Virgil Walter Earp

Virgil Walter Earp ( July 18, 1843 – October 19, 1905) was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, was a prominent lawman and frontier figure known for his role in the American Old West. As the eldest of the Earp siblings, Virgil took on a leadership role within the family, guiding his younger brothers Wyatt, Morgan, and James. A seasoned law enforcement officer, Virgil served as a deputy U.S. marshal and, later, as the town marshal of Tombstone, Arizona. His most notable moment came during the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, where he, alongside Wyatt and Doc Holliday, confronted a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys. Despite surviving the gunfight, Virgil’s tenure in Tombstone was marred by violence and personal loss, including the assassination attempt that severely injured him and ultimately led to the death of his brother Morgan. Virgil’s resilience and sense of justice left a lasting imprint on the lore of the Old West.

Virgil Earp 1843 -1905
Virgil Earp 1843 -1905

Early Life and Family

Virgil Walter Earp was born on July 18, 1843, in Hartford, Kentucky. He was the second of Nicholas and Virginia Ann Cooksey Earp’s five sons. The Earp family moved frequently during Virgil’s childhood, eventually settling in Pella, Iowa. Growing up in a large and adventurous family, Virgil, along with his brothers James, Wyatt, Morgan, and Warren, developed a strong sense of camaraderie and loyalty that would shape their future endeavors.

Civil War Service

In 1861, at the age of 18, Virgil enlisted in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He served with the 83rd Illinois Infantry Regiment and later transferred to the 17th Illinois Cavalry. His service was marked by bravery and resilience, traits that would later define his career as a lawman. After the war, Virgil returned to civilian life, married his first wife, Ellen, and started a family. Unfortunately, Ellen died shortly after the birth of their daughter.

Life as a Lawman

Virgil’s career as a lawman began in the 1870s. He held various positions across different towns, working as a constable in Prescott, Arizona, and as a deputy U.S. marshal. His reputation for enforcing the law with determination and fairness quickly spread. In 1879, Virgil moved to Tombstone, Arizona, where he would play a crucial role in one of the most famous events in Western history.

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Virgil Earp’s most notable moment came on October 26, 1881, in Tombstone. As the city marshal of Tombstone, Virgil, along with his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, and their friend Doc Holliday, faced off against the Clanton and McLaury brothers in what became known as the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The confrontation, which lasted only about 30 seconds, resulted in the deaths of three outlaws and left Virgil seriously wounded. Despite his injuries, Virgil’s leadership and bravery during the gunfight cemented his place in the annals of the American West.

Later Years and Legacy

Following the gunfight, Virgil is held for a preliminary trail for his role in the gunfight which led to the death of three men. On November 19th, 1881, Virgil Earp, still seriously injured from the gunfight, testified from his bedside at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. He is exonerated on November 30, 1881 with the finding on Judge Wells Spicer.

Virgil’s troubles were far from over. In December 1881, he was ambushed and shot by unknown assailants, leaving him with a permanently crippled left arm. Despite this setback, Virgil continued to serve as a lawman, moving to California, where he worked as a law enforcement officer in various capacities, including city marshal of Colton and constable in Vanderbilt.

Virgil Earp passed away on October 19, 1905, in Goldfield, Nevada, at the age of 62. He was buried in the Riverview Cemetery in Portland, Oregon. His life, marked by courage, resilience, and a commitment to justice, left a lasting legacy in the history of the American West. Virgil Earp’s story, along with those of his brothers, continues to captivate the imaginations of those fascinated by the era of the Old West.

Virgil Earp in the news

On December 30, 1881 the Los Angles Daily Herald broke the news of the Assassination attempt on Marshall Virgil Earp

Los Angeles Daily Herald – December 30, 1882

On December 30, 1881 the Los Angles Daily Herald broke the news of the Assassination attempt on Marshall Virgil Earp The Los Angles Daily Herald…
The Arizona Historical Newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph announces the gunfight at the O K Coral.

The Tombstone Epitaph, October 27, 1881

The following is the original transcript of The Tombstone Epitaph published on October 27, 1881 on the infamous gun fight at the O K Corral…

Tombstone Daily Nugget, October 27, 1881

The Tombstone Daily Nugget, October 27, 1881 described the the infamous gun fight at the O K Corral between the Earps and the Clanton faction…

Earp Family Members

James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 )

James Cooksey Earp

James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 ) James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 ) was…
Morgan Earp historical photo, 1881. Probably taken by C.S. Fly.

Morgan Seth Earp

Morgan Seth Earp, born on April 24, 1851, in Pella, Iowa, was a notable figure of the American Old West, primarily recognized for his association…
Virgil Earp 1843 -1905

Virgil Walter Earp

Virgil Walter Earp ( July 18, 1843 – October 19, 1905) was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, was a prominent lawman and frontier figure known for his…
Warren Baster Earp ( March 9, 1855 - July 6, 1900 )

Warren Baxter Earp

Warren Baxter Earp ( March 9, 1855 - July 6, 1900 ), the youngest of the Earp brothers, was born into a family that would…
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp - Aged 39

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler who became a legendary figure of the Old…

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler who became a legendary figure of the Old West. Born in Monmouth, Illinois, he was the fourth of five children in the Earp family. His early life was marked by a series of moves and financial struggles, leading him into various jobs and ventures as a young man.

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp - Aged 39
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp – Aged 39

Early Life (1848–1864)

Wyatt Earp was born on March 19, 1848, in Monmouth, Illinois, to Nicholas Porter Earp and Virginia Ann Cooksey. He was the fourth of eight children, with four brothers (James, Virgil, Morgan, and Warren) and three sisters. Wyatt grew up in a family with a strong sense of duty and justice, values instilled in him by his father, who had served in the Mexican-American War.

In 1864, the Earp family moved to California, traveling by wagon train across the Great Plains. They settled in San Bernardino, where Wyatt spent his teenage years. During this time, he worked on the family farm and occasionally took on odd jobs, developing the skills that would later serve him well as a frontiersman and lawman.

Wyatt Earp - 1869
Wyatt Earp – 1869

Early Adventures and First Brush with the Law (1865–1870)

After the Civil War ended, Wyatt’s older brothers, Newton, James, and Virgil, returned home, and the family relocated to Lamar, Missouri, in 1868. Here, Wyatt’s father became the local constable, and in 1869, Wyatt followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a constable himself at the age of 21.

However, Wyatt’s early career in law enforcement was marred by controversy. In 1870, he was accused of horse theft in Arkansas, along with two others. The charges were later dropped, but the incident left a stain on his reputation. This experience taught Wyatt the importance of keeping on the right side of the law, but it also gave him insight into the harsh realities of frontier justice.

Marriage, Tragedy, and the Drift Westward (1870–1874)

In 1870, Wyatt married Urilla Sutherland, the daughter of a local hotel owner. Tragically, Urilla died of typhoid fever just months after their marriage, leaving Wyatt devastated. This loss marked a turning point in his life, as he left Missouri and began drifting westward.

Over the next few years, Wyatt worked various jobs, including as a buffalo hunter, teamster, and railway worker. He spent time in the Kansas cattle towns of Wichita and Dodge City, where he first became involved in law enforcement. These towns were known for their lawlessness, and Wyatt quickly gained a reputation for his toughness and ability to maintain order.

Lawman in Kansas: Wichita and Dodge City (1874–1878)

Wyatt Earp’s first significant role as a lawman came in Wichita, Kansas, in 1874. He was appointed as a deputy city marshal and quickly made a name for himself by enforcing the law with a firm hand. However, his tenure in Wichita was cut short after a dispute with a fellow officer led to his dismissal in 1876.

Undeterred, Wyatt moved to Dodge City, Kansas, another rough-and-tumble cow town where he found work as an assistant marshal. Dodge City was a key stop on the cattle drives from Texas, and it attracted its share of gamblers, outlaws, and drifters. Wyatt’s skill in handling these rough elements earned him respect, and he became known for his ability to keep the peace without resorting to unnecessary violence.

During his time in Dodge City, Wyatt formed alliances with other well-known lawmen of the era, including Bat Masterson and Charlie Bassett. These relationships would prove valuable throughout his career.

The Lead-Up to Tombstone (1878–1879)

In 1878, Wyatt Earp left Dodge City and drifted westward again, this time ending up in the silver mining town of Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he briefly served as a lawman. From there, he traveled to various boomtowns in search of fortune, including the gold rush town of Deadwood in the Dakota Territory. His travels eventually took him to Colorado, where he reunited with his brothers.

By 1879, Wyatt and his brothers, Virgil and Morgan, decided to seek new opportunities in the booming silver mining town of Tombstone, Arizona. Along the way, Wyatt stopped in Prescott, Arizona, where he briefly worked as a lawman before continuing on to Tombstone.

Tombstone Arizona

By the time he reached Tombstone in 1879, Earp was already a seasoned lawman with a reputation for being tough and unafraid to take action.

Earp arrived in Tombstone with his brothers Virgil, Morgan, and James, along with their wives. Tombstone was a booming silver mining town, full of opportunities and danger. The Earp brothers quickly became prominent figures in the community, with Virgil serving as Deputy U.S. Marshal.

The Lawman and the Cowboys

Tombstone in the late 1870s and early 1880s was a lawless place, with tensions running high between various factions. The most notorious of these were the Cowboys, a loosely organized group of outlaws and rustlers, many of whom had connections to powerful local interests. The Earps, as lawmen, inevitably clashed with the Cowboys, who saw them as threats to their way of life.

The Cowboys, including Ike Clanton, Tom McLaury, and Frank McLaury, were involved in various illegal activities, from cattle rustling to stagecoach robbery. The Earps, along with their friend John “Doc” Holliday, sought to bring law and order to Tombstone, leading to a simmering feud with the Cowboys.

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

The Arizona Historical Newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph announces the gunfight at the O K Coral.
The Arizona Historical Newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph announces the gunfight at the O K Coral.

The most famous event in Wyatt Earp’s time in Tombstone was the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, which took place on October 26, 1881. The confrontation was the culmination of escalating tensions between the Earps and the Cowboys.

On the day of the gunfight, Virgil Earp, as Deputy U.S. Marshal, decided to disarm the Cowboys, who had been making threats against the Earps and Holliday. Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan Earp, and Doc Holliday confronted Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury near the O.K. Corral. The standoff quickly turned violent, and in just 30 seconds, the exchange of gunfire left Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers dead. Wyatt Earp, famously, was unharmed.

The gunfight became an instant sensation, with newspapers across the country reporting on the event. While the Earps were hailed as heroes by some, they were also criticized by others who saw the Cowboys as victims of excessive force.

The Aftermath and the Vendetta Ride

The O.K. Corral gunfight did not end the violence in Tombstone. In December 1881, Virgil Earp was ambushed and severely wounded by unknown assailants, likely Cowboys. A few months later, in March 1882, Morgan Earp was shot and killed while playing billiards. These attacks enraged Wyatt Earp, who was determined to seek revenge.

Wyatt assembled a posse and embarked on what became known as the “Earp Vendetta Ride.” Over the course of several weeks, Wyatt and his men hunted down and killed several individuals suspected of being involved in the attacks on his brothers. This extrajudicial campaign of retribution further cemented Wyatt Earp’s reputation as a relentless enforcer of frontier justice.

Escape from Tombstone (1882)

Following the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881 and the subsequent events that led to the deaths of his brothers Morgan and Virgil being seriously injured, Wyatt Earp embarked on a vendetta ride against the cowboys he believed were responsible. This culminated in the Earp Vendetta Ride, where Wyatt, alongside a small group of loyalists, pursued and killed several of those he held accountable. By 1882, Earp was wanted for murder in Arizona and had to flee the state to avoid prosecution.

Wanderings in the West (1882-1887)

For the next few years, Wyatt and his common-law wife, Josephine “Josie” Marcus, wandered throughout the West. They spent time in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and California. During these years, Wyatt dabbled in various ventures, including law enforcement, mining, and gambling. His reputation as a lawman allowed him to find work in towns where law and order were needed, but he was also involved in several confrontations that further sullied his reputation.

Law Enforcement in San Diego and Alaska (1887-1899)

By the late 1880s, Wyatt and Josie had settled in San Diego, California. San Diego was in the midst of a real estate boom, and Wyatt capitalized on this by investing in properties and operating saloons and gambling halls. He became involved in several legal disputes, and his involvement in the city’s gambling scene was controversial.

In 1897, the Klondike Gold Rush lured Wyatt and Josie to Alaska. They traveled to Nome, where Wyatt once again ran saloons, gambling halls, and even a small brothel. Earp became a deputy U.S. Marshal in Alaska, though this was primarily a title he used to protect his business interests rather than an active law enforcement role. Wyatt’s time in Alaska was marred by legal troubles and accusations of corruption, but he managed to make a small fortune before returning to the lower 48 states.

California and Business Ventures (1899-1920)

After leaving Alaska, Wyatt and Josie returned to California, where they spent the remainder of their lives. They lived in several cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. Earp attempted to cash in on his reputation as a lawman, working as a consultant for early Hollywood Westerns and even trying his hand at gold mining in the Mojave Desert.

However, his later years were not as glamorous as his legend might suggest. Wyatt struggled with financial instability and was involved in numerous lawsuits. He also tried to shape his legacy, working with various authors to create a favorable version of his life story, though many of these attempts failed during his lifetime.

Wyatt and Josephine Earp in the Lucky Day Mine mining camp near Vidal, California: This is the only confirmed picture of the two of them together.
Wyatt and Josephine Earp in the Lucky Day Mine mining camp near Vidal, California: This is the only confirmed picture of the two of them together.

Legacy and Death (1920-1929)

Wyatt Earp spent his final years in Los Angeles, where he lived modestly with Josie. Although he was not widely known to the public during his later years, Earp’s legend began to grow, fueled by dime novels and early Hollywood films. He became friends with some early Western actors and filmmakers, who were intrigued by his life story.

Wyatt died on January 13, 1929, at the age of 80 in Los Angeles. Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was were buried in the Hills of Eternity Cemetery in Colma, California, where Josie later joined him and was buried beside him.

Posthumous Fame

Earp’s fame truly skyrocketed after his death, as authors and filmmakers began to romanticize his life and the events in Tombstone. His image as a quintessential Western lawman, despite the many controversies and morally ambiguous actions in his life, became deeply ingrained in American popular culture. Over the decades, Wyatt Earp has been portrayed as both a hero and a flawed anti-hero in countless books, movies, and television shows, solidifying his place as one of the most iconic figures of the American West.

Newspaper Articles

The San Francisco Examiner. (August 9, 1896). Bud Philpott, Driver 1881 - Wyatt Earp Account. Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 15, 2024, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-bud-philpott/46029106/

San Francisco Examiner – August 9, 1896

The following is an article written by famous U. S. Marshall Wyatt Earp, which is printed by the San Francisco Examiner on August 9th, 1896.…
The Tombstone Epitaph, Marth 27, 1882 headlined with the murder of Frank Stillwell by Wyatt Earp et all

The Tombstone Epitaph – March 27, 1882

On March 27, 1882, The newspaper the Tombstone Epitaph announced the murder of Frank Stilwell in Tucson Arizona. Frank Stilwell was an outlaw and a…
The Tombstone Epitaph, March 20, 1882

The Tombstone Epitaph, March 20, 1882

The Tombstone Epitaph, March 20, 1882 reports of the murder of Tombstone Resident Morgan Earp while playing pool in Tombstone, Arizona. This event followed the…
The Arizona Historical Newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph announces the gunfight at the O K Coral.

The Tombstone Epitaph, October 27, 1881

The following is the original transcript of The Tombstone Epitaph published on October 27, 1881 on the infamous gun fight at the O K Corral…

Tombstone Daily Nugget, October 27, 1881

The Tombstone Daily Nugget, October 27, 1881 described the the infamous gun fight at the O K Corral between the Earps and the Clanton faction…

Earp Family

James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 )

James Cooksey Earp

James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 ) James Cooksey Earp ( June 28, 1841 - January 25, 1926 ) was…
Morgan Earp historical photo, 1881. Probably taken by C.S. Fly.

Morgan Seth Earp

Morgan Seth Earp, born on April 24, 1851, in Pella, Iowa, was a notable figure of the American Old West, primarily recognized for his association…
Virgil Earp 1843 -1905

Virgil Walter Earp

Virgil Walter Earp ( July 18, 1843 – October 19, 1905) was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, was a prominent lawman and frontier figure known for his…
Warren Baster Earp ( March 9, 1855 - July 6, 1900 )

Warren Baxter Earp

Warren Baxter Earp ( March 9, 1855 - July 6, 1900 ), the youngest of the Earp brothers, was born into a family that would…
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp - Aged 39

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler who became a legendary figure of the Old…

Christopher Houston Carson

Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 â€“ May 23, 1868), also known as “Kit” Carson, was a nineteenth century American Frontiersman, Army Officer and Politician and the namesake of Carson City, Nevada. During his lifetime, he achieved notoriety for his exploits as an Indian Fighter, Fur Tapper, Mountain man

Christopher 'Kit' Carson (1809-1868), American explorer - Photograph byMathew Brady or Levin C. Handy - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cwpbh.00514.
Christopher ‘Kit’ Carson (1809-1868), American explorer – Photograph by Mathew Brady or Levin C. Handy – This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division.

Carson was born on December 24, 1809 in Madison County, Kentucky to Lindsey Carson and Rebecca Robinson Carson. He is a cousin to Danial Boone on his mothers’ side. The family moved to Missouri two years later. Survival being the priority, Carson never learned to read or write. At the age of 16, he signed up with a large caravan of merchants headed west towards Santa Fe.

Exploration

In 1854, a change encounter with the explorer John C. Frémont, made Carson an active participant in the clash of empires that eventually extended the boundaries of the continental United States to its present. The two men met aboard a steamboat on the Missouri River. He served as a guide to for Fremont on three expeditions for a sum of $100 per month. These expeditions found the Oregon Trail and opened to west for the settlers who followed.

First expedition, 1842

In 1842, during the first expedition, Carson guided Frémont across the Oregon Trail to South Pass, Wyoming. The purpose of this expedition was to map and describe the Oregon Trail as far as South Pass. It is during this trip, that the two men produced a guidebook, maps, and other paraphernalia would be printed for westward-bound migrants and settlers. After the completion of the five-month expedition, Frémont wrote his government reports, which made Carson’s name known across the United States, and spurred a migration of settlers westward to Oregon via the Oregon Trail.

Second expedition, 1843

In 1843, Carson agreed to join Frémont’s again during his second expedition into the west. Carson guided Frémont across part of the Oregon Trail to the Columbia River in Oregon. The purpose of the expedition was to map and describe the Oregon Trail from South Pass, Wyoming, to the Columbia River. They also ventrured towards the Great Salt Lake in Utah, using a rubber raft to navigate the waters.

On the way to California, the party is held up during bad weather in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Fortunately, Carson’s good judgement and his skills as a guide and they found some American settlers who fed them. The expedition turned towards California. This ventures is illegal, at the time, and dangerous because California was Mexican territory.

During the expedition, the expedition arrive in the Mojave Desert. His party met a Mexican man and boy, who informed Carson that Native Americans had ambushed their party. The Native Americans killed the men, and the women are staked to the ground, sexually mutilated, and killed. The murderers then stole the Mexicans’ 30 horses. Carson and a mountain man friend, Alexis Godey, went after the murderers. It took the two men, two days to find the culprits. The pair rushed into their camp and killed and scalped two of the murderers. The horses were recovered and returned to the Mexican man and boy. This act brought Carson even greater reputation and confirmed his status as a western hero in the eyes of the American people.

