Many of the UK’s most common corvids – members of the crow family – sport all-black plumage, which can make identification a bit of a headache. But once you know what to look for, there are easy ways to tell the difference. And it’s worth making the effort, because what they lack in colour corvids definitely make up for in brain power – they’re some of the smartest animals on the planet and their entertaining antics are fascinating to watch!
Ravens were once heavily persecuted as pests on farmland and game estates, but protection has helped their numbers recover.
They do sometimes nest in big cities, and if you look up, you might see them soaring and tumbling high above. You’ll also see them on farmland, in the uplands and mountainous areas, or near seaside cliffs. You’d be very lucky to see one in your garden!
Ravens are super-smart birds and can often be seen engaging in playful behaviour. They have a distinctive heavy, soaring flight and sometimes flip upside down with closed wings, possibly just for fun.
They’re often seen in pairs, but particularly in the winter, young birds can come together to roost in big groups. Ravens are mostly carrion eaters, but they will eat insects and hunt small live prey.
Ravens usually mate for life and remain together in pairs throughout the year, defending their territories even in winter. They’re early breeders and build their stick and moss nests from mid-February on cliff ledges, in large trees, or sometimes on buildings or other structures like bridges.
They tend to have a few well-used sites and rotate between them on alternate years.
Ravens feature in lots of myths and legends. To the Native Americans, the Raven was a trickster, to the Norse, a faithful companion of Odin, and to the Greeks, a messenger of Apollo. Even to this day, it’s said that if the Tower of London loses its resident Ravens, the kingdom itself will fall.
