From the archives: feathered Fridays - the Raven

by Rachel Ames

This week’s featured bird is the common raven. These large corvids are extremely widespread and versatile. They can be found well north of the Arctic Circle, throughout much of Canada, the western U.S., in some parts of the eastern U.S. and throughout eastern Europe, Siberia and China. Common ravens prefer open habitats with cliffs or other high places to nest, but they can adapt to broadleaf and coniferous forests. They form life-long pairs so you will often see them alone or in pairs (unlike their smaller cousins the American crows who tend to congregate in large flocks). They are excellent at flying and are often seen soaring high in the mountains. As omnivores, they eat almost anything, but they most commonly eat carrion, eggs, insects, fruit, seeds, trash and live rodents. You can differentiate the common raven from the American crow by their deep gargle call (“grunk” or “croak”); their large, thick and slightly curved beak; their abundant throat hackles (or beard feathers); their wedge-shaped tail (central tail feather is longer so it makes a semi-circle or even a point); and their large size (males are larger than females but both are generally larger than crows). To hear the call of the common raven, go to: https://www.nps.gov/.../photosmult.../sounds-commonraven.htm.

To read about the Christmas Bird Count above the arctic circle go to: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/.../meet-the-birder-who.../

Common ravens are year round residents of the Estes Valley.

Note the rounded or wedge-shaped tail.

Common ravens are often seen soaring in pairs.

Common ravens have thick throat hackles (beard feathers) and a thick beak.

Common ravens will hunt live prey like this Wyoming ground squirrel.