Raven/Crow

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Kimbolina
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Raven/Crow

I was wondering if anyone here knew anything about Ravens/Crows? I live near a school and there is a large flock of Ravens/Crows in the area, obviously they are there due to the kids leaving food scraps in the school grounds. In the last two weeks I've had one Raven fly into my yard every couple of days. Unlike the other birds this Raven doesn't seem to be afraid of me, at all. Infact this Raven will walk right up to me then sit on a rock, looks at me and makes an "aaaaaaaaaaaa" sound. I have no idea what this is meant to mean but I am not intimidated by him at all. Sometimes he will sit in my palm tree, climb down the full length of the palm leaf and hang upside down right above my head. I've often heard these birds are suppose to be highly intelligent so I decided to see how smart this bird was. I cut up a piece of apple, he was hanging from the palm leaf, I showed him the piece of apple and then hid the apple piece in a bush. Thinking he wouldn't be interested, he flew down, went into the bush and retrieved the piece of apple, took it to the bird bath and dunked it. A couple of days passed and he was back again. This time I grab a peanut still in the shell, again showed him the peanut and hid it in the bush but this time under a small rock. Sure enough, again, he flew down and found the peanut, took it to the bird bath, dunked it and unshelled it. While he is there, the other Ravens are in the school ground, you can hear their call, but this Raven never seems to reply to them until he sits on the fence to fly off. Almost like he's had enough and now going back to his flock. Yesterday he was back again, I decided to hide the peanut in a small box in a different bush and again he found it, but as I turned around I saw this big shadow behind me and I could swear he was trying to land on me. While he obviously knows he doesn't scare me, I'm wondering if he's playing games or will he actually attack me?
I don't think I've ever heard of people being attacked by Ravens, unlike magpies and there is no way there would be a nest around me anywhere. I'm wondering should I be weary of this Raven or should I continue playing games with him? I find him/her quite fascinating. By the way it's not a young bird, he has blue/whitish eyes.
Anyone have any ideas??
Thanks in advance.

birdie
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Wow Kimbo..... haven't got a clue but sounds really fascinating! Perhaps he has been handraised or something or maybe just been fed by a local and is used to people?
It sure sounds like he has a good brain and enjoys the experience anyway.

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Owen1
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Strange behaviour to be that close to you kimbolina. I don't think it's in a crow's nature to attack people, maybe he's saying 'where's my food!'
i really don't know though.

Cheers, Owen.

Birdsong
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Sounds as though you have a Raven, he seems to be very intelligent too. The long drawn out aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah sound is the raven, the crow makes a shorter, sharper sound, I have a video of each making their sound.

Kimbolina
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Thanks for your reply birdie, Owen and Birdsong, appreciate it. He was here again this morning but the neighbours kitten got him a little upset, so he didn't stay. From watching him, I get the impression he's playing. He hops around like a lemur, as weird as that may sound and doesn't seem to harass the other birds at all. I don't think it's food he's after as the school-yard provides the Ravens with plenty of scraps. I haven't seen him in my yard with another Raven he's always by himself although he does fly off to the flock. I honestly think this bird is just bored and amusing himself. I often see him interacting with magpies, like they play a chasing game but the magpies will always put him in his place if he gets out of hand.
As for attacking me when I get close, I hope it's not the case, he doesn't seem to be threatened by me at all. If other Ravens fly into my yard I just look at them and they fly off, I can't get anywhere near them.
Birdsong, I would love to see your videos. I often wonder what the difference is between Ravens and Crows. I've read Crows have white base feathers and they are smaller than the Raven. I would definitely say this is a Raven, he's a "BIG" bird. I'm actually surprised how big this bird is.

birdie
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When I was a child we lived in England for a while and ,my mother had a pet Rook.... it would sit on her shoulder and follow her every where!!! One day she went to the shops and was very embarrassed when he turned up to sit on her shoulder in the main street and wouldn't go away!!!

Sure sounds like he is playing to me.... maybe he is a genius raven ??? and needs extra stimulation....like Jonathan Livingstone Seagull....if you remember that story?

