Forest Raven
Encyclopedia
The Forest Raven is a large species of the crow genus native to south-eastern Australia
and Tasmania
.
species and is the sole representative of the genus Corvus in Tasmania. The call is a deep "korr-korr-korr-korr" with a similarly drawn out last note to the Australian Raven
.
. The suggestion that this form be given specific rank and be known as the Relict Raven (Corvus boreus) appears not to have gathered favour, and the Relict Raven remains classified as a subspecies, C. tasmanicus boreus.
A scientific study of the Forest Raven (C. tasmanicus) and the Little Raven
(C. mellori) is being undertaken by the Victorian Ornithological Research Group
in Victoria.
In its present stronghold — the state of Tasmania — the Forest Raven is one of only four native birds that have no legal protection outside national parks and other reserves. The other three unprotected species are the Tasmanian Native-hen (a Tasmanian endemic), the Great Cormorant
and the Little Pied Cormorant
. All other native Tasmanian birds are listed as protected under the state's Nature Conservation Act 2002.
taking a very wide range of foods such as insect
s, carrion
, fruit
, grain
and earthworm
s. It has been known to kill and eat birds as large as the Silver Gull
(Larus novaehollandiae) using some degree of cunning by pretending to forage near enough to get close for the kill.
and like it, built always high up in tall trees.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
Description
The Forest Raven is 50–52 cm in length with glossy black plumage and a white iris. It has a proportionately larger bill and shorter tail than the other mainland corvidCorvidae
Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
species and is the sole representative of the genus Corvus in Tasmania. The call is a deep "korr-korr-korr-korr" with a similarly drawn out last note to the Australian Raven
Australian Raven
The Australian Raven is the largest Australian member of the genus Corvus and one of three Australian species commonly known as ravens. It is a more slender bird than the Common Raven of the Northern Hemisphere but is otherwise similar...
.
Subspecies
An outlying population exists in a small area in the tablelands of north-eastern New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. The suggestion that this form be given specific rank and be known as the Relict Raven (Corvus boreus) appears not to have gathered favour, and the Relict Raven remains classified as a subspecies, C. tasmanicus boreus.
A scientific study of the Forest Raven (C. tasmanicus) and the Little Raven
Little Raven
The Little Raven is a species of the crow and raven family Corvidae, that is endemic to Australia. It has all-black plumage, beak and legs with a white iris, as do the other Corvus members in Australia and some species from the islands to the north.-Taxonomy:Although the Little Raven was first...
(C. mellori) is being undertaken by the Victorian Ornithological Research Group
Victorian Ornithological Research Group
The Victorian Ornithological Research Group is a small project-focused ornithological group of amateurs and professionals based in Victoria, Australia. It was formed in 1962. It publishes a bulletin, VORG Notes...
in Victoria.
Distribution and habitat
The Forest Raven inhabits a wide range of habitat within Tasmania such as woods, open interrupted forest, mountains, coastal areas, farmland and town and city fringes. It is also found in southern Victoria from Gippsland west through Wilson's Promontory and the Otway Ranges. Further west, it occurs patchily in south-east South Australia.In its present stronghold — the state of Tasmania — the Forest Raven is one of only four native birds that have no legal protection outside national parks and other reserves. The other three unprotected species are the Tasmanian Native-hen (a Tasmanian endemic), the Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant , known as the Great Black Cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the Black Cormorant in Australia and the Black Shag further south in New Zealand, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds...
and the Little Pied Cormorant
Little Pied Cormorant
The Little Pied Cormorant, Little Shag or Kawaupaka is a common Australasian waterbird, found around the coasts, islands, estuaries, and inland waters of Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and around the islands of the south-western Pacific and the sub-Antarctic...
. All other native Tasmanian birds are listed as protected under the state's Nature Conservation Act 2002.
Diet
A typical omnivoreOmnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
taking a very wide range of foods such as insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, carrion
Carrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
, fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
and earthworm
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
s. It has been known to kill and eat birds as large as the Silver Gull
Silver Gull
The Silver Gull also known simply as "seagull" in Australia, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly coastal areas. The South African Hartlaub's Gull and the New Zealand Red-billed Gull The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus...
(Larus novaehollandiae) using some degree of cunning by pretending to forage near enough to get close for the kill.
Nesting
A stick nest, very similar to the mainland Australian RavenAustralian Raven
The Australian Raven is the largest Australian member of the genus Corvus and one of three Australian species commonly known as ravens. It is a more slender bird than the Common Raven of the Northern Hemisphere but is otherwise similar...
and like it, built always high up in tall trees.
