Raven
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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus

[Photo] Common Raven (Corvus corax) at Cypress Provincial Park, British Columbia. In sunlight, the plumage of the Common Raven may have a blue or purple tint. Date 14 October 2007. Author user:Clayoquot

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Raven is the common name given to the largest species of passerine birds in the genus Corvus. Corvids are also commonly referred to as 'crows' and other species in the same genus include jackdaws, and rooks.

In most of Europe and North America, raven is used as a synonym for the widespread Common Raven, and much of the literature and culture surrounding ravens refers to that species.

Ravens have high intelligence and are perhaps the smartest birds. Their intelligence might be on par with canids like wolves.

An obsolete collective noun for a group of ravens (or at least the Common Raven) is an "unkindness".

Species
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides)
Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus)
Little Raven (Corvus mellori)
Thick-billed Raven (Corvus crassirostris)
White-necked Raven (Corvus albicollis)
Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucos)
Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus rhipidurus)
New Zealand Raven (Corvus antipodum, extinct)
Chatham Islands Raven (Corvus moriorum, extinct)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven

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