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Kimbolina
Kimbolina's picture

Well this morning he was here again at 7am. I looked out my window and he was at my back door calling. I have no idea what he wants, but by the time I got to the back door he was gone. I honestly think he's just wants to play games. He's always here by himself.
I would have thought this type of behaviour may happen with a young bird but this bird already has the blue eyes so I don't think it's a youngster.
Last week as I drove past the botanical gardens I saw a lady with a Raven/Crow on her shoulders, I couldn't believe it. I wish I was out of the car, I would have gone up to her and asked her about Ravens and Crows. They really fascinate me.
I had to google what a Rook was. They look quite big and not that different to a Raven. How lucky is your Mum.

Raven
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You will find that a Raven will love chicken (especially if you leave the fatty bits on drumsticks) and roast meat scraps, feed him this and you will not get rid of him. I hand fed a pair of Ravens for nearly five years at my old work place, the female was very shy, but the male very upfront and confident.

Ravens also like Scotch Finger biscuits, I used to give half a biscuit to my Raven as a treat after the meat was eaten. They will also eat grapes too. If it's a male, as I think it is, his mate will not be too far away, look up into high tree branches and you may spot her. Ravens mate for life and have anything from two to four young a year, they are territorial too and roost in the same tree with around a 800m "protection zone". Head down towards the feet and a tapping of the beak is "I'm hungry" indication.

Don't do what I done and over feed them, otherwise they become lazy and hang around all the time, you will have happy times with him, Raven (Sydney NSW)

Windhover
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That's a really awesome experience! Thanks for sharing it. :)

A couple of years back, when I was undertaking an advanced bird rescue/care training course for WIRES, our teacher (highly respected ornithologist Chris Lloyd) mentioned that apparently these birds are the fourth most intelligent animal after dolphins. I have seen some videos of crows or ravens when they were testing their intelligence and the bird was able to make a tool (bend a pin into a hook shape) to retrieve a treat submerged in a jar of water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbwRHIuXqMU

Windhover
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Owen1
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Akos that is incredible. Once I saw a doco where new caledonian crows used sharp twigs to extract grubs from a log.
These ones are very smart birds.

Cheers, Owen.

birdie
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Spammer do not click here !!!!!!!!!!

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Windhover
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That's because you are a tool XIAOCHUN MAI LAI TAI BAI spammer dope

birdie
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Akos................. duh!

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Kimbolina
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Thanks Raven for the advice. This raven I'm sure is a male. Sometimes he'll show up with another raven, only the two of them while the rest of the flock (of around 30) fly around. The other raven seems a little smaller than him and won't come anywhere near me but I can almost always see her sitting in a gumtree not too far away.
I think this raven is really testing me to see how close he can get or see if I'm afraid of him. Today for example I was sitting in the backyard and he flies down from my palm tree and I say "come on", he starts waddling towards me, he stops and looks at me then waddles a little closer, until he's right next to me. I'll give him a peanut and he will actually crack the peanut open while sitting next to me.
I've also noticed he's taking a fancy (to catch) the poor crested pigeons that may sit on my fence and I have to walk up to the fence where he's harassing the pigeon and tell him, no. The feathers on the back of his head raise as he keeps pecking at the poor pigeon, actually looks quite intimidating. I know it's probably the norm for them but I really don't want to find a dead pigeon in my yard. I don't understand why the crested pigeon doesn't fly away, each time he's done this the pigeon will just stand his ground. They really are dumb but I can't help feel sorry for them.
I have never had a raven that close to me before but they are actually quite beautiful and this one seems to be very playful. The only thing that worries me is, if he gets too confident will he try to nip me at all?

Araminta
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Hi Kimbolina, many (!!!) years ago, on a beach in France, a man turned up every day,with his pet-raven sitting on his head. The bird even sat on his head, when the man went for a swim.After a few days, the bird was getting a bit bored, and started to sit on other people's heads, mostly children. After that , when man and bird turned up, we all covered our heads , and there were lots of children screaming! I do remember how much it hurt, because of my short hair, the poor bird had nothing to hold on to.....LOL

M-L

Raven
Raven's picture

Just be careful with the Raven, they can be very domineering, from what I have read it appears this bird has been fed by someone else, hence the confidence.

