Often mistaken for Crow, Raven (Corvus corax) is not just a big Crow. A complex bird in both nature and mythology, Raven is noted for her innovative solutions to problems that She encounters. For example, Raven uses stones to crack her nuts. With her diverse language of calls, Raven often engages in wordplay with Her Friends. Not only that, but She also incorporates the calls of other Birds in her “speech”.
When the territories of Crow and Raven overlap, a distinction can be made between the Two. Unlike her Brother Crow, Raven prefers woods to cities. She has a greater tolerance for cold than Crow, and can even withstand the Arctic winter. To identify Raven, look at the Bird’s tail. Crow has a fantail, Raven a wedge tail. Also, when Raven is cold, She puffs herself up, looking a bit raggedy with a ruff around her neck.
In the areas where only Crow lives, people have attributed Him with Raven’s magical qualities. And in the areas where only Raven lives, She received Crow’s attributes. However, Raven is known for shape shifting, which Crow cannot do. More secretive than Crow, Raven is also associated with the night and dark magic. Since She is bigger and stronger than Crow, Raven’s magic is more profound.
Raven’s main food is carrion. Several Ravens will flock around a large carcass and pick the bones clean. Because She fed on corpses hanging from gallows, people took Raven to be an evil omen with supernatural powers. In Europe, they believed Her to be so evil that they killed Raven before She could do any more harm.
The Norse revered Raven since Odin, their chief God, had two Ravens – Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) who told him about everything happening on earth. Among early Christians, Raven was a messenger sent by God to feed the saints in the wilderness. Among the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, Raven was the Great Trickster. She created human beings, and brought fire to them. Meanwhile in China, Three-legged Raven lived in the sun, representing the sun’s three phases – dawn, noon, and dusk.
People hold opposing views of Raven. She is either a creator of human beings or a harbinger of death. When She is not feeding on corpses, Raven is a messenger to Christian saints. Raven teaches the duality of life. Good cannot exist without evil. With joy comes sadness. Raven helps people to embrace life in all of its complexity.
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Va. Carper
April 30, 2008