> I love the ravens & am hoping they are nesting somewhere nearby. It's
> great to hear that they've expanded recently & are nesting in new areas.
> I'll be keeping an eye out. Thanks, Carla
>
>
>
> Carla Kelly-Mackey
>
> Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
>
> On Monday, April 7th, 2025 at 3:55 PM, Doctor Science <
> <science.dr...> wrote:
>
> > Hi Carla! I remember you talking about Ravens living around you the last
> > time I posted about Ravens. I think we all tend to pay more attention to
> > them than to the rest of the Corvi that we haven't really thought about
> > how they're all fitting together. Keep an eye out as you see them around!
> >
> > On 4/7/2025 7:25 AM, Carla Kelly-Mackey wrote:
> >
> > > We're in the Rosemont Valley with a lot of open farmland around. Last
> year we had juvenile ravens pursuing adults for weeks, begging for food. A
> couple of weeks ago, I saw an adult raven fly past (low) with a twig in its
> beak, heading in the direction where the juveniles were initially spotted
> (heard) last year. Merlin doesn't even show us as being part of the
> migration territory for ravens, yet we have quite a population around. Is
> it possible there is a nest nearby? Pine Hill has cliffs & is very close.
> The Delaware is also not far. I know that isn't what you're asking, but
> I've been curious. We also have both fish & American crows, but I haven't
> paid as much attention to whether they're nesting nearby. Carla
> > >
> > > Carla Kelly-Mackey
> > >
> > > Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
> > >
> > > On Monday, April 7th, 2025 at 12:53 AM, Doctor Science
> <science.dr...> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Last Wednesday I was sitting on my back deck in northern Hopewell
> > > > Township (Mercer County), when in the course of 15 minutes I saw &
> heard
> > > > all three Corvus species: American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven. It
> > > > was a very educational compare & contrast!
> > > >
> > > > But it got me wondering: how do these three species sort out living
> > > > together these days? I say "these days" because Fish Crows are
> expanding
> > > > their range inland, so having so much overlap with AMCR is relatively
> > > > new. And CORA has only returned to NJ in numbers in recent decades as
> > > > farming has declined and the tendency of farmers to shoot black
> birds as
> > > > varmints has faded.
> > > >
> > > > I know that in my yard and surrounding properties the AMCRs are
> > > > permanent residents, I hear them most days. Ravens & Fish Crows are
> > > > occasional visitors, but shouldn't this be nesting season, with birds
> > > > sticking close to home? It may be these are young, unmated birds, out
> > > > looking for trouble while the older birds are nesting--it takes
> Corvus
> > > > 2-3 years to reach sexual maturity, and may be even longer before
> they
> > > > first breed.
> > > >
> > > > So, fellow central Jersey birders, what kind of ecological separation
> > > > have you been seeing between our three Corvus species? Are they
> > > > feeding/flying in similar areas, but nesting in different ones? I'm
> > > > talking especially about parts of the state that aren't close to any
> > > > large river or the ocean, nor the highlands.
> > > >
> > > > Poking around the scientific literature, there are some indications
> that
> > > > CORA prefers rocks, cliffs, buildings, bridges; AMCR prefers
> evergreens;
> > > > FICR deciduous trees; but those are statistical preferences, not
> > > > hard-and-fast rules. As for food, they're all opportunistic
> omnivores, I
> > > > don't know how much separation there is around here. Though I haven't
> > > > seen CORA feeding on roadkill, a common practice for AMCR. It's
> possible
> > > > Ravens think roadkill is just too dangerous. I haven't noticed any of
> > > > them joining vultures at big carrion-eating parties when a deer dies
> in
> > > > a field.
> > > >
> > > > - Mary Ellen Curtin
> > > >
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> >
> >
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