ravens

[Bubo]

Hello everyone,

I am sure I saw a thread on this at one point but even carrying out a search i cant find it. In my mate's pasture fields there are hundreds of crows, ravens etc. But one particular day we were watching a group of three ravens. Two were flying parallel and one was slightly higher all three gave chase to a pigeon. The two parallel ravens were speeding up and then the third one just sort of dropped a little hitting the pigeon. The pigeon fell and one of the parallel ravens went down and finished off the pigeon on the ground :shock: it was awesome but it was the first time i have seen a raven take on a live pigeon. Has anyone else seen this sort of thing?

bubo

[Shaun Byrne]

I would love to have seen that!! We dont get Ravens where I live and I dont think I've even seen it on film. Shame you didn't video it.

[Bubo]

yeah i know what you mean. These things always happen when i have no camera or vid cam, ALWAYS. But if they have done it once and figured that technique worked i'm sure they are clever enough to realise it can work again. It will be interesting to see if they do and if they work with the same team! I will have to study them close to see if i can see anything that will help me identify them. But i will keep cam in the car just in case :wink:

They are amazing birds and so intelligent. My mate has one because she rescued it when it was a baby 18 years ago. He just sort of stayed on and became one of the family. He is a realy character.

bubo

[Mojo]

it must have been marvelous sight indeed...i saw once magpie attackinkg wounded pigeon, constantly hitting it with it's beak into it's head...than an old lady came yelling:'shush, shush!' and the magpie flew away.. :wink: ..it was pretty ugly scene...also, i 've seen on many ocassions, hooded crow doing the same, but more to the younger pigeons, unable to take a full flight

[Colohen]

What do you call a group of Raven's?

[Bubo]

if anyone has any more info on these birds i would gladly appreciate it
bubo

[Mojo]

What do you call a group of Raven's?

A Parliament :D :D ...ravens do not gather in groups, male and female mate and are bonded for life...i believe their life span is more than 4o years...

the raven is the most intelligent bird...no doubt about that. ia have an issue of N. Geographic about ravens in N. America, Colorado i think..the bird managed to open food container of the motor-sleds and stole the food :D :D ...brilliant

[Will]

Morning all, the collective noun is an unkindness of ravens. Thought I'd get that in while Mr Wileman's still in school! :)

[Shaun Byrne]

So whats the name for a group of Falconers??? lol!

[Colohen]

Sorry Mojo
Group of Raven's is a "Murder"
(Smithsonian Handbook)
Magnificent flier , aerial equal to hawks and falcons
Groups of these birds have been observed working togeather to capture pray to large for one bird to conquer.
Behavior; Solitary or in pairs or small groups. Gregarious in winter, when it may occur in LARGE forgaging flocks.
Active forager, scavneger, hunter. Omnivorous; insects to small vertebrates , birds and rodents to include eggs, carrion and refuse.
Mateing flight; male above head touching head, wing tip to wing tip.
Breeding; monogamous. Solitary;small or loose colonies. Life mates.
Nesting; Incubation 18-21 days by female. Brooding 38-44 days feed by both parents . 1 brood per year .

To be true to ones self is to know ones self . My avater is 3 ravens wing to wing . The name is T.M.Raven

[Will]

Hi Colohen, I think 'murder' refers specifically to crows, at least over here. Parliament refers to owls. Unkindness, murder, not really very cheerful either way! I'm sure when school shuts, Mr Wileman will sort us all out!

Regarding your avatar, did you design it? Very smart, I like it.

[Jester]

So whats the name for a group of Falconers??? lol!




is it an argument????? :lol:


or am i just thinking about how it goes in here :roll:

[Shaun Byrne]

Or maybe a Bulls**t??

[Afshimo]

how bout a cast? a rumble lol!

[Shaun Byrne]

A disagreement??

[IAmTheWeasel]

I beleive the term is a "clusterf**k of falconers"
I saw video that proves just how inteligent these birds are. This was in referance to crows, but intelligent just the same. I have a falconer friend who was car hawking his Harris when it took a crow. The other crows mobbed the harris but the falconer made in quick and got the harris away. The crow was killed during the process and the mate of this bird new they had done it. From that point on, EVERY time he drove his white suburban down the street, that single crow would dive bomb the vehicle repeatedly. The only way he could stop the crow was to hold the harris out the window and the crow would haul butt away....I saw it on video and I laughed my ass off!!!!