The Mexican government ordered Frémont to leave. Frémont returned to Washington, DC and filed his reports. He but did not mention the California trip. The government liked his reports but ignored his illegal trip into Mexico. Frémont was made a captain. The newspapers nicknamed Fremont, “The Pathfinder.”

Third expedition, 1845

In 1845, Carson lead Frémont on a third expedition. Leaving Westport Landing, Missouri, they crossed the Rockies, passed the Great Salt Lake, and down the Humboldt River to the Sierra Nevada of California and Oregon. The third expedition is more political in nature. Frémont may have been working under secret government orders. US President Polk wanted Alta California, which includes parts of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of Wyoming.

Once in California, Frémont set out to rouse American settlers into a patriotic fervor. The Mexican General Jose Castro at Monterey ordered him to leave. On Gavilan Mountain, Frémont erected a makeshift fort and raised the American Flag in defiance to these orders. While in Oregon, while camped near Klamath Lake, a messenger from Washington, DC, caught up with Fremont and made it clear that Polk wanted California.

On 30 March 1846, while traveling north along the Sacramento Valley, Fremont’s expedition met a group of Americans Settlers. The settlers claimed that a band of Native Americans was planning to attack them. Frémont’s party set about searching for Native Americans. On April 5 1846, Frémont’s party spotted a Wintu village and launched a vicious attack, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 120 to 300 men, women, and children and the displacement of many more. This act of savagery became known as the Sacramento River massacre. Carson, later stated that “It was a perfect butchery.

Army

Kit Carson accepted a commission as a colonel in the U.S. Army in 1861, Carson fought against Native American and Confederate forces in several actions.

His fame was then at its height,… and I was very anxious to see a man who had achieved such feats of daring among the wild animals of the Rocky Mountains, and still wilder Indians of the plains…. I cannot express my surprise at beholding such a small, stoop-shouldered man, with reddish hair, freckled face, soft blue eyes, and nothing to indicate extraordinary courage or daring. He spoke but little and answered questions in monosyllables.

Northern Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman

References

Raven ( Corvus corax )

The Raven ( Corvus corax ) is one of eight subspecies of Ravens distributed throughout the world. Also known as western or northern raven, this large black bird is a member of the Corvidae family of birds which also contains crows, jays and magpies. This bird is a rather large and features solid black feathers which offers a dramatic and ominous appearance.

Raven ( Corvus corax ) sitting on a coral fence at the Grand Canyon Western Ranch.
Raven ( Corvus corax ) sitting on a coral fence at the Grand Canyon Western Ranch.

The raven is a large bird, known to average 25 inches in length and 2.6 pounds in weight and heaviest of the passerine or perching birds. This species is renowned for its intelligence and commonly used to test animal problem solving ability. This species has a world wide distribution and can thrive in a large variety of climates. The bird is an opportunistic omnivore finding sources of nutrition, feeding on carrion insects, grains, berries, fruit, small animals, other birds, and food waste. The are common features around campgrounds for the food sources left by human activity.

Range map of the Common Raven
Range map of the Common Raven

The raven has a long history with man in culture, literature and superstition. Many Native American tribes cultures regard the bird as a trickster or a cosmic messenger. Edgar Allen Poe’s infamous poem forever linked this bird with ominous overtones and symbolism for in western culture. The National Football Team even has a football team named for this special mischievous bird.

Field Guide Description

“Large with a long, heavy bill and long wedge-shaped tail. Most common call is a low drawn-out croak. Larger than the Chihuahuan Raven; note thicker, shaggier throat feathers, and that nasal bristles to not extend as far our on the larger bill. Range: Found in a variety of habitats, including mountains, deserts, coastal areas. Numerous in western and northern part of range; uncommon and local, but spreading in Appalachians.”

Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Third Edition, pg 318

Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyCorvidae
Genus Corvus
Speciescorax

References