A group of ravens is called an unkindness, one of the most recognizable and darkly memorable entries in the entire collective-noun tradition. It appears in the 15th-century Book of Saint Albans alongside other now-famous terms like “murder” of crows, part of a broader medieval habit of assigning morally loaded, often ominous names to corvids specifically.
The reputation isn’t entirely fair. Ravens are, in fact, remarkably intelligent and complex social animals, capable of problem-solving, tool use, and even what researchers describe as a form of grief response when a flock member dies. The “unkind” label likely says more about medieval superstition surrounding black birds and death than any real raven behavior.
Bonus fact: ravens are among the very few non-mammal species known to engage in play for its own sake, including sliding down snowy slopes and playing games with sticks, seemingly just for fun.
Ravens are also described using several other collective nouns, including a conspiracy, a parliament, and a storytelling, all leaning into their reputation for cleverness.
Related: Collective Nouns for Birds · What Is a Group of Ravens Called?