Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Abundance: Rare but apparently increasing since c. 2000; probably Very Uncommon or Rare prior to extirpation in early 20th Century; at least 6 recent Regional records in 3 Tennessee counties (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population possibly breeding in the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Probably a re-establishing Permanent Resident with recent (i.e., 2000s) records during spring (2 records), summer (2 records), fall (1 record), and winter (1 record); Extirpated in Region from early 20th Century until very late 20th Century or very early 21st Century; prior to early decades of 20th Century probably a Very Uncommon or Rare Permanent Resident.

Information on Records: 

13 May 2000 (1) Morgan County, Tennessee (David J. Trently unpubl. data).

Summer 2004 (present) southeastern Scott County, Tennessee (Bulluck and Timpf 2005).

Summer 2005 (present) southeastern Scott County, Tennessee (Bulluck and Timpf 2005).

6 October 2007 (1) Fire tower in Frozen Head State Natural Area, Morgan County, Tennessee (Michael E. Hodge photo and unpubl. data).

16 April 2010 (2) Campground in Frozen Head State Natural Area, Morgan County, Tennessee (Scott G. Somershoe; Knight 2010c).

20 December 2010 (2) Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park, Van Buren County, Tennessee (Jonathan D. Mays et al.).

Breeding: Based on anecdotal evidence, bred in McCreary and Pulaski counties, Kentucky (Mengel 1965), and in Fentress County, Tennessee (Ganier 1973), into the early decades of the early 20th Century and undoubtedly in centuries prior to that one; probable breeder in or very near Scott County, Tennessee, during mid-2000s (Bulluck and Timpf 2005).

Habitat: Cliff lines probably necessary for nesting success.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: no registrations.

Remarks: Mengel (1965) indicates the great likelihood that this corvid was breeding in Pulaski and McCreary counties, Kentucky, as late as the early decades of the 20th Century.  Ganier (1973) refers to this species' presence as a breeder near Jamestown, Fentress County, Tennessee, in the early decades of the 20th Century.

    Bulluck and Timpf (2005) cite records during the breeding seasons of 2004 and 2005 at sites lying either within extreme southeastern Scott County, Tennessee, or on the line with Anderson County; their account does not allow for the extraction of the specific dates when ravens were observed at several sites, including Burge Mountain, Fork Mountain, and Smoky Mountain, all partly within or very near Scott County.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited