Little Raven
Corvus mellori
About This Species
Look for this all-black corvid in open woodland, farmland and urban parks across southeastern Australia, usually in pairs or small flocks that forage on the ground for insects and grain. It closely resembles the larger Australian Raven but has a shorter, less shaggy throat hackle and a flatter, quicker call, useful clues when the two overlap. It is present year-round and easiest to observe in open paddocks and parkland in the cooler parts of the day.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- This is a common, adaptable bird well used to human activity in farmland and urban settings, and ordinary birdwatching distance is enough to watch it feed or interact within a flock.
- Native birds are protected under state wildlife legislation in Australia, so nests should not be disturbed or handled even though the species itself is not threatened.
- Avoid deliberately flushing foraging flocks, as repeated disturbance in open farmland can push birds away from productive feeding areas.
LCAvesPasseriformesCorvidae
Seasonal Activity
647,936 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
Photo
(c) Rosemary and Mark Breyley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Rosemary and Mark Breyley
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.