Common Ravens Collecting Nesting Material

[Eleanor Kee Wellman]

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I collected a road-killed deer with the plan of putting it in an open area with the hopes of having Bald Eagles visit. They are seen in our area in the winter so I knew they were around. The day I got the carcass was way too warm for me to drag it far enough out so it is just by my house. The only visitors have been racoons, foxes, fishers, ravens, crows and Blue Jays.

Today a pair of ravens came in to feed and then flew off into some trees. They flew down to the ground and a bit later appeared by the carcass with dead grass and bits of fur in their beaks. They gathered more and then flew off again.

I am 125 miles North of Toronto. It seems to me that the ravens must be at the tail end of their nest building to be collecting the small, soft stuff. Does anyone know about their nest-building habits?

[John Chardine]

Sounds like they are lining the nest Eleanor. This would be the last stage. As you know Ravens are early nesters so the timing of this is reasonable.

[Eleanor Kee Wellman]

After the raven pair fed on the carcass today they flew up and one fed the other.

[John Chardine]

Ah yes Eleanor- courtship feeding; male feeds female. Considered a ritual to strengthen the pair bond but in many species, significant nutrition is passed from male to female and it is thought that this is a way the male contributes to egg production. The better condition the female is in, the more (up to a point) and better eggs she will lay, thus benefiting the male. In other words he's doing for himself as much as her.

[Beth Goffe]

Thanks for explaining the nesting process, John. This is so fascinating...