Raven calling … to who? (photo by JMaughn via Flickr Creative Commons license)

23 December 2025

Common ravens (Corvus corax) are well studied, highly intelligent birds who often have a lot to say, but we don’t know what it means. Not only do they make a wide array of sounds but they may use them in almost any context.

In the last 50 years of studying raven voices researchers found …

In a contextual analysis of raven communication, calls were shown to indicate more about what was not going to happen next than they did about what was going to happen next.  Vocalizations also tended to inhibit behaviors of receivers rather than elicit behaviors.

Here are several examples of raven vocalizations. Whatcha sayin’, Raven?

Common raven vocalizing at Marbury (Whitchurch) near the Llangollen canal by @MarburyBirds on X:

Dank & cold walk highlights both Ravens (very chatty again!). Large flocks (100’s) of Winter Thrushes), Mistle Thrush, displaying Wigeons, Teal, Tufties, Great White Egret, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Mipits, Chaffinches, Great Crested & Little Grebes, Coal Tit, Siskins pic.twitter.com/LI37Njym53

This call draws my attention to a raven overhead in Pittsburgh. “Brock, Brock”

Knocking?

Shouting!

There’s a raven in the center birch tree who has a lot to say about, or perhaps to, the dog.

And finally if you have the time, listen to this group of ravens having a 9-minute conversation in the Michigan woods.