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50, 60 or even 100 years? Regarding the life expectancy of ravens, impressive figures can be found in the literature. But can the intelligent birds really get that old?
In a nutshell
- Rooks, carrion crows and common ravens are native corvids
- large, black birds that are difficult to tell apart
- isolated indications of age ranges of up to 98 years in the literature
- however unproven: correct age of up to 30 years in captivity
- wild corvids are often only 5 to 6 years old
types of ravens
First of all: the so-called "raven" doesn't really exist. Instead, three types of birds are native to Germany, which could be described as follows:
- Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
- Raven (Corvus corax)
- Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
They all belong to the Corvidae family, which also includes jackdaws and magpies. Ravens and rooks are very similar in appearance and differ primarily in size, with ravens being significantly larger than crows. The carrion crow, in turn, appears in two forms:
- Carrion Crow: pure black plumage
- Hooded Crow: grey-black plumage
So when we talk about "ravens" in this article, unless otherwise stated, these three species are always meant.
Notice: With a wingspan of 115 to 130 centimeters and a body length of between 54 and 67 centimetres, the common raven is the largest native raven - and also the largest European songbird.
Actual life expectancy
Occasionally, corvids - mostly ravens - are reported to have lived to be 50, 69 or even 98 years old in captivity, for example in the zoo or in private keeping. In fact, corvid lifespans are far less spectacular than these mythical (and unproven) claims might at first suggest. Scientists give these numbers as the verifiable maximum age:
- Ravens: up to 30 years
- Rooks: up to 20 years
- Carrion crows: up to 19 years
Raven (Corvus corax)
This information relates to birds that were kept and cared for in captivity. Zoos keep reporting on specimens that have been proven to be 26, 28 or even 29 years old. However, other non-native corvids can, to all appearances, actually reach a somewhat older age. These include specimens of the Brazilian blue raven (Cyanocorax caeruleus) kept in zoos, some of which lived up to 40 years.
Notice: The so-called "tower ravens", which have been kept in the Tower of London for centuries, have been proven to live up to 44 years in modern times. However, this makes them a major exception in the raven world.
Age of free-living corvids
Although there are isolated corvids that live to be 29 or even 40 years old, these are statistical outliers - the majority of captive crows and ravens only live to be between 15 and 20 years of age. In nature, the animals often die much earlier, for various reasons:
- lack of food
- Diseases
- hunting
According to statistics, up to 60 percent of all young corvids die in the first two years. After that, a rook that has reached the age of two lives for about 3.5 more years. After that, it usually dies from not being able to find enough food (e.g. because the local crow population has increased too much and many beaks have to share the little food) or from diseases. These can result from the lack of food itself or be due to pathogens.
Notice: Nowadays, many nestlings and young birds are ringed, so in some cases the age of wild birds is known. The oldest ringed crow found in the wild was almost 23 years old, and the oldest ringed wild ravens found were 21 and 23 years old, respectively.
frequently asked Questions
What do I do with a found young raven?First of all, the rule applies: do not take the young bird with you right away, but watch it for a few hours. Usually the parents are still nearby and take care of the chick. If this has actually been abandoned, it is best to take it to a wild bird sanctuary. Addresses are available online or from veterinarians who specialize in wild animals (you can also google them here). Corvids should never be raised alone.
What is the difference between crows and ravens?Crows and ravens differ mainly in their size: carrion and hooded crows are up to 49 centimeters long and reach a wingspan of up to 104 centimeters. Rooks are slightly smaller, ravens larger. The rook is also easy to recognize by its light-colored beak, because the other two species have dark beaks. However, the plumage of ravens is deep black, while that of carrion crows shimmers lighter and has a metallic sheen.
Are Ravens Endangered?For centuries, ravens were hunted down relentlessly, as they were considered devilish birds that, like black cats, were in league with evil. By the 1940s, the intelligent birds were nearly extinct. Due to strict protective measures, however, the stocks have now recovered strongly, which also applies to the two crow species. In the meantime, there are sometimes even too many animals, so that they have to be hunted.