Photo: Common Raven, Deidra Bryant
Deidra Bryant
This winter I visited England for a month. Within this cold, damp country there were many prodigious buildings constructed before the 10th century, and there was so much history within each old city. I happened to stay in the quiet town of Kimbolton where the countryside was home to a variety of foraging and hunting birds. Darting kites, stealthy Barn Owls, and what seemed like a lot of pheasants occupied most of my time when I was relaxing at the house, especially after a good rain. However, the most memorable avian species in my opinion – and most symbolic to the country and its culture – was the Common Raven (Corvus corax). Did you know that until the 16th century, this native species lived close to people because their scavenging habits helped keep the streets clean? Unfortunately, wild ravens were viewed as a threat to livestock in later years and during the 19th century they were systematically hunted all over Great Britain.
Common Raven, Deidra Bryant
There are so many fun and exciting tales regarding these birds in British lore and I encourage you to read them at your leisure. However, there is also a lot of history regarding their presence, care, and interactions with guests at the Tower of London. Legend has it that the ravens living there are to protect the Crown and the Tower and if they were ever to leave, the Crown and all of Great Britain would fall. The resident ravens (Erin, Georgie, Gripp, Harris, Jubilee, Poppy, and Rocky) are all roommates and share a stainless-steel mesh aviary located on the enormous lawn where they play and perch when they aren't walking the grounds. Inside their enclosure, each raven has their own sleeping box with a sealable opening in the back so that they can come and go as they please during the day and be locked safe inside every night. Additionally, they have a “Ravenmaster” dressed in full ceremonial garb who is tasked with their care. As for their diet, it’s a very meaty one consisting of mice, chicks, rats, and assorted raw meats which can become quite costly each year. Fortunately, the Historic Royal Palaces charity which looks after the Tower of London secures an annual budget for the ravens’ care along with support from members, donors, volunteers, and visitors. With shelter, grooming, and food taken care of, these ravens are able to focus on fulfilling their duty as fortress guardians as they have for centuries.
Common Ravens are becoming more prominent in Northern Virginia and some reside here year-round, but they are easily mistaken for crows. Good ways to identify whether a corvid is a crow or a raven are to look for the long fancy throat feathers, the wedge-shaped tail, and the larger and slightly curved beak with nasal feathers of the raven. Another good way to tell the difference between crows and ravens is to listen to their calls: the raven makes deep croaking calls while American Crows make higher pitched calls. Ravens are also much bigger than crows in both size and weight. In fact, when the Tower ravens approached me, they were both friendly/respectful but intimidating.
Ravens are quirky and very intelligent. It’s a shame that people think they are a bad omen in America. They have so much personality and are fun to observe! If you ever catch a raven at a park or on the side of the road, keep your distance and see for yourself.