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Breaking

Milton Keynes man pleads guilty to offences relating to rare animal skull

New lead for National Wildlife Crime Unit

New Scottish wildlife crime investigator appointed for NWCU

Deer hunter in PSNI who had carcasses in cold-room at home fined £6k

Another satellite-tagged hen harrier has disappeared in the Yorkshire Dales

PAW Northern Ireland launches Badger Persecution Report 2016-2018

Police Scotland launch second phase of year-long wildlife crime campaign focusing on Badger Persecution

Police Scotland appeal for information - poisoned bird of prey - Ruthven, Moy

Caerphilly man found guilty for offences against red kites and a badger

Telford raids sees hundreds of exotic animals rescued

London building company handed largest ever fine in relation to a wildlife crime

Badger Trust launches 'stop badger crime' video starring Mike Dilger

Protected River Lugg in Herefordshire was 'bulldozed' in 'wildlife crime'

Angler found guilty of fishing without permission on Norfolk Broad

Man who illegally sold jewellery containing elephant hair sentenced

NWCU intelligence sharing results in Swedish prison sentence for CITES crimes

North Yorkshire Police appeal for information after red kite poisoned in Ryedale

Motherwell man sentenced for badger baiting

Badger baiting: North Wales Farm worker Damien Sweeney jailed

South Yorkshire Police execute warrant in connection to poisoned Peregrine Falcon


Home / Animal of the Month / Raven

Raven


raven6658LCampbell-aThe raven is the largest of our UK corvids, being much the same size as a buzzard. It looks rather like a giant carrion crow, all black, but with a much more powerful bill. In flight its tail is wedge-shaped, that probably being the best identifier. A raven is often seen before it is heard, and its characteristic prukk, prukk, call often draws attention to it as it soars high in the sky. The raven is found in a variety of habitats, though mainly, moorland, mountains and cliffs. Its preference for cliff-nesting often means it has a nesting peregrine as a near neighbour, though the two species seem to co-exist successfully. It is one of our earliest nesting birds, with more southern populations starting to lay eggs in mid-February, and those further north laying eggs by early April. A pair of adult ravens will hold a territory, and use the same nest or nests year after year. Younger ravens are chased out of the territory and are often found feeding in flocks on farmland. raven7848LCampbell-a

As a typical member of the crow family, the raven’s diet is varied, but includes birds’ eggs, young birds and carrion. Taking game bird eggs brings the bird into conflict with game management, and the fact that it sometimes picks the eyes out of sheep that are lambing or stuck on their back can bring it into conflict with farmers. Some licences are issued to deal with ravens causing a serious problem to agriculture, but occasionally the bird is shot illegally or its nest is deliberately interfered with, causing failure of the eggs or chicks. Egg collectors, for whatever reason, regularly target clutches of raven eggs. This may be because it is one of the earliest nesters or because the nests are a challenge to climb up to (or abseil down to). Ravens nesting on coastal areas of north Wales are often the population that suffers most from this strange breed of criminal.


  • NWCU & Police Press Releases

    • Three Kent men jailed for hunting and killing badgers,...
      September 28, 2020
    • Rural police operation to make North Yorkshire a no-go...
      August 21, 2020
    • Appeal for information after analysis reveals buzzard...
      July 24, 2020
    • North Yorkshire Buzzard killed by combination of four...
      May 27, 2020
    • Man charged with Raptor Persecution crimes in Stewartry
      April 9, 2020
  • Wildlife Crime Press Coverage

    • Milton Keynes man pleads guilty to offences relating...
      January 28, 2021
    • New lead for National Wildlife Crime Unit
      January 18, 2021
    • New Scottish wildlife crime investigator appointed...
      January 15, 2021
    • Deer hunter in PSNI who had carcasses in cold-room...
      January 15, 2021
    • Another satellite-tagged hen harrier has disappeared...
      January 13, 2021


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