Common Raven 

Range: Northern and Western North America, Europe, Northern and Central Asia, some in Northern Africa.

Habitat: Found in mountains, tundra, coasts, semi-desert.

Diet: Nearly anything edible.

Lifespan: About 13 years in the wild. Birds in human care may live anywhere from 44 to 70 years, potentially even to 80 years.

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Curie

We do not know her full history, but she apparently was captured at a young age and imprinted on humans. She came to Turtle Bay on October 3, 2014. She is named after Marie Curie, a great French scientist.

Fun Facts

  • People often confuse crows and ravens, but really there are several differences. Ravens have a large heavy bill, but crow’s bills are lighter. Ravens also have a ruff of feathers on the neck, which crows lack. Crows usually caw, whereas ravens often call with deep croaks. In flight, ravens normally show a wedge-shaped tail, but crows have rounded tails.
  • Ravens are very intelligent birds. They are able to figure out problems, mimic human speech and other animals, and even count. They have also been seen using teamwork to cheat other animals of their prey. Ravens and other corvids can recognize individual people and their actions to them.
  • The raven has long been featured in literature and lore, typically as a bad omen. They probably acquired this reputation from being a scavenger, clad in black, and intelligent.
  • Ravens are tough birds; they can be found far into the Arctic, and have been seen at 19,600 feet on Mount Everest. Indeed, they are often commonly found in rough habitats.
  • Interestingly, ravens have relatively few predators, even as nestlings or eggs. Occasionally an eagle or other large raptor may take one, as well as a few quick land predators. But a raven is a challenge to catch. They are agile in the air, and also possess a strong beak. Many ravens often are larger than even a Red-tailed Hawk, making for a difficult catch. Ravens also defend their nest vigorously, and often succeed in driving off a potential nest robber.
  • Many smaller birds seem to have a particular dislike of ravens, probably since ravens are notorious nest robbers. The ravens are smart enough to recognize the change in alarm calls as they home in on a nest, and usually succeed in finding the nest