Raven (Corvus corax)
Habitat and Range: The common raven can survive in many different climates and is found in a variety of habitats, from treeless tundra, to coastal sea banks, rocky cliffs, mountain forests, deserts and open plains. Their range can vary from just a few miles, as may be the case with territories of some urban individuals, to hundreds of miles for those in wilderness areas.
Diet and Behavior: Ravens eat carrion, shellfish, amphibians, lice from cattle, spiders, acorns, and fish and just about anything else they can find. A general trait of these birds is to cache excess food. They have the remarkable ability to later find the exact locations of their ‘stash’ despite a lapse in time and changes happening in the area. Ravens steal from larger birds by sneaking up from behind and pulling tail feathers. When the bird turns, other ravens swoop in to take the prize. Turkey vultures, hawks and eagles have all been victims to the raven’s clever tactics.
Ravens vs. Crows: The raven is often confused with his close relative, the crow. There are similarities and differences between the two species that are especially apparent when crows and ravens are seen together: Crows and ravens have entirely black plumage, with green and purple iridescence; the two sexes in both species are colored alike and males are larger than females; a raven weighs four times as much as a crow; a crow’s wingspan is less than three feet while a raven’s can span up to four; crows have a fan-shaped tail while raven’s tail-feathers are wedge-shaped; a raven’s bill in curved and a crow’s bill is flat and crows are more often seen in urban areas as they are more socially inclined than ravens.
Did you know? Ravens are considered to be among the most intelligent of all birds and, like many parrot species, can learn to imitate a variety of sounds, including the human voice. Some experts say they can express themselves with up to 100 different calls with many different meanings. For example, sounds may mean “danger” or “food here” or sounds can be used to identify different groups. In nature, their calls include guttural croaks, gurgling noises, and a sharp, metallic “tock.”
Wildworks ambassador, “Stark Raven” - Stark fell from the nest as a newly hatched chick and was unable to be reunited with his raven parents. He was rescued and raised by some folks who discovered him stranded on their lawn. His human surrogates took great care of him, but when he matured and it came time to release him, he simply refused to leave! He hung around the house squawking and carrying on, uprooting plants in the garden and dive-bombing the housecats. The couple decided to search for a new home for their feathered friend and placed him at the High Desert Museum in Oregon. This smart bird performed in the zoo’s bird show, but the zoo had too many rescued birds and there weren’t enough hours in the day to care for all of them. Luckily Stark Raven made his way to his last and permanent home to Wildworks in fall 2007. Now Stark is a star in our outreach programs traveling to schools and parks as a native animal ambassador.
Article written by Mollie Hogan, founder of The Nature of Wildworks wildlife care and education facility. For more information about Stark and other wildlife ambassadors housed at Wildworks, please visit www.natureofwildworks.org.
