The Common Raven, here and in Yellowstone

George Walter portrait

Photo by Jill Severn

On a trip to Yellowstone National Park earlier this month, I was hoping to see some birds unique to that area – the Rocky Mountains. But, perhaps because of the late season, birds were few in number and variety. There was one remarkable exception – the Common Raven.

These birds were everywhere, at parking lots and visitor hot spots (most were literally “hot spots”). Little by little I started watching the ravens, paying closer attention to their remarkable activities and behaviors.

We have Common Ravens here in Thurston County. They are uncommon and usually seen flying overhead, vocalizing with their unique croaking noise. They do not flock together; rather, they have permanent pairs that dominate a feeding territory. If you see more than two ravens, it’s likely a breeding pair accompanied by their young of that year.

These are large all-black birds, weighing up to three pounds. They are much larger than crows (almost hawk-sized) and have a prominent wedge-shaped tail. If you see one close up, you will also notice they have large bills and a rough of feathers on their necks and around their faces. Although those bills are not hooked like a hawk, they still look intimating. Like we humans, ravens are omnivores, meaning they eat a wide variety of foods and are not picky.

Also close up, you will notice that they will look you in the eye. That stare makes some people uncomfortable and likely contributes to the widely held belief that these birds are special.

In Yellowstone, in contrast to our area, ravens are not seen as pairs; rather, they usually are seen in relatively large numbers. However, these numbers do not appear to act as a coordinated flock; rather, as an adaptation to conditions, the pairs and family groups are not defending specific territories and seem tolerant of others.

I suspect that this close association is an adaptation to feeding conditions in Yellowstone. During the summer – the tourist season – ravens have adapted to humans as a source of food. Formerly, this included raiding trash cans and open landfills, but in recent years, the park service has closed landfills and developed raid-proof trash receptacles. Now, many ravens seem to spend their summer days monitoring the tourists. Dropping an apple core in a parking lot, for example, brings ravens to investigate.

It's well enough to adapt to the abundance of food in the tourist season, but how do these ravens manage to survive through the harsh Yellowstone winters? Tolerance of others is also beneficial during that season. In winter, ravens become scavengers, feeding from the remains of dead animals that fail to survive or are killed by predators.

Contrasting the Yellowstone ravens with “our” local ravens actually tells us a lot about these birds. The Common Raven is one of the most widespread world bird species, occurring commonly in the northern latitudes of both North America and Eurasia. And it seems that ravens often attach themselves vaguely to human occupation sites.

They have considerable intelligence and, in a lab setting, they can be taught a number of tricks. They also can learn to “talk,” as Edgar Allen Poe readers may recall.

Because of their visible presence and remarkable abilities, and possibly their black color and croaking voice, ravens have played a prominent role in the mythology and folklore of people around the world. Ravens are often seen as the bringer of omens and sometimes death. In Norse mythology, there are two ravens that fly around the world bringing the chief god, Odin, information.

But my favorite is the role that Raven plays in Pacific Northwest Indian lore. Raven is a trickster, always available to make a story take an unexpected turn. And, in some myths, Raven is the creator, freeing human beings to occupy the Earth. This type of creation myth is portrayed by a monumental carving I saw in the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia.  The carving portrays Raven freeing the first men from the darkness of their home, trapped within a giant clam shell.

In a more practical way, humans and ravens have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship for millennia. Humans provide food for the ravens, directly and indirectly. Ravens, in addition to cleaning up, also provide a degree of early warning for their “home village.”

This original wooden sculpture, by Bill Reid, was done in 1980, depicting the Haida culture's legend where a raven discovers the first humans inside …

The Raven and the First Men, a sculpture by Bill Reid, showing part of a Haida creation myth. Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia.

This recent experience with Yellowstone ravens was very satisfying and I have only one regret. I wish I had taken a bag of peanuts with me, as there were none for sale in the park. It would have been fun to see what kind of response I could have stimulated. My imagination suggests that I could have had a small flock of ravens following me around the park. As many tourists tell themselves when reflecting on their time in Yellowstone, “Ah, well – next time.”

George Walter is environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department; he also has a 40+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com

Many of the photos for this column are provided by Liam Hutcheson, a 17-year-old Olympia area birder and avid photographer.