Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus Scientific name definitions

52–54 cm; male 500–800 g and female 535–755 g (nominate), male 550–740 g and female 600–710 g (boreus). Large, long-legged crow with stout bill, medium-length bifurcated throat hackles, blunt wings and short tail. Plumage is entirely glossy black, with grey feather bases on head and neck; iris white; bill and legs black. Sexes similar. Juvenile is duller than adult, with shorter hackles, pink gape and gular skin, blue-grey (fledgling) to brown eyes; older immature (in 2nd-3rd year) has eyes brown, becoming hazel. Race <em>boreus</em> is like nominate in plumage, but has longer wings and tail, proportions thus more as those of C. coronoides (but in flight has rounded, broad-based wings and broad tail).

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All terrestrial habitat types within range, from subalpine (1500 m) to littoral, including dense forest, though rarely within or below rainforest canopy. Most common in woodland and pastoral land; often on edge between wooded and open areas. Habitats typically dominated by eucalypts (Eucalyptus), but occurs also in other vegetation types, including exotic pine (Pinus) plantations.

Breeding pairs sedentary within large home range. Juveniles, immatures and non-breeding adults form mobile, dispersive flocks of typically 10–30 individuals, sometimes congregating in flocks of up to 100 or more at gluts of food. Commonly makes sea crossings of 10–30 km between islands. Many individuals apparently remain within 100 km of natal site, although groups readily cross Bass Strait between Tasmania and mainland Australia, involving sea crossings of up to 90 km.

Omnivorous predator and scavenger ; strongly carnivorous. Feeds mainly on invertebrates, small birds, eggs , nestlings, small mammals and carrion, including beachcast marine life; occasionally lizards. Also seeds, some fruit, other plant material, occasionally nectar. Sometimes attacks weak or moribund lambs. Opportunistic, feeding mainly on the ground in open habitats, sometimes in trees and shrubs. Forages mainly by walking and gleaning from the ground or low vegetation, sometimes gleaning or snatching prey in foliage; occasionally wades in shallow water. Commonly patrols roads, sheep paddocks, rubbish dumps and parks for carrion and refuse. Sometimes dunks food in water before eating. Caches or buries surplus food in terrestrial sites, such as under soil or grass or in grass tussocks, and especially in arboreal hiding places, such as crevices in trees, behind loose bark, or under leaves placed in purpose-built stick platform; retrieves stored food later. Forages in pairs and family parties; also in larger flocks of non-breeders.

Series of deep (bass), slow and guttural caws , given with throat hackles noticeably fanned and tail deeply depressed, typically of 4 notes, with terminal note drawn out and descending. Also gives shorter, sharper barks, sometimes antiphonally, and guttural croaking notes. Calls deeper and harsher than those of C. coronoides; richer and often more leisurely than calls of C. mellori.

Laying mainly late winter to spring, mostly Jul–Sept, but extending to early summer (mid-Dec) in Tasmania. Monogamous. Solitary nester, in well-dispersed pairs. Nest a large bowl c. 40 cm wide and 50 cm deep, made with sticks, lined with bark, leaves, feathers, grass, wool, fur, seaweed and/or horse manure, built 3–36 m (usually more than 10 m) above ground in fork of tree; on offshore islands sometimes on or near ground or on rock ledge. Clutch 3–6 eggs, usually 4 or 5; incubation by female, period probably c. 20 days; chicks fed by both sexes, nestling period 37–43 days; young remain dependent for a further three months. Nests occasionally parasitized by Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae). Broods of three fledglings common; one pair raised 11 young over six years, giving average of 1·8 young per attempt. Age at first breeding 3 years.

Not globally threatened. Abundant and widespread in Tasmania. Populations in coastal SE mainland Australia small and fragmented. N race boreus considered "Near-threatened" nationally on account of small, fragmented and declining populations, which are subject to habitat loss and to competition from expanding populations of C. coronoides and C. orru. In Tasmania, has probably increased in numbers with spread of agriculture and urbanization; lives in home range of c. 100 ha in pastoral areas, to 300–400 ha in coastal forest. Benefits from artificial food sources, and is common in modified habitats. Has perceived pest status in sheep-rearing lands, orchards, crops and around poultry, and consequently is legally unprotected and is persecuted by shooting, trapping and poisoning in farmland (with little apparent effect on numbers). Well represented in protected areas.