Raven Aerial Displays

"I often refer to the Cornell ornithology website for research based information regarding species." - Dan Reiff





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The following is an excerpt from Dan taken off the Cornell website about Ravens & aerial displays:


Pair Formation


No information on when pairs form. Considerable displaying, possibly courtship, occurs in flocks throughout the year, with greatest intensity in fall and winter (Jan and Feb; Dorn 1972, Conner et al. 1976, Heinrich 1989).


Dives and rolls by tucking both wings in; dives and turns by tucking one wing in; turns loops and accelerates with short choppy wingbeats. Aerobatic rolls have been seen in as many as 16% of observations of individual flying birds ( Van Vuren 1984 ). Sometimes makes half-rolls onto back (95% of recorded rolls), occasionally makes full rolls (3%) and double rolls (1%). Aerobatic rolls may serve a socialization function (dominance or courtship display) but are performed throughout the year by solitary individuals and by birds in large flocks and small groups (Dorn 1972 , Van Vuren 1984 ). Observed flying upside down for as far as 1 km ( Evershed 1930, Taning 1931).




Play


Diverse and complex, often involving inventive and learning behaviors: sliding down inclines on belly, lying on side grappling sticks, dropping and catching objects while in flight, hanging upside down by one or two feet, snow-bathing, and giving vocal monologues, caching inedible items, playing tug-of-war or king-of-the-hill with other ravens, pecking predators on tail (Dorn 1972, Ficken 1977, Heinrich and Smolker 1998). All of these behaviors may have some ultimate function, perhaps relating to food acquisition and handling or mate attraction, but they are most common in young birds for whom the immediate function is often not evident.


Ravens are known to approach canids and large predatory birds on the ground from behind and yank on their tails. Tame fledglings engage in this behavior toward both cats and dogs. If a bird avoids a dog when pecking the dog's tail, it will become increasingly bolder and eventually attempt to peck it on the nose (BH). The exploratory behavior may be a mechanism of assessing the reactions and capabilities of animals that may be encountered later at food.