Today has been a struggle to think about what to write about. Sure there are common birds in the garden I could write about but I’m not sure I want to write about the easier birds too quickly, if I carry this on after the end of this month I’m quickly going to be running out of subjects so it will be handy to have common species as an easy go-to. But about half an hour ago a more unusual bird flew over, I didn’t even see it but the call is so familiar to me I knew instantly what it was. So without further ado..
What: Raven Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758
When: 10th January 2020
Where: Poynton, Cheshire, UK
Who saw it? Me, heard it in this case.
How did I record it? I haven’t yet, but will record it to eBird.
Is it larger than a blackbird? Yes
What is it? The largest member of the crow family. About the same size as a buzzard. A bird that is increasing in number in the UK. I never remember hearing them in areas such as I live until recently; I only ever saw them in upland areas near to their breeding areas. They have a really deep rasping caw, a bit like a common carrion crow who’s got a heavy cold or trying to do a dog impression; really distinctive once you’ve heard it. They will be beginning to re-establish bonds with partners at this time of year and begin breeding in February, a lot earlier than most species of bird in the UK. They traditionally (thanks to historic persecution) breed in upland and coastal cliffs, but some now breed in lowland areas; including on Jodrell Bank’s Lovell Telescope ( http://www.cheshireandwirralbirdatlas.org/species/raven-breeding.htm )
A fact I have learned about this species: The name ‘raven’ is one of the earliest known bird names in the English language dating back to the Old English hrӕfn (Old English was language spoken in England before the Norman conquest, a meld of Old Germanic languages and old Norse – the two people who invaded and colonised after the Romans left). The pronunciation may even go back further than Old English (even older than Old High German, and Old Norse too) dating back to an unknown pre-Germanic language. (Lockwood, 1984).
A visual representation: There isn’t one today, not got enough time to draw anything. Just imagine a carrion crow (or a hooded one if they are more familiar to you) and double it’s size.
Is it charismatic? Yes. All corvids (birds of the crow family) are so intelligent that they can’t be anything else other than charismatic. Imagine if Long-John Silver had a Raven instead of a parrot on his shoulder, he would certainly have been a more successful pirate! There is so much folklore surrounding this bird there could be books and books written about it (there probably are!).
Ref: Lockwood, W. B. (1984) The Oxford Book of British Bird Names Oxford University Press, Oxford
A Species a Day 