About Corvus cryptoleucus Couch, 1854
This species, the Chihuahuan raven, has body proportions similar to the common raven with a heavy bill. It is roughly the same size as a carrion crow, or slightly larger than the American crow, with a total length of 44–51 cm (17–20 in). Its entire plumage is black, with a noticeable rich purple-blue sheen in good lighting. It is classed as one of the smaller raven species, alongside the forest raven, little raven, fan-tailed raven, and Australian raven. Larger raven species are the common raven, thick-billed raven, white-necked raven, and brown-necked raven; the common and thick-billed ravens are the largest raven species in the world, while the little and fan-tailed ravens are the smallest. The Chihuahuan raven looks similar to the Australian raven, but can be distinguished by its dark brown irises and whiter feather bases. Its nasal bristles extend further down the top of the bill than in any other Corvus species, reaching roughly two-thirds of the bill's length. The Chihuahuan raven also resembles the white-necked raven of east Africa, because the base of its neck feathers have a whitish coloration, a feature that is only visible when the feathers are ruffled by strong wind. All of its bill, legs, and feet are black. The Chihuahuan raven is distributed across the Southwestern and Midwestern United States and northern Mexico, including the regions of southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, western Kansas, western Oklahoma, and southern and western Texas.