Beware that their beaks are very sharp and strong also their feet claws are very sharp. Don't forget he is a wild bird and that is his place, so if you do not want him hanging about all the time (he will get lazy if you keep feeding him)miss a day or two from the feeding routine. If he comes in between just ignore him.

Once he settles in to your backyard he will start to drive the other birds out of "his patch" just keep that in mind. You will get to understand his moods by his noises and funny cackles. Lovely and intelligent bird, inquisitive but best kept at arms length if you want the other birds around...Raven.

Kimbolina
Kimbolina's picture

wow Araminta, I don't think this will happen with this bird because as soon as another person is around he seems intimidated by them and even reluctant to come near me and will fly off.
Raven thanks again for the advice. At the moment he seems to come only late morning and/or late afternoon, he's no longer here at 7am, thank goodness!
I don't think the magpies appreciate him there though while they're there but they seem to tolerate him. I have noticed the magpies make a grunting sound if he gets too close to them and if he keeps annoying one magpie the other magpies will show up and then he's out numbered.
While I thoroughly enjoy his company when he is here, I am aware that he is a wild bird and try not to encourage him to hang around too long. I think I'm intrigued by his intelligence and playfulness but, if it comes to choosing between the Raven and the 4 Magpies, then I will have to ignore him.

Kimbolina
Kimbolina's picture

Just an update on this Raven who has taken a shine to me. I did give a small piece of a chicken bone with the fat left on it as you suggested Raven and he hid it in one of my small bushes. What gets me is when he hid it, he even picked some grass to cover it up and then got a piece of bark and put that on top of the grass. So I gave him another small piece, this time he dug a hole, covered it up and put another piece of bark on top. I have never seen anything like it before.
At the moment he's fine, he doesn't hang around too long but occasionally all his mates show up sitting in my palm tree and that can be annoying, so I scare them all off.
Sometimes he just sits next to me not wanting anything and makes a strange sound, as if he's talking to me. Kind of freaks me out because I have no idea what he wants.
I have my suspicions that this bird may have been someone's pet or hand raised and then released. He's way too tame, unlike the other ravens.

BryanT
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It's common for raven to store food at different places, ground, fences, between rocks, cracks, or any places they feel safe. They are very intelligent, some can be very approachable, but most of the time they will study your reaction first, just like many other birds do, example Myna, Magpie, Kookaburra, Starling and Parrots. I have a Australia Raven nest in the front yard. They breed during spring.

Bryan

Raven
Raven's picture

Kimbolina, if he is "storing" the food you are giving him then he is not hungry. If he was very hungry he would eat on the spot, a little hungry he would take it to his tree. So from what you have said he is not hungry and is probably eating somewhere else before he lobs at your place.

Ravens do not usually have "mates" probably the others are his female (they pair for life) and his near mature young from the last nesting, a raven pair often have anything from two to four young, on rare occasions five young. So mum, dad and the children are your guests. Being very territorial non immeadiate family are driven away from his "zone", usually an area up to 800m from his roosting tree.

Also if you have the family there, the male will always eat first, then the female is left with the remaining for herself and offspring. When the young reach full maturity the male will deliberately drive them away before starting the next brood...glad to see you are enjoying his company...Raven.

Kimbolina
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Thanks Raven.
I did notice there is a younger one (brown eyes), that seems to follow him around at times, I'm guessing it's his.
When I said "mates" I meant just the other ravens. I have noticed if they're around when he's there, he will not come down from the tree to me. Almost like we are strangers. Once they leave, either by him chasing them off or leaving on their own accord, then he will come down from the tree and sit next to me.
As for the storing of food, I was totally blown away, not by the fact he stored the two pieces of chicken but how he did it. He was so delicate and so particular about the way he hid the food. I also notice he looked up a few times (at my palm tree), to see if any other raven was watching him, if there were, then he would hang onto the food until they were gone.
Would have been nice if I caught it on camera but I was so involved with what he was doing, I didn't even think of the camera.
Thanks for the input Raven, I am learning a lot about this very curious and playful bird.

