# Somali crow (Corvus edithae)

> The Somali crow or dwarf raven: size, range, nesting, voice, how it differs from the brown-necked raven, its Red List status and where it has been recorded in Somalia, region by region.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/nature/somali-crow/
Last checked: 2026-11-13
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## In short

The Somali crow (*Corvus edithae*), also called the dwarf raven, is a member of the crow family. It is about the size of the Eurasian carrion crow, 44 to 46 cm long, with a longer bill and a browner tint to its feathers, especially when they are worn ([Wikipedia, Somali crow, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_crow)).

It was first described by Lort Phillips in 1895 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/5788768)).

## Range

The species lives mainly in Somalia, Djibouti, the Ogaden (the Somali Region of Ethiopia) and the former Northern Frontier District of Kenya ([Wikipedia, Somali crow, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_crow)). It was once treated as a subspecies of the larger brown-necked raven (*Corvus ruficollis*) and is now treated as a separate species. It can be told from the brown-necked raven by its call, its look and its behaviour (same source).

Some authorities place it closer to the pied crow (*Corvus albus*). Where the two meet, hybrid birds between the pied crow and the Somali crow have been recorded (same source).

## Nest, eggs and voice

The nest is a bulky, raven-like platform of sticks in a lone tree or on a telegraph pole. Near the coast, or where there are no trees, it nests on cliffs. It lays 3 to 5 eggs in April and early May. Its call is a harsh "caw", like that of the rook ([Wikipedia, Somali crow, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_crow)).

## Records in Somali lands

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) holds 188 records of the Somali crow from Somalia, dated from 1985 to 2026 ([GBIF occurrence search, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=5788768)). By type: 186 sightings by people, 1 other record, 1 museum specimen.

Records that name a region (185 of 188), by region: [Woqooyi Galbeed](/en/regions/woqooyi-galbeed/) 122, [Togdheer](/en/regions/togdheer/) 30, [Sanaag](/en/regions/sanaag/) 13, Banadir (Mogadishu) 8, [Bari](/en/regions/bari/) 3, [Awdal](/en/regions/awdal/) 2, Middle [Shabelle](/en/economy/farming-and-harvests/) 2, [Sool](/en/regions/sool/) 2, [Hiiraan](/en/regions/hiiraan/) 1, [Mudug](/en/regions/mudug/) 1, [Nugaal](/en/regions/nugaal/) 1 (same source).

The oldest dated record is a sighting by a person from 1985, from Banadir (Mogadishu), held by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird) ([GBIF record 957067395](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/957067395)).

The newest dated record is a sighting by a person from 2026, from Banadir (Mogadishu) ([GBIF record 6568513817](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6568513817)).

GBIF only holds what museums, scientists and observers have shared, so the counts show where the animal or plant has been recorded, not its full range.

## Red List status

The IUCN Red List category for the Somali crow is **Least Concern** ([IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22732286A95046030.en); [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/5788768)).

## Classification

| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Corvidae |
| Genus | Corvus |
| Species | *Corvus edithae* |

Scientific name with author: *Corvus edithae* Lort Phillips, 1895 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/5788768)).

## Related pages

- [Birds of Somalia](/en/nature/birds-of-somalia/)

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22732286A95046030.en)
- [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/5788768)
- [GBIF occurrence records, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=5788768)
- [Wikipedia (backup)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_crow)

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