Oh, To Be Free Flying

Currently, I have heard much sad news about animals. We have cattle being tortured to make them stand up so they can be "fit for slaughter" for human consumption. It is downright animal cruelty. I'm sure you've seen the disturbing footage on the news over the past couple of weeks. We have polar bears drowning in ever-expanding Arctic waters. Gorillas and elephants are being massacred. Moose in the Rockies are roaming into expanding urban areas in search of food and then being trapped and hauled off to God know's where. We have people anxiously awaiting the upcoming grey wolf massacre. And hundreds of bison are being shipped off to their death, even newborn calves, in the name of retaining "brucellosis-free status" for cattle herds-only problem is the bison being shipped to slaughter are not even tested for the disease.


In light of all of this, I have been thinking about what it would be like to be a wild bird flying free. As a bird, I may have a better chance to escape death by human since humans are mostly concerned with larger, predator type animals. And what a better bird to be than a raven out in the mountains. Humans are more apt to capture or kill fancier birds with nice plumage or more meat. Ravens have always fascinated me. They are quite intelligent birds. They can use tools, reason, and have moods and personalities. They have inquisitive minds and a special relationship with wolves. Just imagine what they see out there!

On a fall trip to Yellowstone last season, we stopped at a picnic area to get lunch. Ravens are always hanging around that picnic spot every time I've been there. Probably the same birds. This time we were sitting at the table when 2 ravens slowly moved in closer and closer to us, hopping along the ground, over boulders, and through trees. One was far more reserved than the other and would come no closer after a certain distance. The other one was quite a character. This bird was testing us to see if we would give it handouts or drop crumbs. It would circle the table by walking on the ground and then slowly move in to the benches until we would move a little. Then it would scoot back a bit and do it over again for the good hour we were there. In the meantime, of course, I am talking to this raven and I can plainly see that it's listening to me by the way it's looking me in the eye and tilting its head and "talking" back when I am through with my statements. I don't claim to know what it said but I do know we were communicating. This is the friendliest raven I have ever come across. It became so brave as to sit on the bench at the table. Keep in mind that the picnic area was full with other tourists eating lunch, but none got to be part of this special experience.

After eating lunch and making sure to leave no crumbs of human slop around for the ravens (and even cleaned up others' slop off the ground), we took off walking to the restroom. We came out and guess who was hopping over the ground to us? The 2 ravens, with the shy one farther back. After the car was loaded up, we drove over to dump the trash and the ravens were still following after us until they caught up to us. I told my "friend" we had to get going but we'll be back after winter is over for another visit.

A terrific book to read on ravens is: Mind of the Raven by Bernd Heindrich. He has spent a lifetime studing these fabulous birds. In fact he has also contributed to PBS's Nature program "Ravens" . I have not seen this yet but I'm sure it's good. And as always, don't pass up a chance to watch or interact with these birds.


Photos: The raven on rock is my "friend" at the picnic area. The other one I don't know-it was catching bugs in a thermal area.