape of the tail feathers when the bird is in flight; the raven’s tail is wedge-shaped or diamond-like, while the crow’s tail is a rounded fan. Ravens produce a deep, resonant, and often throaty brronk or croak. Crows are known for the familiar, high-pitched, and harsh caw-caw call.
Behaviorally, the Common Raven is typically observed alone or in mated pairs, defending their territory year-round. American Crows are much more social, frequently congregating in larger groups or flocks. The American Crow is largely absent from southern Arizona, with its population concentrated further north.
Preferred Habitats Across the Phoenix Area
The Common Raven’s success in Phoenix stems from its adaptability, allowing it to occupy habitats from the low desert floor to mountain foothills. These opportunistic birds are permanent residents who rely heavily on resources provided by urban and suburban sprawl. They frequently forage in open areas, including city parks and suburban lawns, seeking insects, small animals, and human food waste.
The metropolitan area’s infrastructure provides high-elevation nesting sites that mimic the cliffs ravens traditionally use. Nests, which are bulky structures of sticks, are often placed atop freeway overpasses, radio towers, utility poles, and commercial signs. Riparian zones, such as the Salt River bed and canals, also draw corvids, offering mature trees for nesting and roosting, water, and a consistent food supply. Consistent food sources in densely populated areas, including trash and carrion, drive the raven’s thriving population.
Seasonal Presence and Large Winter Roosts
Common Ravens are non-migratory and remain in the Phoenix area throughout the year. Their ability to survive the extreme summer temperatures is due to desert adaptations, including physiological and behavioral mechanisms. They employ a cooling technique known as gular fluttering, which is a rapid vibration of the throat muscles that promotes evaporative cooling. The glossy, black plumage also helps, as its structure concentrates solar heat near the feather surface, allowing a breeze to carry it away, keeping the bird’s skin cooler.
During the cooler winter months, corvids often participate in communal roosting. While ravens are typically solitary or paired, they gather in small winter flocks or larger roosts where food is plentiful. These large nighttime gatherings, often found in dense stands of trees, serve multiple purposes, including safety from predators and the exchange of information about feeding locations. After winter, these larger groups disperse as the breeding season begins, and mated pairs return to their established territories.