From May to August 1984 and April 1985 to April 1986, we collected 574 Common Raven (Corvus corax) pellets from five communal roosts in southwestern Idaho. Results of pellet analyses differed from those of previous studies of the Common Raven diet. Cereal grains were the principal pellet constituent, followed by small mammals, grass-hoppers, cattle carrion, and birds. Pellet composition differed significantly within years, between years, and among roosts. Insects were most numerous in summer and fall pellets, and cattle and bird remains were most abundant in spring pellets. Between years, amounts of insect and cattle remains differed significantly. Amounts of cattle remains also differed significantly among roosts. Our data suggest that the diet of Common Ravens in southwestern Idaho is closely associated with agricultural activities. We recommend intensive, year-round sampling from both raven nest sites and roosts to adequately describe the raven diet in a given area.
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Engel et al. (1989) studied this question.