Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Habitat and History. Before settlement, the common raven was widely distributed in the prairie pothole region of Canada and was an occasional resident in portions of the region in the United States, but by the early 1900's, it was absent from nearly all of the region (Judd 1917; Potter 1943; Houston 1949; Stewart 1975; Houston 1977; South Dakota Ornithologists' Union 1991). The geographic breeding range of this species no longer includes the prairie pothole region but includes the adjacent forested region (Robbins et al. 1983; Godfrey 1986).
Population Structure. Population structure and nesting behavior of the common raven are similar to those of the American crow; populations consist primarily of breeding pairs and nonbreeding yearlings (Bent 1964; Knight and Call 1980).
Distribution and Abundance
Common ravens were seen in four study areas (Lake Park, Leask, Penhold, Yorkton) in the aspen parkland near transition forest (Fig. 16). They were seen regularly in one study area (Leask) where they were uncommon, and once each in the other three areas, where they were scarce; nests were not found.
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/predator/species/raven3.htm
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Menlo Park, CA [caww54]
