Catching a Raven

[Druidus]

I need to catch a raven. I want to do a project to demonstrate that ravens are not the menace they are made out to be in this town (to the point that they are actively harmed). Thus, I want to capture one, and show people what ravens are really like. I won't be keeping the raven, I will be releasing him/her, but after I gain the trust of the raven. Hopefully, I can video tape all of this, and a northern network will air it (they've been known to air amateur videos before).

Ravens do many beneficial things for this town. I shudder to think at the amount of garbage that would exist without them. I want to show what this raven does, after I release him/her. I will be attaching a radio collar, borrowed from the college, to the raven, to track movements. After seeing that the majority of a ravens time is not spent stealing your dogs food, ripping open your garbage bags, and strewing the garbage acroos the driveway, or crapping on your car, I would like to think that people would see ravens in a new light.

First, however, I need to catch one. I've been able to get ravens as close as 5-8 feet before, but that's not close enough to grab one. So, I have considered traps. I thought of mistnets, but ravens might be aa bit big for that, and I can't afford a mistnet, nor could I find one in this town. I also thought of a walk-in trap, where the raven walks in to get meat, but then cannot get out (perhaps a large box that I pull down with a string?). So far, I think a drop net would be the best method. I will have a net, or even a blanket, suspended up in the air. Strewn on the ground, under it, will be food, likely various meats. I will have a triggering method attached to the blanket, which will release it, to fall on the raven, and trap it. Possible, I will use the more foolproof hand trigger method, where I pull a rope which initiates the fall of the blanket.

Does this sound like it will work? Does anyone have any tips?

 

[Druidus]

Alright, I've set up a "walk-in" trap. It's a large garbage bin, propped up with a stick. The stick has string tied to it. When a raven enters the garbage bin, I pull the string, the stick stops propping up the garbage lin, and it closes, locking the raven in. Next would come the problem of getting it out, but I'll figure that out when I get there. I left some food in the bin, along with a full garbage bag. I'm letting them get accustomed to the stick and string right now, before I attempt to trap one.

Kreeden, you have ravens, don't you?

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

Druidus, Why don't you go on line, and look up some organization that works with capturing large birds. Maybe you can find someone in your area that will have the proper kind of trap. Maybe animal control personel, or a wildlife preserve.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

I also thought of a walk-in trap, where the raven walks in to get meat, but then cannot get out (perhaps a large box that I pull down with a string?).
QUOTE]

A walk-in trap is a pretty good way of catching animals. i've caught a few squirrels once (and almost a bluebird) with one. You have to set up a trail of whatever the bird likes to eat for about five feet, and then a jackpot of it inside the trap. make sure it can be easily seen or easily smelled by your prey. try digging a small hole in the trap, so the bird will have less chance of escaping. once it is farthest away from any opening, pull the string as fast as you can. if you're lucky, you'll catch the bird, but make sure you put some stones on top of the box you are using after you catch the bird (if it is cardboard or lightweight), or use a wooden box. You also have to be pretty patient as well.

 

[TrueQ]

Well, the most efficient way to capture a raven would be to just tranq it. Of course, if you're following a plan where the best idea is to drag out a weapon and start firing, it's usually wiser to step back and think of a new plan. It would probably be just as effective to simply film a few ravens wandering around in their natural habitat than to attack and capture them, even with the best of attentions. Also, on the subject of safety, ravens are large birds that need plenty of flying-around space in order to live healthy and happy lives, when cooped up in cages smaller than two or three houses, they will likely become fidgity and hostile (They could probably take you if they had the element of surprise, too). Seeing a raven in this state would not assuage people's fears that it is a servant of any malicious spirit.

If you do decide to go along with catching a raven, you'd best to get some good books about ravens so you can proceed with plenty of knowledge.

 

[kreeden]

Druidus , I have Raven friends that eat from my hand , yes . But they are wild Ravens . { One actually brought me a pigeon wing once } .

First off , it is illegal to capture Ravens in Canada . So talk the your wildlife officals before you start .

Second , can't you do what you want without capturing one ? You will likely loss that " collar ". It would have to go on a leg as they use their throads to pack food , much like a pelican . It will cause the bird a lot of stress . And even tracking it , you will still have no idea what it is doing . Ravens tend to have territories . This time of year , they would be nesting . So there should be no need for the collar .

Finually , I doubt that anything you find out about Raven will change anyone's opinion , except perhaps your own . I am agaisnt you capturing Raven Light Bringer . They are beautifull birds . And they are very intelligent .

 

[jimbob]

if you try the blanket method, be sure to weith the corners with stones. Otherwise, it'll just float down and the Raven will get away quickly. Try doing what i do. Just sit near a bunch of birds (in your case ravens) for a while. be real quiet and don't move quickly. After about and hour, they get really close to you. I've had a srcub jay (west coast cousin of blue jay) come within 5 inches of my lap. Birds are trusting creatures

 

[Druidus]

Thank you for the input. The collar is off, turns out that Arctic College is already using them to track arctic terns, to see what their migration path is. (They have the longest migration path of any bird. From the south pole, to near the north pole.

Kreeden, I'm not going to be keeping the bird, certainly not. I was just going to put on the radio collar, and take some measurements. Also, I'd give it a bit of food, too, as a reward.

I like Jimbob's plan. I've been able to get them very close before, not close enough to touch (as I've done with doves, pigeons and seagulls), but very close. Ravens here are very wary, because humans throw rocks at them, and other stuff. Do you think food on my lap would help attract them?

My plan now is merely to take measurements, perhaps of a few. Some people at the college here suggest that ravens on Baffin Island are a new subspecies, because they don't migrate to the mainland anymore. I'd like to try to confirm or deny this.

