Ravens in Ireland

paulusdu

I was driving down the old Galway Dublin rod and noticed some large crows up ahead on the wall. As i got closer i could see they weren't crows but ravens. I dont think i have ever seen ravens in Ireland in the wild and was wondering how common they are ?

p.e.s.

Have seen quite a few in west wicklow and around Kippure for at least the last 10 Years

dodderangler

There's one in my estate. Once a week at least makes an appearance.
Wicklow has good few aswell. Think ucd still has a mated pair or two on the roof.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ravans are widespread in Ireland. Their numbers have recovered well in recent years and they are now no longer confined to isolated upland regions. I love to hear their call when I'm in the garden or walking locally.

Squidvicious

I occasionally see/hear Ravens around here too. I don't remember coming across them until about 5 years ago or so.

paulusdu

Would they be territorial or do they move around much ? i'm guessing if you see a pair at this time of year they are likely to stay in the one place for nesting. I might head back with the camera and see if i can get a few shots of them. They are wonderful looking birds too.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The are quite sedentary and don't wander far from their territory at any time of year. That said the territory can be quite large!

V_Moth

Lina Important Albacore wrote: »

The are quite sedentary and don't wander far from their territory at any time of year. That said the territory can be quite large!

Adults yes, but young birds without a territory will gather into large groups which rove around the countryside. Young Magpies will do the same.

Ravens were persecuted in many European countries and were restricted to remote areas, but have been re-colonising former breeding areas in the last few decades.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

V_Moth wrote: »

Adults yes, but young birds without a territory will gather into large groups which rove around the countryside. Young Magpies will do the same.

Ravens were persecuted in many European countries and were restricted to remote areas, but have been re-colonising former breeding areas in the last few decades.

Absolutely! That's why I referred to them staying in their territories. As young birds don't yet hold territories it would not refer to them. If memory serves me correctly , they settle down tobreeded at between 2 and 4 years of age. Persecution was rife here for many years but thankfully that has more or less ended and we are seeing a steady increase in their numbers.

blackpool123

I only saw one this morning. Donabate. It was coming down to investigate roadkill on a busy-ish road at that time of day. Unfortunately the road kill looked like a raptor, kestrel maybe, from the feathers!
Ravens are an impressive bird! hadn't seen one until last year and have seen one on four different occasions since, all in the Fingal area!

Desmo

When you see a raven flying overhead, it is sometimes hard to see exactly how big they are if they are alone and/or distant. Twice lately, I saw one at close quarters being mobbed by grey crows and the ravens are huge. They look about 1.5 times bigger than the grey crows.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Desmo wrote: »

When you see a raven flying overhead, it is sometimes hard to see exactly how big they are if they are alone and/or distant. Twice lately, I saw one at close quarters being mobbed by grey crows and the ravens are huge. They look about 1.5 times bigger than the grey crows.

You have got it in one. The raven's wingspan is one and a half times thatvofbthe hooded crow and as big as a buzzard at times.

ThunderCat

Presumably ravens have next to no predators hunting them? A hungry golden eagle perhaps?
Ive yet to see a raven in ireland, but im in the fingal area a lot so ive constantly got the eyes peeled.

Connacht

I had a lovely time looking up at and listening to the noise out of a raven nest up on a cliff in the Burren today. Seemed like the racket drove the mother crazy now and then, as she would quit the nest, fly off to another perch along the cliff for a while before returning for more 'grief' from the young ones ...
By the way, we've plenty on the sea cliffs and in the mountains of Mayo.

paulusdu

I saw one today at the cliffs of Moher, i just stopped off for a stroll and i spotted it close enough to the edge. Every crow i see now is being examined more closely, i am on Raven watch ! The wife just smiles and nods

Birdnuts

ThunderCat wrote: »

Presumably ravens have next to no predators hunting them? A hungry golden eagle perhaps?
Ive yet to see a raven in ireland, but im in the fingal area a lot so ive constantly got the eyes peeled.

Goldies regulary predate Ravens and other corvids in Donegal based on prey remains at nest sites.

p.e.s.

Saw a large raven scavaging in a skip in kinsealey this afternoon it was at the back of the garden centre along Baskin Lane ,They are definitely un mistakable for any of the crow family as they are considerably bigger , Nice to See them around

marlin vs

Here you go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guBwMUAWAJI

blackpool123

ThunderCat wrote: »

Presumably ravens have next to no predators hunting them? A hungry golden eagle perhaps?
Ive yet to see a raven in ireland, but im in the fingal area a lot so ive constantly got the eyes peeled.

The first one I saw was in Rogerstown/Turvey Reserve. 2/3 hours spent in the south hide. Worth checking out maybe.
And the one on the road in Donabate was pure chance, it had spotted the road kill!

about a mile from the reserve....possibly same bird?!?!

whyulittle

I just had a Raven fly over the garden. Sitting inside with the door open, could hear it approaching! Got outside in time to see it.

I've seen/heard them at Boora, but never here at home.

turnikett1

Anyone have a photo difference between ravens and crows in Ireland? I know crows are definitely the smaller, "smoother" more beady eyed birds but I was always lead to believe that ravens were the bigger, scruffier, louder ones. For example;

Crow

Raven

Am I wrong in walking around Cork city and pointing out to my OH "Oh look, a raven!" ?

Desmo

turnikett1 wrote: »

Anyone have a photo difference between ravens and crows in Ireland? I know crows are definitely the smaller, "smoother" more beady eyed birds but I was always lead to believe that ravens were the bigger, scruffier, louder ones. For example;

Crow

Raven

Am I wrong in walking around Cork city and pointing out to my OH "Oh look, a raven!" ?

That "crow" is a Carrion Crow which does indeed look like a raven but is smaller but you do not get them much in Ireland, outside of the NE coast around Antrim/Down. The main big "crow" in Ireland is the grey (hooded) crow which is very close to carrion crow in all except the plumage which is black and grey. http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/IrelandsBirds/Crows/HoodedCrow/tabid/1051/Default.aspx
Carrion crows are shiny black. You can tell ravens by:
1) size; they are 1.5 times the size of grey crows
2) call; they give a low throaty croak instead of a caw
3) plumage; shiny black all over instead of grey plus black
4) tail shape. The tip of the tail is wedge shaped instead of square across.

I know all this because I have been seeing them a lot lately (in UCD and the Dublin coast and even Tallaght a few weeks ago) and have been trying to tell them apart. I did get caught out badly last August when I thought I saw a bunch of them outside my house. They turned out to be juvenile rooks which have black beaks.

dodderangler

Where's you see the one in tallaght?
There's one that does be in my estate quite regularly

Desmo

I was twitching the Caspian Gull at Sean Walsh park when two flew overhead. They were quite high up and hard to see where they came from or where they were going to. It was my first ever Luas twitch and got Iceland gull as a bonus. This was late Feb.
Des