[Gaz]

RAVENS...£800 each.Book now.

[Bubo]

i love these birds

[BrianM]

do you breed them gaz

[Gaz]

No dude,a mate of mine,and theres a waiting list

[BrianM]

ive never seen one in the flesh

[Gaz]

See what it does to a rabbit skull :!: dont think people realise how big they are(and annoyingly clever :twisted: )

[Mojo]

I see everyday at work a pair of ravens, working hard on their nesting site. Tha male gathers food whole day. What was surprisingly to me is that a pair of hooded crows attacked one of them, male or female, don't know...The raven just avoided their attacks and continued it's mission, whatever it was...I wanted to see "take the power back" action! But never happened...Whenever i was watching a documentary about ravens it was allways the raven who was the bully, not the victim..this only proves that entire family of crows is "nutty"...

[Bubo]

this only proves that entire family of crows is "nutty"...

well that explains why i love em so much :lol:

[Jack Merlin]

I've been reading Turberville (1600s). He writes of some Eastern emperor who flew a cast of gyr falcons at ravens. By the sound of it, it must have been quite something. The only problem was when the raven put into a tree. Then the emperor whistles up his entorage and they whip out their choppers (the axe type<g>) and cut the tree down, so flushing the raven and the flight can continue!!

[Gaz]

whip out their choppers (the axe type<g>)
You was lucky there dude,...i was ready.......... :twisted:

[ColdZero]

Does anyone on this forum fly one? I imagine they are very quick to train, but are they just too crafty sometimes?

[Lloydparabuteo]

Ravens are by far very intelligent, i fly one at Huxleys, as they are so intelligent they are very quick to catch on but can be more fussy about who they do and dont like, i was the only one he tock to at the time i started training, he is about 7 and called Reaper. lol. He loves to go in my pockets and steel my keys and knows damb well where to get the food from, a great character bird to fly if you can get your hands on one. And very big, i think it was already said but you dnt know how big they really are until you are close or even have one on the fist. There beaks can hurt though there's no doubt about that. lol

[Jack Merlin]

You was lucky there dude,...i was ready..........

Behave! You naughty person!

[Jack Merlin]

Ravens used not to be protected out in the Western Isles. We paid a bounty on ravens, black backed gulls, and hooded crows. They can cause a lot of damage at lambing time. I am seeing more ravens about these days (eastern Highlands) than I have seen for years. Presumably the laws to stop poisoning are having an effect. These birds are not particularly "nice". If a sheep or a lamb is a bit weak, they will either whip the eyes out or disembowl them by entering at the anus -- often both. The sheep or lamb is, of course, still alive, until it dies from blood loss or starvation.

[MickeyDredd]

Jack

I monitor peregrine sites in Perthshire/Angus and there is an increase in the number of ravens in the east, they are believed to be moving east from their traditional west coast strongholds. Some concern they are taking over the traditional peregrine nest sites as they breed earlier in the year.

[Mojo]

These birds are not particularly "nice". If a sheep or a lamb is a bit weak, they will either whip the eyes out or disembowl them by entering at the anus -- often both. The sheep or lamb is, of course, still alive, until it dies from blood loss or starvation.


This doesn't mean that ravens are bad or evil birds. Their technique is not refined but is effective..however, they shouldn't be judged by human criterya of "nice" or "human"..The birds are only utilizing their intelligence, and that's what makes them so successful...

I am not attacking you Jack, it's just that, from your description, i got an idea that ravens are bad birds....

[Jack Merlin]

When you have had to deliver a ewe of her lambs at 3am, without help, in driving freezing sleet, in the open field, with only the light of a fading torch to light the scene, then turned around and found another FOUR ewes lined up waiting for similar help, you will tend to view things differently!

Yes, that actually happened and I think I also had a bad back at the time. Now, if you find two or three of those lambs with their eyes pecked out in the morning -- or missing because they have been taken by a fox....

