Date: 7/25/25 4:08 pm From: Wayne Hoffman (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Huge Kettle of Common Ravens (Not in Carolinas) and strange appearing Downy WP
Hi Ken -
In Santa Fe I think you are within the general range of both Common Ravens and Chihuahuan Ravens, and the latter gather in large roosts and are more likely to form large kettles. I am not sure I would be able to tell them apart in a large kettle high overhead.
As for the Downy Woodpecker: If you look at references (mostly old) that discuss subspecies, you will find evidence for a lot of geographic variation in Downies. Pyle's Identification guide is the most recent reference I have listing woodpecker subspecies, and it includes 7 subspecies of Downies. I agree that the one in your photo looks pretty different from the ones around here (and as different from the ones I knew from western Oregon).
Wayne Hoffman
Wilmington
From: "KEN LIPSHY" <carolinabirds...>
To: "carolinabirds" <carolinabirds...>
Cc: "KEN LIPSHY" <wuzupdoc12...>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 6:21:11 PM
Subject: Huge Kettle of Common Ravens (Not in Carolinas) and strange appearing Downy WP
I apologize for this out of state Raven Behavior Question but this afternoon At the Audubon center in Santa Fe i counted well over 100 Common ravens in a kettle overhead.. … is that typical? I looked online to see but there is no mention of Raven Kettles that large.
Also there is a Downy WP photo on that page that looks quite different to me as well- welcome any input (I used to contact Ned Brinkley for out of state questions but sadly he is not with us)
