LAGUNA CANYON FOUNDATION
January 2010 E-Letter ___________________________________ 

Common Raven

Common Raven, Corvus corax, photo by Ashok Khosla, http://www.seeingbirds.com

 If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be clever enough to be crows.

~Henry Ward Beecher, American preacher, abolitionist and social reformer, 1813-1887
 
Pound for pound, ravens, crows, jays, magpies and other members of the bird family Corvidae rank among the most intelligent animals in the world. Ravens have the largest brains relative to their body size of any birds and the same brain/body size ratio as chimpanzees. Distinguishable from crows for their large wingspans (3.5-4 versus 2.5 feet ) and wedge-shaped (rather than fan-shaped) tails, ravens have a large, complex and varied vocabulary that includes croaks, clicks, gurgles and imitations of other bird calls and even the human voice. Known for their cheeky, raucous ways, these consummate survivors have adapted to virtually every environment around the globe. As one of the most easily spotted animals in our parkland, they are a visible reminder of why we work to KEEP IT WILD .
happy hiker logo
 
 Spot resident and winter migratory birds on a Jan. 24 birding hike with volunteer naturalists. For details and printable January-March calendars,
 visit 
http://www.lagunacanyon.org/events.html.
 
Laguna Canyon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and enhancing the South Coast Wilderness.
 
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THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!  
 
Questions? E-mail Ellen Girardeau Kempler, Communications Director, Laguna Canyon Foundation, [email protected]