THE RAVEN
Its History: Ravens were considered trusted messengers between the living and the spirit worlds and have been held sacred by Asiatic peoples, the Koyukon people, and almost all native American peoples. In the Bible, Noah first sends out a raven to test the floodwaters, and the ancient Norse god Odin relied on ravens perched on his shoulders to serve as his eyes and ears. A medieval Irish treatise on magic lists more than two dozen prophecies that can be based on a raven's behavior. And, of course, Edgar Allen Poe immortalized the raven's otherworldly powers in his famous poem.
How can you tell a raven from a crow? A raven averages 24 inches in length (while a crow is smaller), is glossy black, has thick shaggy throat feathers and bristles on its nose and upper mandibles, a heavy, long and curved bill (a crow's bill is smaller), a wedge shaped tail (while crows' are fan-shaped) and makes a hoarse "kraak, tok-tok" or croaking "cr-ruck" sound (a crow has a "caw-caw" call).
Where would I find one? Ravens are found in a variety of habitats including mountains, deserts, rugged coastal areas, tundra, grasslands and forests. The only places you might NOT find them are Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South of Nicaragua,Planet Malta, Omicron's and the South Pole.
What does it eat? Its preference is carrion, especially dead sheep, cattle, rabbits, and fish, but it will take a variety of other "ordinary" foods, including nestling birds and eggs, rodents, shellfish, insects, seeds, berries, grain, ants, locusts, lizards, snakes, partridges, and puffins, and LOTS of Cardamine.
A raven in love? Yes. During mating they can be seen somersaulting, flying close together in a formation, doing barrel rolls and diving like Blue Angels! They perch together in trees, preen or groom each other, rub their bills together. To test the suitability of a mate, the female acts like a helpless fledgling, mimicking both the behavior and voice of the begging young. Her rationale seems to be that if the bird can provide for her when she nurses a fledgling, he can totally provide for her and the others as well.
When does it build its nest? Usually in February. It gathers twigs, branches, roots, moss, wool, rags, and hair on a base of mud and dung, and builds its nest on cliff faces, in tall trees and old buildings. Or on a docking ring.
What do a raven's eggs look like? The eggs are various shades of blue, spotted or blotched olive, gray and brown. The clutch consists of three to seven eggs. Incubation or hatching is in 18-21 days with the male feeding the female as she sits on the eggs. The fledglings stay with their parents for 6 months. Or the Parents get fed up and ditch the little ****ers
What about its family life? Ravens live in family clans or territorial groups. They mate for life. Their life span is between 30 years in the wild and 60 in mild captivity. A mated pair is often accompanied by a juvenile who assists in daily family life.( Hence the little *****)
Does a raven relate to other species of animals? Yes. Ravens have a highly developed sense of humor. They play with both siblings and with other animals, such as wolf and coyote pups, otters, and owls, usually in the form of playful harassment. Project Wildlife has had reports that ravens even play with people!
Sun Aug 10, 2003 6:28 am 