Believe me, those of us who work with animals every day in the countryside are not usually guilty of assuming animals have morals. The flea that bites you is not guilty of any offence, but that doesn't stop you wanting to kill the little *******, does it?<vbg>

As a dog trainer, I applaud your comments. I wish more people realized that dogs do not do things to annoy us or out of "badness" but because their behaviour has not been correctly modified by the trainer. Same goes for falconry and training hawks.

Ravens might be highly intelligent and amazing birds, but in some parts of the world they are still regarded as "vermin". Just an observation which is why I put the word "nice" in inverted commas. It might be "nice" to see more about but there is a down side too. (And I don't want fleas either!!).

The conservationists wanted more pine martens because they are beautiful creatures. Now we (up here in the north) have them everywhere and increasing numbers. In some areas they are becoming a major pest of game and poultry. The old boys say "that's why we exterminated them". Who is right?

[ColdZero]

I don't think its ever right to start killing wildlife to the point of extinction JUST for a sport. Yes pheasants get killed by many animals, so breed more don't wipe out goshawks etc.

[Jack Merlin]

I monitor peregrine sites in Perthshire/Angus and there is an increase in the number of ravens in the east, they are believed to be moving east from their traditional west coast strongholds. Some concern they are taking over the traditional peregrine nest sites as they breed earlier in the year.

I can believe that. I have been seeing a lot more ravens recently, mostly up and down the A9. It used to be the practice for gamekeepers and stalkers to put some white powder on every gralloch -- as I am sure I don't need to tell you! I think we paid £1 a head back in the 1970's in the Uists. That must have thinned them out.

I did some ringing of merlins and sparrowhawks in the west of Ireland and there was considerable rivalry between merlins, crows, and kestrels for nest sites in trees. There was one local peregine eyrie that was on the ground, on a small steep slope.

But I suppose it could be argued that there are enough peregrines already. Certainly plenty around here. I'd see them regularly when flying a peregrine and had a shared flight at a partridge with the gos and a wild peregrine last season! (The partridge escaped and I decided not to reflush).

[Shaun Byrne]

Your lucky to have seen Ravens in the wild Jack. The only ones I've ever seen were at the Tower of London on a school trip.

[Dude]

Hello,

I heard that some falconers can catch rabbits with their ravens is this true? What do you think?
I just read these stories in this topic and I easily believe that can happen. I also see very often crows(C.corone.cornix) flying in small groups(3-5crows) to pigeons, they chase the pigeon from the local church and when the pigeon want to hide in cover a nother crow start to chae the pigeon and the one who have chase it before, left a bit to get some breath...than the others do the same circle and when the pigeon is deadly tired the crows catch it.

I also saw in one case that a gull(i donno what type...sorry) catch a joung pigeon here in the city...

Best regards,
Dan.

[Bubo]

Hi guys back on the ravens again!! but even though some think they are vermin I really think they are great. I have had hours of fun watching the ones in a farm field close by.

Today i was lucky to see a kestrel, ( another falcon but couldnt tell which as i'm rubbish without the bino's) and when i moved further down the field i saw something really funny. I noticed two ears sticking out from the long grass it noticed the size of the bunny. A whopping raven was coming in from the right. I wasnt sure of it's intentions as the rabbit was way to big for this raven but kept watching anyhow. the raven did decide to take him on :shock: he swooped down nice and swiftly and i think he did actually hit the rabbit but...... bugs flipped and turned on the raven and was then in hot persuit of the bird. The bird couldnt get off quick enough. I just watched in awe!! fab stuff. I just dont understand why the raven didnt realise he could never had won that battle.

bubs

[Bill]

Tonight I was driving thro a suburb of Leicester, wide grassy areas both sides of the road.

I caught sight of a crow doing some strange aerobatics on the left and then realised it was chasing a grey squirrel. I then realised there were two crows after it. They crossed the road in front of me with the crows taking it in turn to dive at the squirrel, across the grass on my right and across a service road behind that and down a road leading off to the right where I lost sight of them.

However, at that point the hunt was joined by a middle aged Asian running down the road waving his arms obviously trying to come to the aid of the squirrel.

Oh for a video camera. :lol:

[Bubo]

coooool hehehehehhehe!!