Raven, Corvus corax

Local status: Scarce visitor

Formerly a very rare visitor to Yorkshire, following centuries of persecution, Ravens are now making a welcome comeback and are spreading east and a small number of pairs bred just south and just west of the York area by the mid-2010s. This is reflected in the increasing number of records. Ravens breed early, and late spring records are probably attributable to birds dispersing after breeding. There was evidence of breeding in 2016 & again in 2019. Records have continued to increase with 20 records in both 2021 & 2022, increasing to 35 in 2023. Since 2015 its status has changed from rare to scarce visitor.

Raven © Duncan Bye

Records prior to 2021:
2020: Castle Howard, 25th December. one
2020: Rufforth Tip, 29th October. one
2020: Elvington Airfield, 23rd October. one
2020: Selby, 29th September. one
2020: Sherburn in Elmet, 6th September. one NW
2020: Scackleton, 7th August. one
2020: Milford Common, 17th June, two
2020: Ampleforth, 2nd March. one
2020: Bank Island, 9th February. two north
2020: Castle Howard, 19th January. two
2019: between North Duffield Carrs & Skipwith Common, 5th December. one
2019: Bolton Percy, 14th November. one
2019: Skipwith Common, 18th to 25th October, two
2019: Bolton Percy Ings, 29th & 30th September. one
2019: Brayton Barff, 21st September. one
2019: Gilling East, 13th August. one
2019: Castle Howard, 31st May. one
2019: Riccall, 30th April. one
2019: Castle Howard, 17th April. one & 28th April, two
2019: Acaster Airfield, 23rd March. one
2019: Canal Head, Pocklington Canal, 6th March. one
2019: Spaldington, 27th February. one
2019: Allerthorpe Common, 25th February. one
2019: Castle Howards, 13th February. one
2019: Newburgh Priory, 31st January. two
2018:Wheldrake Ings, 14th December. two
2018: Bubwith Bridge, 13th December. two
2018: Gilling Woods, 25th November. one or two
2018: Wheldrake Ings, 8th October. one north
2018: Castle Howard, 1st October. two
2018: Skipwith Common, 30th September. one
2018: Hildenley, 26th August, two
2018: Sand Hutton Labs, 9th February, one
2018: Skipwith Common, 1st February. one
2017: Nun Appleton, 28th October, two & one on 9th & 10th November
2017: Acaster Airfield. 20th October. one
2017: Bolton Percy Ings, 18th & 20th October. two
2017: Bolton Percy 17th September. two
2017: Wheldrake Ings, 11th September. three west
2017: Castle Howard, 3rd June, one
2017: Castle Howard, May. one or two
2017: Acklam, 16th May. one
2017: Kirkby Wharfe, 17th April. one north
2017: Castle Howard, 27th March. one
2017: between Bolton Percy and Nun Appleton, 2nd February. two
2016: Bolton Percy Ings on 29th September, one & two on 17th October
2016: Hopgrove Roundabout, 7th June, one
2016: Castle Howard, 4th & 5th June, family party of two adults & three immature may have bred locally
2015: Hagg Bridge, 5th March. One.
2015: Bolton Percy, 6th February. Two.
2015: Skipwith Common, 17th January. One flew west.
2014: Milford Common, 4th November. Two.
2014: Sutton-on-the-Forest, 9th March.
2012; Allerthorpe Common, 15th February.
2012: Strensall Forest, 13th January.
2011: Fulford Ings, 12th November.
2011: Heslington East, 7th September. Two.
2010: Clifton Park and Clifton Backies, 2nd June.
2007: Fulford, York, 1st October.
2006: Wheldrake Ings and Thorganby, 5th May.
2006: Gilling, 8th March.
2004: Cliffe, 3rd October.
1993: Wheldrake Ings, 7th May.
1988: Wheldrake Ings, 30th May and 12th June.