What Is a Group of Ravens Called?
One of the smartest birds on the planet, wrapped in one of the darkest collective nouns.
A group of ravens is most often called an unkindness, with conspiracy also in common use. Ravens (Corvus corax) are among the most intelligent birds alive, with problem-solving abilities that rival some primates.
Deck of Nouns
What Is a Group of Ravens Called?
Unkindness is the classic, most historically cited term for a group of ravens, one of the oldest and most memorable of the medieval collective nouns. Conspiracy is a newer but widely used alternate, leaning into the same reputation for cunning and secrecy that’s followed ravens through folklore for centuries.
Where Did the Name Come From?
“Unkindness” appears among the terms of venery collected in the Book of Saint Albans (1486), likely reflecting old superstitions that painted ravens as ill omens, harbingers of death, or simply unpleasant company, rather than any real cruelty on the birds’ part. “Conspiracy” is a more modern addition that plays on the same folklore, imagining a gathering of ravens as something scheming and secretive. A few other terms, including parliament, tower, and storytelling, also turn up in some collective-noun lists, but they’re far less consistently documented and are more commonly associated with other birds like owls.
Raven Facts
- Genuinely brilliant: Ravens are considered among the most intelligent birds on Earth, with problem-solving and planning abilities that researchers have compared to great apes in some experiments.
- Tool users: Ravens have been observed using and even shaping tools to retrieve food, a rare skill outside of primates and a handful of other bird species.
- They point: Wild ravens have been documented using their beaks to “point” at objects to direct another raven’s attention, a form of gestural communication once thought unique to humans and great apes.
- Impressive mimics: Ravens can mimic a wide range of sounds, including other animals and, in captivity, human speech.
- The largest songbird: Despite their crow-like appearance, ravens are technically the largest member of the passerine (songbird) order.
Example Sentences
- An unkindness of ravens gathered on the fence posts at dusk, watching the field below.
- Locals joked that the conspiracy of ravens circling the old barn knew something they didn’t.
Other Names for a Group of Ravens
Unkindness remains the term most closely tied to ravens specifically and the one most collective-noun references lead with. Conspiracy has become nearly as common in modern usage, especially online, thanks to how well it fits the raven’s brainy, watchful reputation.
🧠 Test Your Raven Knowledge
Three quick questions. See what stuck.
1. What’s the most historic term for a group of ravens?
2. What unusual communication behavior have wild ravens been observed doing?
3. What order of birds do ravens belong to?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of ravens called?
Most often an unkindness, with conspiracy also widely used.
Are ravens actually unkind?
No, the name reflects old superstition rather than real behavior. Ravens are highly social and intelligent birds.
Are ravens really that smart?
Yes. Ravens show problem-solving, tool use, and planning abilities that researchers have compared to great apes.
Can ravens mimic human speech?
Yes, especially in captivity, ravens can mimic a wide range of sounds including human speech.
Are ravens and crows the same bird?
No. Ravens and crows are related corvids but are different species; ravens are notably larger with a heavier bill and wedge-shaped tail.
Smarter Than Their Reputation
An unkindness of ravens has carried a spooky reputation for centuries, but behind the folklore is one of the most genuinely intelligent, social, and downright clever birds in the animal kingdom.