Creature Feature

THE RAVEN

My encounter at the start of January 2025, with Noah's first scout, sent out from the Ark to check if the waters had yet receded, was still a surprise, even though floods had cut off the villages footpaths which had led me to wander this different route. It was a deep, gurgling croak above me that made me look upwards and see a huge blue/black mass alternately flapping and gliding on horizontal wings.

I first became aware that we had a pair of ravens in the village 3-4 years ago, firstly through their sounds and then seeing them in flight with their huge 1.5m wingspan and diamond shaped tails. Unfortunately, I've yet to see one flip upside down with closed wings or do a 'loop the loop' (which apparently, they do for fun), but I now know where to look or listen out for them, their favourite perches and 'hang-outs'. This one was far from its usual home and seemed to be alone on the boundaries of the village, scoping out new territories or possibly nest sites.

Early breeders and monogamous, ravens make large stick and moss nests from January onwards. Laying between 3-7 eggs they are known to feed the chicks, once fledged, up until they're 6 months old. Highly intelligent, with large brains that have proved to be good at problem solving, ravens are also great mimics of all sorts of sounds, including human speech. If one loses its mate, it replicates the others call to encourage its return. Whilst ravens are omnivores and able to live in a wide array of environments, if their familiar home surroundings drastically change, they show signs of distress, much as we do.

Ravens have coexisted with humans for thousands of years and have been the subject of mythology, folklore, art, and literature in cultures all around the world. In the UK it's said that the kingdom and the Tower of London will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave their fortress. They are mentioned 12 times in the Bible, notably becoming Elijah's friends, sustaining him and bringing him food and in the New Testament (Luke 12:24) Jesus tells a parable using the raven to show how people should rely on God for their needs rather than riches. In the year to come, amidst soaring living costs, let's all look upwards for this rather timely but majestic and encouraging reminder.