Common Ravens on the lake shore. The Taiga forest in northeast Finland is a magical place. Its beautiful silence is often broken by the distinctive call of the Ravens. We often saw them in large flocks and they tended to appear when the large predators were around: obviously hoping to scavenge on potential kills. Here they were gathering in large numbers on the shore of a small lake looking for food. It was lovely to see them arrive on the shore and their numbers build until finally they all took off.
The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is one of the largest corvids and possibly the heaviest of all the passerines. It can weigh up to 1.2 kg and reach more than 60cm in length. This bird is very wide spread and its success is likely down to its omnivorous diet: they are adept at finding food opportunistically. The Raven has few natural predators and are renown for their strong defensive capabilities.
Where ever the Raven is found humans have incorporated it to folklore and mythology and this is true in Finland. In ancient times they were linked to witchcraft and shamans often had them as pets.