Raven

The raven (Corvus corax) is the largest member of the crow family, being native to many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Its distribution pattern has changed considerably in Europe over the centuries, as the species has found it increasingly difficult to adapt to human activity. It is now found in the wild only in more remote areas, such as mountainous and forest environments.

In Great Britain, wild ravens are completely absent from the eastern half of the country, and the most likely places to see them in the wild are the upland regions of Scotland, Wales, the Lake District and southwest England.

Appearance

The raven measures up to 65 centimetres (26 inches) in length, with a wingspan of 120 centimetres (47 inches). This makes it larger than the buzzard and the red kite. The raven’s plumage, which is similar as between males and females, is black with a glossy greenish or purplish sheen. The bill is large and heavy and the tail has a wedge shape that is clearly seen in flight, as opposed to the more rounded shape of other members of the crow family.

Behaviour

The raven is a powerful flyer, often high in the sky. It can glide, soar, dive and tumble. On the ground it both walks and hops and will perch on rocks, trees or fences.

It is a fearless bird when protecting its young but is otherwise cautious. It is possible for ravens that are reared in captivity to be tamed and to take food from the hand.

The raven’s call consists of croaks and grunts, but it will also mimic other sounds, including the human voice.

Breeding

Ravens mate for life and, after a nest has been built on a rock ledge or in a tree, return to it year after year. The male raven fetches the nesting materials, such as twigs, hairs and moss, and the female builds the nest.

Five or six eggs are laid at any time from mid-February to May. Incubation is done mainly by the female raven with occasional help from her partner. The eggs hatch after about 20 days, and the young stay in the nest for up to 42 days.

Only one brood is raised in a season.

Feeding

Ravens feed mainly on carrion, which includes the afterbirths of sheep. However, they will also finish off injured animals or even kill smaller mammals such as rabbits. They are not averse to taking the eggs and young of other bird species.

Ravens in Myth and Literature

Ravens have featured in the myths, legends and literature of societies across their range for many centuries.

In the past, ravens were associated with gibbets, where they would pick at the flesh of the bodies of hanged criminals. This, together with their black colour and sinister appearance, helped to foster many stories linking ravens with the underworld, and they have featured as reincarnated spirits or minor deities in a number of mythologies.

Famous occurrences in literature include Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven”, in which it is “a bird of ill omen” that crushes the hopes of a bereaved man by croaking “Nevermore”. However, in Charles Dickens’s novel “Barnaby Rudge”, the title character has a pet raven named “Grip” who is his constant companion through good times and bad, and indeed is his only true friend. Incidentally, Dickens himself kept pet ravens.

As mentioned above, ravens are known to imitate the human voice, and captive birds can acquire a “vocabulary”. However, the assumption that speech implies understanding is one that forms a strong element in the writings referred to above, and it is of course a false one!

Ravens at the Tower of London

Nobody knows when ravens first appeared at the Tower of London, but the legend has persisted for centuries that, should they ever leave, not only the Tower but also the Kingdom will fall. King Charles II decreed that at least six ravens must always be resident at the Tower, and this has been the case ever since, although several died of shock during the London Blitz of World War II and had to be replaced.

The current complement is seven ravens. They are unlikely to leave, partly because their wings have humanely clipped to ensure that they cannot fly too far. 

© John Welford