Raven
Raven's picture

Immature ravens have dark eyes and a higher pitch voice, reaching full maturity with silver eyes. Raven young grow very quickly and stick to the parents for a few months before the male thinks they can fend for themselves then he drives them off.

By reading your postings I am reasonably sure this bird has other places that can be relied on as a food source, hence the burying of what you gave him. Urban ravens are very resourceful and have excellent memories, they hang about railway stations and shopping centre areas.

Like the Sacred Ibis, ravens will sort through rubbish bins and even extract food from wrappers and containers. I once watched a raven extract a plastic container from a bin with left over food inside, he flew to the top of a power pole and let it drop to the roadway. The container burst open and then it was meal time for the bird. The container was so full of food he had quite a struggle to reach altitude to reach the top of the power pole! Must have been quite a strain on his beak too.

Give him the bone from lamb leg roast and watch him suck the marrow out of the bones end with his beak, the ravens version of caviar! Raven.

Kimbolina
Kimbolina's picture

Hi Raven, thanks for your reply. The raven, which I have named Blu, hasn't been around the last four days. For the last two weeks Blu and it's partner were shredding leaves from my palm tree, I'm guessing for nesting material. Blu had become very tame, even sitting on my lap and checking out my hair while it's partner sat in the tree above. I noticed that Blu and it's partner always flew to a tall tree in the distance and I'm guessing this may be where they have built their nest. My question is, since Blu hasn't been around I'm now wondering if Blu is actually a female? The reason I ask is because it's partner still comes to my yard however he/she will not come close to me. I'm guessing this is Blu's partner because it knows where all Blu's hiding spots are where he hid his peanuts. Is it possible that Blu is female? Is there a way tell between the sexes?
I never realised how affectionate Ravens were to each other either. It's not often you see large birds other than parrots groom each other. Blu and partner would sit in the tree in my yard and one would pass the other the tiniest twig. They would then each hold the end of the twig and move it in their mouth until their beaks touched, then they would just sit there for a moment beak to beak. Absolutely beautiful and ever so gentle.

Raven
Raven's picture

Whilst Blu could be a female I am willing to bet that it's a male. His periods away could suggest he is doing his "roster" of sitting on the eggs. Raven pairs share nesting duties equally, I always knew when my Raven was on the nest because the female would come to feed and stay at arms length. Be prepared for some great entertainment when the young hatch and join the parents at your place. Young ravens are very interesting to watch, especially when the male teaches foraging and "defending your food" techniques. Young ravens also grow very quickly, in a matter of a few very short weeks they will be the same size as the parents. Enjoy their company, and again, don't let them become too dependent on your handouts...Raven.

Kimbolina
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Oh thank You Raven. I always thought it was only the females that sit on the eggs, well that's what I read anyway. I kind of miss Blu he wasn't always here for hand outs, many times he would just play or sit with me. He would sit on top of my pergola which has slats in it, I would stand underneath talking to him and he would stick his head through the slats, I'd move and he'd move and do the same thing again. He even went around my backyard pulling all the plant description tags out of the ground and as soon as I put them back in, sure enough he'd pull them back out again, I guess he thought it was funny watching me run around after him. One time he even followed me while I drove down the road, he was flying directly above the car, scared me a little I thought he was going to follow me all the way to the shop but he only went to the end of the street. I do hope he returns.
Thanks so much for the input, it has put my mind at ease.

snowraven_1
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This is such a wonderful thread, and one I can totally relate to.  For the last few years I've had the honour of being visited by first one, then two and now two entire families of raven (corvus corvus). There are two individuals who, over the years, have become very comfortable with me. One (whom I call 'Beauty') watches out for me, flies in when I call, and takes minced meat from my hand. Another 'leader of the pack' is not quite so bold yet - a bit wary still - but getting there. They clearly recognize my car because I've seen them launch themselves from the electricity wires as I've driven by and fly to their perch outside my place, then wait until I've parked, gone inside and brought out their dinner.  If I go away - even if I'm gone for weeks - they will quickly work out when I've got back home, and within a day Beauty turns up.  There is also a pair of magpies who come for some munchies - and they wait in a tree then fly down to me.  There are times when, as I walk up the driveway, I have a virtual entourage of birds escorting me! LOL!

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