Looking for people with Corvid experience

[Ranyart]

wonderful story - thanks.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Patti J,
That's a wonderful thing you are doing! Congratulations and good luck to you.

Here is one of the 3 ravens I've raised. He had fallen out of a pine tree on our property.

If I may offer my opinion...my collared aracari's (a species of toucan for anyone that's never heard of them) behavior is the absolute closest to any description of a raven personality or trait that could be described.

I hadn't seen the pictures the first time. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. This is my absolute dream! I LOVE crows and ravens. I would never get one as a pet on purpose, but saving one and then having this.....amazing. So great

 

[Dana]

Thank you for the kind words. They are amazing, amazing birds. Those kinds of experiences are once in a lifetime.

And I agree, BraveheartDogs, they shouldn't be kept as pets. Now if he had been handicapped or sick...that'd be another story!

This probably isn't the place for it, but does anyone else have any wild bird rescue/rehab stories?

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

thanks for your story I have one in bird watchers road
but I will have more information on Corvids there as watching them

 

[love4birds]

There are couple of good books. Mind of a Raven by Bernd Heinrich who raised and observed a lot of ravens is really good. Also, Corvus: A Life with Birds by Esther Wooflson.

Mind of the Raven is a fascinating book, I loved it. I'll have to put the other one on my list of books to buy!

 

[aracari1]

There are couple of good books. Mind of a Raven by Bernd Heinrich who raised and observed a lot of ravens is really good. Also, Corvus: A Life with Birds by Esther Wooflson.

Mind of a Raven is an amazing book. It will give you a whole, new respect for these lovely creatures.

 

[Spinderella]

Patti!!


I would LOVE to know more about your corvids and any knowledge you have to share with us.

same here!!!

 

[Spinderella]

That was a great article. It reminded me very much of what it was like raising Virgil. He had fallen out of his nest in a pine tree on our property. We were on 10 acres and there was an abundance of coyotes on the property at night so I took him inside and decided to go ...

Who would'a known I'd get all verklempt over this story?! =/

 

[srtiels]

Have you tried this site? Softbills You may be able to find people that breed corvids there and they may be able to give more info.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Mind of a Raven is an amazing book. It will give you a whole, new respect for these lovely creatures.

Yes, it's great, I really loved it

 

[southerninak]

Great thread!
We have huge Ravens here. I watch them all the time. I wonder where they lay their eggs ,I have never seen a nest and these birds are everywhere. (Not that I would disturb it ,I just wonder)

 

[The Laughing Parrot]

Well, I can tell you that you are in for one heck of an experience if you decide on a Corvid! They are a lot like parrots in some ways.....intelligent, thoughtful, busy, and cheeky! But, they are different as well. I can't answer specifics about personality because my experience is that they are all different. Most of the species that I have kept are a bit more wary than parrots. They don't readily trust new things or new people. But once they get used to things they are very outgoing.

The diet and the associated mess keep ya on your toes! You can't leave their after meal mess for long because of it's contents. But I don't really mind that.

Almost anything makes a good toy for a corvid. Small stones, crumpled up bits of foil, clothes pegs, bottle caps, sea shells, etc...etc.... Mine find bits and pieces out of the garden like wood chips and play with them for hours. Live foods, such as meal worms, double as toys too.

The two birds in my photos are Australian Ravens. The largest of the Ravens found in Oz. They are both from the same clutch and came to me after some jerkface shot their parents. The little one has a broken leg and was covered with ants when rescued. The bigger was just so undernourished that he couldn't fly. I have had them for only a week, but thanks to daily outtings into the back garden they are thriving and settling in to life with me better than expected.

Wow this is really interesting info Patti! Thanks for sharing!

I have a special interest in crows and ravens myself although I don't have any except the ones tattoo'd on my back! lol

 

[robin's my baby]

That was a great article. It reminded me very much of what it was like raising Virgil. He had fallen out of his nest in a pine tree on our property. We were on 10 acres and there was an abundance of coyotes on the property at night so I took him inside and decided to go ahead and raise him myself. He had very few feathers coming through at the time.

He went to work with me everyday while I was handfeeding him and as he got older he'd explore the office and visit with my coworkers. At home he had free run of the house. He was absolutely wonderful to have around. Watching him learn to fly was probably the best part of the experience!When he was finally weaned I kept him in an outdoor aviary for a week or so while I was at work.

When I decided it was time for him to be out on his own I took a two week vacation to stick around the house and see how he would do. At the time, I had horses and would take an hour so to go for a ride. Virgil would hop right up onto my shoulder or the rear end of the horse and go right along. After a few days of this he'd eventually fly off here or there, staying close by. I'd take walks with him around the property and we'd investigate the barn together and see what other things we could get into. My husband and I would go team penning down at the neighbors ranch and Virgil would fly right along next to us and hang out and watch while we worked the cattle.

As I continued to keep him outside, he found his place in a pine tree in front of the house. Every morning he'd come to my window and call incessantly until I brought him breakfast. He'd come into the house, get into the trash, tear up newspaper, play with firewood kindling and whatever else he could get into. Little by little he started doing his own thing everyday. I could see him flying around the property from the front deck. When I went back to work, I'd come home to find him sitting on the arch gate leading into the property. As I drove up the to house, he'd fly right next to the window!

Our lives went on like this for several months. And then afterwards he'd spend longer and longer times away from home. I would often come home to earrings, coins, and metal wire on the deck where we'd spend most of our evenings.

His visitations became fewer and fewer throughout the months and the last time I saw him was probably around this time of year. He came by for a visit and I could tell he was becoming the wild bird I hoped he would. I gave him a few pieces of his favorite foods which he took somewhat nervously. He perched very quietly for a bit and I sat there watching him suspecting that this would be the last time I saw him. And no story could have been written better...and as cliche as it was, Virgil flew off into the sunset, and it was the last time I ever saw him.

that is the saddest thing i have ever herd

 

[JLcribber]

Great story Dana!

It's also illegal to keep them as pets here in Canada. I'm glad about that because they don't belong as pets.

 

[srtiels]

Yahoo has a group: crows : Crows as friends. Watch, feed, rehab.

 

[ilikebirds]

Many years ago my ex and I had a rescued american crow. when we got him, he was beyond natualization. this lady found it, fell from the nest, and decided he should be a pet. she discovered otherwise, and ended up keeping him in the bathroom with no lights so he would shut up. I was really young, didnt know about laws, and we took him off her hands as she was tired of him. he was caged.
so we get this crow home, and he was nothing at all like any parrot. he was very excitable and extremely active. we no longer caged him, but just to sleep. he spent his days exploring, and we quickly learned about birdproofing. one day, he pulled all the ribbon from a apile of vhs tapes.
we let him outside as often as we could. i was very ill, and spent the days on the porch. Joe spent the days in our giant fenced yard, playing with the chihuahua. a few times crows came to visit. Joe didnt know what to do. they were uninterested in him. he was uninterested in them as well. he was the first bird. the door always open, he came in and out. he loved shiney things, and when napping on the couch, he would bring a bottle cap and put it in my hand. he wasnt into petting, but a few times he let me groom him. he was just gorgeous.
sadly, he drowned in our front yard. we had a shallow pond which he didnt really bother with. but one day we didnt hear him, and found him in the water. we think he jumped in, it was hot, and he got water logged. his hip was not right, and maybe he could not jump out. we felt so guilty, never thinking it would happen like that. but we also could not cage him, as he was not happy that way.
i do not think i could recommend one as a pet. he was not easy to care for. but a dedicated bird person who takes the time to understand them, well, he was a great friend, and i am honored to have shared time with him.