Does anyone have ravens? The legal ones?

[Rachaelslp]

Just doing a little more research. I was wondering about raven/crows etc. They seem to be very interesting. I didn't know how they compared to hookbills. How many people have them? They seem to be very expensive. Are they as friendly as some hookbills?
:)

[Mare]

I've never had one, Raven, but many live in our area. If I ever found one fallen from it's nest, I would surely adopt it. They are VERY intelligent birds. I've watched them interact with Amigo, when he's out and about. They are curious about him but have never offered to chase him off, they share each other's territory. When the ravens are nesting, in the spring, they will move the hawks away from the territory, nice :)

[Cedardave]

I didnt even know anyone kept these as pets.I know they are pretty smart.It would be very interesting to hear someones account of careing for one of these...

[2birds]

I've never had one but I like them. Apparently they are into winter sports and love sledding.

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Mare]

Years ago, before I had birds, my husband and I were at and old friend of his home in southern Cal, this friend had an Amazon and a raven. I felt sorry for the raven, he kept him in a cage smaller than small :( but the vocab on this bird was amazing! Better than any parrot I've known.

[2birds]

It is illegal to hold native species of ravens and crows captive. They are migrating birds. You can own captive bred or birds from other parts of the world though. The laws are pretty strict on these guys.

[Mare]

I didn't realize they were migrating birds, Lori. Maybe where we live, they don't? They just always seem to be around. Years ago, when we were beginning to free fly Amigo, we had one special raven that would join him in a big pine that he would fly to in the morning. He hadn't claimed his own tree at that time. She/he would fly close and land on the same branch as Amigo, very curious of him. She/he would gluck-gluck to him and he learned to do it back, sorta, in his cockatoo impression, anyways. They never got more than about two feet from each other but it was very interesting and rather special to witness.

I love the videos you posted! Birds, just wanna have FUN!

[2birds]

Well, I just had to find out everything there is to know about crows and ravens. Apparently crows do migrate, sometimes. Usually for food. The northern crows migrate more than southern crows. They have been known to go long distances (1500 miles). Crows and ravens get confused with each other a lot. Ravens are much larger, have a larger beak with a roman nose, their tail feathers are more diamond wedge shape and they have four long thin feather fingers or flight feathers. They also like to soar more than crows do.
Crows are smaller, and their voice is the typical "caw, caw" (ravens are more like a croak). Their tail feathers are more like a rounded fan shape and they have five wide feather fingers. They are both in the corvid family.
Mare, I've seen videos of people with pet crows but they don't hold them captive. The birds hang out with them because they want to. Even if it is illegal to hold one captive, I would pick up an injured one in a heartbeat.

[plax]

Lori: Thanks for posting that information. It's good to know. I don't know anyone who "has" ravens, as in captive ones. However, I've known people who have had very friendly free-flying crows or ravens that enjoyed hanging around a lot... and even talking to everyone from the treetops. I also have a good friend in Australia who enjoys regularly visiting, extremely friendly and trusting, magpies whom she just adores. You can see them at: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Mare: I bet it was a beautiful contrast to see Amigo's striking whiteness next to the glossy blackness of the visiting raven perched a couple of feet from him on the same branch :D

[Mare]

The ones we have around here are ravens and they are special birds! Tony, I've seen videos of these friendly, highly intelligent magpies, amazing birds! The raven that hung out with Amigo, I think, was kinda sweet on him :). She/he would come right up to his outdoor cage and hang around for a few hours at a time. At the time this was happening, there were a few nesting pairs in the area, she was solo. I thought that she must have either been young or lonely, it was sweet, anyways.

[94lt1]

I've always wanted a crow..

[94lt1]

Another difference in crows and Ravens.. Crows have 2 talons in front and back like a parrot... Ravens have 3 in front.. One in back..

[2birds]

Another difference in crows and Ravens.. Crows have 2 talons in front and back like a parrot... Ravens have 3 in front.. One in back..

They do?

[Mare]

Lori, I read a book, awhile back, called "Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds", by, Bernd Heinrich. Fascinating book, I highly recommend it!

[plax]

Another difference in crows and Ravens.. Crows have 2 talons in front and back like a parrot... Ravens have 3 in front.. One in back..Brandon... I'm not sure that's correct. Check out the following description (from [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]):


Figure 4. The four toes in a crow’s track are about the same length, and in good prints each toe leaves a claw mark at the end. Three thick toes point forward, and one long toe (equally thick) points back. The total length of a print is approximately 3 inches.(From Pandell and Stall, Animal Tracks of the Pacific Northwest.)
[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

I believe that psittacines are the only birds who have two front toes and two back toes. I may have missed something, but that's been my understanding and it comports with my observations throughout life.

[2birds]

Lori, I read a book, awhile back, called "Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds", by, Bernd Heinrich. Fascinating book, I highly recommend it!

Thanks Mare, I'll have to take a look at it. Ravens and crows fascinate me with their intelligence.

[Rachaelslp]

I've never had one but I like them. Apparently they are into winter sports and love sledding.

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Really funny!!

[94lt1]

Brandon... I'm not sure that's correct. Check out the following description (from [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]):


[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

I believe that psittacines are the only birds who have two front toes and two back toes. I may have missed something, but that's been my understanding and it comports with my observations throughout life.
OK.. Thats what I was told by an old vet friend.. Years ago.. Idk..