First off , it is illegal to capture Ravens in Canada . So talk the your wildlife officals before you start .

Is it illegal to own, or illegal to capture? One time, four years ago, I saved a raven egg from two kids who climbed up a cliff to bash them (apparently at their father's request). I eventually ended up giving the egg to the college, because I found out that it was illegal to own ravens from the wild. The college hatched it, weaned it, and did there best to train it for life before releasing it. I don't know what happened to it, however.

This is also for purposes of my future career. There are around six animals I would love to study as my career. They include the chimpanzee, the bonobo, the african grey (I "own" one), the gorilla, dolphins (probably the "common" dolphin, if not, then the Tursiops subspecies), and ravens. Ravens, being the smartest birds, are very close to the top of my list. I've read several books about them, and spent a lot of time watching them in the "wild".

I just thought of something else, too. I could never keep a raven. Darwin (my african grey) wouldn't like it.

 

[Valjean]

Why are ravens disliked in your town, Druidus?

 

[kreeden]

Because they are damn pests Seyorni . Really , they can be smarter then the people who they bother . Into garbage and the like . They love picking a garbage bag apart . You can actually watch the exciement in them .

I Know that you are not planning to keep it Druidus . I just think that the capture is unnecessary . AS I said , Ravens are territorial . If you do go through with this , I ask one thing . If the bird is missing feathers , mostly from the tail , leave it alone . This time of year , that could mean that it is a nesting female .

Yes , it is illegal to harass wildlife , as well as owning them .

 

[Druidus]

They are notorious for stealing food from dogs (especially the huskies), ripping open garbage bags and strewing garbage across your driveway (even inside garbage boxes), crapping on your car after doing that, and the main reason is that they steal meat from hunters (hunting is one of the primary ways that people support themselves up here). Hunters have to go out 20km from town before they can hunt. While out, they are not allowed to hunt on skidoos or quads. They often stay out for a week, or more, before coming back. Ravens are known to rip open the qamatik covering, and steal their meat. Most of these hunters can't afford any cases to hold their meat in, and some often merely make an inukshuk gaurd (stacked rocks with meat inside), but the ravens can push the rocks over and take the meat. This is the primary reason ravens are disliked.

 

[Valjean]

If the ravens do, in fact, do these things, what do you think your study will demonstrate that will change peoples opinions toward them?

 

[Druidus]

Well, the stuff that happens doesn't happen so often. Much like in the south, bats have a bad reputation, ravens up here have the same (despite their past reverence). The bad reputation is mostly unwarrented, and by taking some of the food used for compost in the greenhouse we have, and placing it in a place for ravens, we could solve the issue of them stealing meat. Unfortunately, the garbage bags will always be a problem, ravens are just mischievous that way, but if you place a large rock on the bin, ravens cannot lift it up.

 

[Valjean]

I agree. Ravens are an intelligent and playful people. If you provide them recreational opportunities you can't blame them for playing -- especially if something edible is involved. I'd do the same thing in their place.

 

[kreeden]

Ravens are even more of a bother to trapers . They not only steal the bait , but ruin the hides by feeding on the animal .

" Ravens are an intelligent and playful people. " I like that . And yes they are .

 

[Druidus]

Kreeden, how did you become so close to your ravens? The ones up here are terrified (for some reason, it's legal to shoot them, but not to keep them without a permit :149: ) of humans. I throw a peice of a honeybun into the road and three ravens swoop down for it. One gets it, eats it, and sits there for a moment. I toss another little bit of the bun out, and instantly, the raven is away.

I just don't see how you could get so close.

The trap has been almost successful. I've given up on the movie. I wanted personalize one raven, but without the radio collar, I can't find that one raven again and again. So I'm just going to take some measurements on a few ravens, to see if there is a large difference between the Baffin ravens and the mainland ravens. It would be a good thing to have on my resume for a future career, you know. "I discovered a new species of raven."

 

[kreeden]

It takes time to develope any friendship Druidus . I have been feeding my Ravens for two years now . And they are NOT tame . They know me and they can tell me from others . One little guy willn't come down to me untill I give him a call .

Ravens are not trusting by nature . Less so if people tend to shoot at them . Wouldn't you be ? The thing with any wild animal is that you can not force them . If you wish to get close to them , you have to on THEIR terms . I never thought that any of my friends would ever eat from my hand , untill one almost landed on my head one day and I decided to give it a try . Now Toes perfers to sing to me then eat , it appears . And he wants me to sing along with him . Yea , I sing with Ravens . Cool eh ? It is a coo-like song , not the caw most think of when they think of Raven or Crow .

Take your time Druidus . Make friends with your Ravens . You will learn much more about them that way then if you capture and release a thousand of them .

 

[Jaymes]

Well, the stuff that happens doesn't happen so often. Much like in the south, bats have a bad reputation, ravens up here have the same (despite their past reverence).

What, bats have a bad reputation down here? I've never really encountered it... my family used to sit outside at dusk and watch bats, actually.

 

[kreeden]

Here is a pic of Toes singing . He would not be doing that with a banket over his head ...

http://photobucket.com/albums/v471/KreedensKorner/?action=view&current=ToesSings.jpg

 

[Druidus]

Here is a pic of Toes singing . He would not be doing that with a banket over his head ...

Awesome pic! I'm not using a blanket trap. It's a walk in one. They get food, I measure them, then release them. So far, it's been almost successful. But now, I have to give up on it. They must have realized how it works, because the third time a raven went to get the food, he ripped my trigger line first. :biglaugh:

I'm going to do as Jimbob suggested. I'm going to just sit there. But I don't think that will get them close...