Common Ravens are highly intelligent, which is especially obvious when watching a young Raven exploring the world.
At first glance, Ravens are often mistaken for American Crows. They are both corvids with solid black plumage, as adults, and their distinguishing features are subtle.
However, if you happened to find a couple of them standing side-by-side, the size difference would be obvious. Crows only weigh around one pound, while Ravens can weigh as much as three and a half pounds.
Showing them standing next to a comparable object is another way to evaluate their relative size. In these first three photos, the slats on the back of these standard Arboretum benches are the same length and height. This young Raven is approximtely seven-slats high, from the bottom of the foot to the top of the head.
These American Crows, together, would weigh less than the young Raven. The adult Crow, on the left, appears to be close to four slats tall.
When young songbirds, which includes Raven and Crows, leave the nest, they are often similar in size to their parents. Size can help distinguish Crows from Ravens, but it is not very useful at distinguishing young fledgling birds from adults.
Notice how the distant Crow is laying down on the top slat versus standing with its legs visible. Typically, I see this behavior most often among young birds. As they mature adults normally sleep on their feet. Maybe, because they have survived enough close calls to be a bit less trusting of the world.
I understand the weight of a bird's body causes their ligaments to clamp their feet around a branch, without any exertion of energy. Unlike how our hands function, birds only use their muscles to release their grip. This must make sleeping upright on a branch much easier.
When we look more closely at the young Crow, we can see the light pinkish gape, i.e. corner of the mouth. This immature coloring reinforced. that it was a first-year bird when the photo was taken.
When we zoom in and look at the young Raven's mouth we see the same type of youthful coloring. Plus, with the mouth open, we can see that the inside of the mouth is also pink. Among adults, both Ravens and Crows, every visible body part turns black, including the inside of the mouth.
The last two photos also provide an opportunity to compare the size of their bills relative to their heads and the height of their crowns, i.e. top of their heads.
To help you distinguish Crows from Ravens, here are some guiding thoughts, in the order I find them most useful.
1) The common call of a Raven is a deep "Grawk". Crows have a much higher pitched "Caw",
2) If it is rowing, it's crowing. Crows tend to constantly flap their wings while flying in straight lines, Ravens, with their relatively longer wings, tend to glide and ride the currents more.
3) Crows twitch their tails when they land. Ravens not so much.
4) Crows have crowns. The top of a Raven's head is just barely taller than its bill.
You may have also heard that Crows have fan-shaped tails, while Ravens have diamond-shaped tails. This is true...sometimes.
For example:
This is a Crow displaying a fan-shaped tail.
This is a Raven displaying a more diamond-shaped tail.
This is the same Raven one second earlier.
This is a Crow not displaying a fan-shaped tail.
When first learning to distinguish the two species, I found the shape of their tails caused more confusion, than clarification.
The young raven hopped onto the back of the bench. It appeared to be looking for something.
Apparently still searching, it hopped onto an armrest. The lump, hanging below its bill, indicated it was still carrying the rock that we saw in the earlier photos.
Then it leaned forward and...
...tried to place the rock on top of the middle slat.
When the rock started to shift, the Raven grabbed it and tried again on the lower slat.
Once again, the rock slid off the slat.
The Raven paused as if carefully considering the gravity of the situation. I am thinking we should call this Raven, Rocky.
Still focused on the rock, the Raven followed it to the ground.
Rocky picked it up and...
...walked over to Azalea Way.
Ultimately, it left the rock next to a puddle, which it had explored earlier.
Apparently, attracted to something even smaller, it reached down...
...which it then tossed aside.
Did it notice whether the rock fell faster than the plant particle? Did it understand that the top of the slat on the back of the bench was not perfectly horizontal? How fast and how much is a young Raven learning during the first few weeks out of the nest?
A couple of days earlier, I watched one of the adults grooming Rocky.
I suspect the tiny white feathers covering Rocky's outer eyelid will soon be replaced with black ones.
With this angle and lighting, we can also see Rocky's original dark feathers have a brownish tint, and mixed among them are some of his or hers early, downy white feathers. Soon, these will also be replaced by fresh black feathers. New feathers are already obvious on the wings and tail.
For a limited time, while the feathers are growing in, gaps are apparent among Rocky's tail feathers.
Plus, when Rocky's wings are fully extended, rows of dots appear where the sky shows through around the base of the flight feathers. When the coverts grow in, they will make the wings and tail impervious to air, which will make flight much easier, but identifying Rocky will be harder for us.
Watching for Rocky, during this short time, while the dots of light are still obvious, should inspire you to get out and about. During the last month, I have heard reports of a young Raven at the Union Bay Natural Area and in Interlaken Park. On the days when Ravens were reported at these other locations, I did not hear or see Rocky in the Arboretum. However, one evening, between these more distant reports, Rocky was back in the Arboretum. My assumption is Rocky is spreading his or her wings and already beginning to venture out and about.
Curiously, I have seen Rocky accompanied by a smaller, totally black Raven, who also has been making the begging call of a young Raven asking an adult for food. I suspect this may be an older sibling, who hatched out in a previous year, and who is still hanging around its natal territory, possibly getting occasional food from the parents. This impression is somewhat reinforced by Rocky begging the smaller Raven for food and being ignored. Plus, it may help explain the "extra" Raven nest-building in this earlier post.
Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Going Native:
Each of us who breathes the air, drinks water, and eats food should be helping to protect our environment. Local efforts are most effective and sustainable. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and the local native creatures. Even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape.
I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:
1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (When native plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.4) If you feel you must add a new plant, then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants.
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Keystone native plants are an important new idea. Douglas Tallamy, in the book "Nature's Best Hope, " explains that caterpillars supply more energy to birds, particularly young birds in their nests, than any other plant eater. He also mentions that 14% of our native plants, ie Keystone Plants, provide food for 90% of our caterpillars. This unique subset of native plants and trees enables critical moths, butterflies, and their caterpillars that provide food for the great majority of birds, especially when feeding their young.
Note: Flowering plants and trees, i.e. those pollinated by bees, are also included as Keystone Plants.
This video explains the native keystone plant concept in more detail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5cXccWx030
The Top Keystone Genera in our ecoregion i.e. Plants and trees you might want in your yard:
Additional content available here:
https://wos.org/wos-wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Native-Plant-Resources-10-7-22.pdf
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In this area, I typically display at least one photo with each post to challenge us to know our native lifeforms.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Which of these butterflies are native to Washington State?
Can you associate each butterfly with the correct name from the following list?
Their names in alphabetical order are:
A) Lorquin's Admiral
B) Mourning Cloak
C) Painted Lady
D) Western Tiger Swallowtail
Scroll down for the answers.
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The Answers:
All of these butterflies are native to Washington State.
1 = A - Lorquin's Admiral
2 = D - Western Tiger Swallowtail
3 = C - Painted Lady
4 = B - Mourning Cloak
Bonus Question: Did you notice which of these species have blue spots?
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The Email Challenge:
In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:
Larry, Please add me to your personal email list.
My email address is:
LDHubbell@comcast.net
Thank you!
FYI: I have begun using gmail to publish my posts since it allows more email addresses in a single batch. However, it still takes multiple days to send out the notices of a new post. Thank you for your patience.
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The Comment Challenge:
Bottom Line:
If you write a long comment, please, copy it before hitting enter. Then, if the comment function fails to record your information, you can send the comment directly to me using email.
My email address is:
LDHubbell@comcast.net
Larry
Parting Shot:
When Rocky saw an adult fly by the reaction was obvious. Begging for food, while flapping their wings, is another common juvenile behavior among many species of birds.
