Many young girls go through a phase marked by a special affinity for horses. Me, I’ve always been more aligned to birds. I was downright obsessed with them from the ages of 8 through 10. I actually became a fair ornithologist, able to recite the Latin names of scores of birds, dreaming of the day I’d see a California Condor, a.k.a., Gymnogyps Californianus. I became infatuated with other things down the line, but always found it so cool that eventually, I did see a California Condor in the wild. But not in California where I grew up. It happened in the Southwest, my “adopted homeland,” and I was there at the beginning. But, more on the Condor story later… this post is actually about ravens.
Awhile back some friends and I came up with the idea to join a tradition of birding clubs across the nation known as the “Christmas Bird Count.” It didn’t quite come together this year – folks got busy, folks got sick, in other words, life happened. I talked with somebody about this at the post office recently and remember him saying in his tpyical off-handed party pooper way, “what do you want to do that for? All you’re gonna see are ravens!” In MY typical fashion I walked away and could only think of a sharp retort 10 minutes after the fact, which would have been “I don’t have a problem with that!”
I’ve enjoyed telling stories about the animals here ever since I moved here. The one about the squirrel who led this annoying little French Poodle on a merry chase that ended with Fifi going airborne over the edge of the canyon… welll…..it doesn’t have a happy ending, but let it be a lesson to you: always leash your dog! Or… the one about the time me and some friends were bringing home a pizza from We Cook Pizza in Tusayan and on our way back to our “efficiency” apartment on “Straight Street,” we drove past four of the most GORGEOUS mule deer bucks lying in the grass in a circle. We looked at each other and started doing “regular price, four bucks, four bucks!” OK, it got big laughs in the early ’90’s… .Anyhoo, if all I saw were ravens, I’d be AOK with that ’cause once you get to know ‘em, ravens are cool!
Yup, ravens. Common as dirt. Noisy, ubiquitous dumpster divers of the Southwest. Did you know that they are incredible mimics? I’ve wrenched my neck awkwardly upward upon hearing the honk of a contemporary car coming from fifty feet in the air; ravens bark convincingly enough to make a dog at a picnic ground cock its head in alarmed curiosity; when I worked at the Bright Angel Transportatoin Desk at Grand Canyon South, I walked to and from work, a path which went right past the mule barn. A flock of ravens hung out there regularly, probably enjoying the free alfalfa, and I SWEAR – on a stack twenty feet high – these ravens could be heard saying “ee aaw!” Ravens are monogamous. That becomes obvious when observing a mated pair openly displaying their affection atop a lamppost. Makes a trip to Wal-Mart SO much more interesting!
Ravens in captivity apparently can be taught to speak. About a year ago, some theory was floating around claiming that each bird actually has its own name. If true, I really wouldn’t be surprised. A week ago, as I was taking my daily walk past Page City Park, I observed a group of about 30 ravens, standing in a circle, clicking, cawing, mewing, squawking, grunting… If you’d have seen it, you’d swear they were planning, plotting, scheming, conniving. Maybe that’s why in the olden days a “flock” of ravens was actually referred to as a “conspiracy.” Hmmmmmmmmm…….
When the Bird Count will come together, I don’t know. I’ve heard some groups actually do their bird count on Super Bowl Sunday. That’d be good ’cause my hubby wouldn’t even notice I’m gone. At any rate, ravens are far from the only cool birds I’ve seen here. I’ve seen Golden Eagles, Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Redtail Hawks, Red Winged Blackbirds, Yellow Headed Blackbirds, Wild Turkeys, Canyon Wrens, Shrikes, Bluebirds, Bald Eagles, Western Tanagers, Grosbeaks, and yes, Condors… sightings I remember one and all… but truth be told? The thousands … probably hundreds of thousands.. of those basic black, clunky old common ravens I’ve seen in my lifetime have inspired more stories than all of the above put together! These are not “doity, disgusting, lice ridden boids” as the “concioige” in “The Producers” would call them. To me, they will always be glorious birds.
‘gotta fly! Til next time – take care,
Alley Kaye 
P.S. Hey what a koinky-dink, you guys: if you’re going to be around Zion National Park this Friday, they’re having their Christmas bird count then, and volunteers are welcome – no experience necessary! Check out this article in the St. George Spectrum for more details. Need hotel rooms? Check out Kanab or Springdale if you can’t find lodging inside the park.
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