A very versatile omnivore, the common raven can act as a scavenger of garbage and dead animal carcasses, a predator of small chordates such as mice and small birds, or even gatherers of grains from land plants. By eating such a wide range of organisms, the common raven is an important factor in regulating the number of animals that it preys upon, cleaning up pollution from garbage and dead carcasses, as well as facilitating the spread of plant seeds within its ecosystem.