Ravens in Southwestern Ontario (1 Viewer)

[mrmanning]

Today I saw a pair of Ravens in a forest edge near my house. I live in London, Ontario.

Thing is, all maps of range that I can find, show me clearly out of the Ravens normal area, by about 300-400 kilometers to the north, and also west. I am absolutely 100% sure that these were ravens and not crows. Good thing was that it is a life bird for me, so I was excited, but I wasn't sure if I should "report" the sighting to a higher authority. I know they are abundant all over the world, but I've never heard of any Ravens being even close to my area.



Thoughts?

Anyone with extensive Raven knowledge out there?

 

[Gillian_M]

Hi Len,

I don't know much about the range of ravens in Ontario other than what the field guides say, but perhaps you can send an email to your local field naturalists' club and ask about records of them in the area. In Ottawa I see/hear them fairly often, so you should definitely see them when you get here!

 

[Mysticete]

We got Ravens (rarely) around the area I lived in Northern Michigan. Doesn't seem so implausible to me that they might not be present in your area to, especially in winter.

 

[Jim M.]

Today I saw a pair of Ravens in a forest edge near my house. I live in London, Ontario.

Thing is, all maps of range that I can find, show me clearly out of the Ravens normal area, by about 300-400 kilometers to the north, and also west.

Just looked at range maps in the big Sibley, the new Peterson, and here: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Raven.html

Unless I'm missing something, these all seem to inclued SW Ontario in the Raven's range.

Best,
Jim

 

[Gillian_M]

In the interest of science I checked Whatbird.com (http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/104/_/Common_Raven.aspx) to see if I could find a decent range map, then enlarged it. Southwestern Ontario is not included in the raven's range as shown in the attached picture - I've circled the area.

This range map barely shows Ottawa as being in the range (they are known to breed here) and when I went to Amherst Island a few weeks ago we heard one calling, so I don't think this is the most current of maps.

 

[fugl]

Here's what BNA-online has to say:
"Although resident throughout breeding range, often wanders to areas just outside of breeding range during winter. Casually wanders south through Great Plains, to southern shores of Great Lakes, and to lower elevations in Atlantic coastal states (Am. Ornithol. Union 1998)".

 

[Jim M.]

In the interest of science I checked Whatbird.com (http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/104/_/Common_Raven.aspx) to see if I could find a decent range map, then enlarged it. Southwestern Ontario is not included in the raven's range as shown in the attached picture - I've circled the area.

This range map barely shows Ottawa as being in the range (they are known to breed here) and when I went to Amherst Island a few weeks ago we heard one calling, so I don't think this is the most current of maps.

Hi Gillian,

You circled what I would consider to be southEASTERN Ontario, which I think is probably what the original poster meant--since he lives in London. So now that we have that straightened out, I agree the range maps exclude some of southEASTERN Ontario. But as my Peterson guide notes, ravens are known to be expanding their range to the South and East.

EBird has a fair number of sightings in SE Ontario, but it still might be worth reporting. The original poster may want to consider joining this listserv and posting his sighting there: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/ONTB.html

Best,
Jim

 

[snowyowl]

London, Ontario is definitely south-western Ontario.
The Ravens of Algonquin Park are famous but that's about the furthest west in that I've seen them in southern Ontario and that's borderline northern Ontario.
Check with Point Pelee and see what they have to say. I did check the list from Wheatley Prov. Park which is south-west from you and Ravens are lot listed for there.

 

[Peter C.]

London, Ontario is definitely south-western Ontario.

Absolutely.

Jim: all I can say is, Ontario is a funny-shaped place, which leads to somewhat counter-intuitive names being used when dividing it up regionally. Therefore, although the area west of Toronto, between Lakes Eire and Huron, and Georgian Bay, is in fact east of the bulk of the province (north of Lake Superior and beyond to the Manitoba border), it is still called "South-western Ontario". It's largely a regional bias thing.

The Ravens of Algonquin Park are famous but that's about the furthest west in that I've seen them in southern Ontario and that's borderline northern Ontario.

That's been their traditional range, but I know there has been a recent expansion of the species both south and west.

By coincidence, just this weekend I bought a copy of the recently completed "Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas". It shows a map of the range for all breeding species in the province, based on surveys from 1999-2005. I was surprised to see far down Common Ravens have come. Not as far as London (to return to the original question, at last) but within striking distance. So the idea of a couple of wanderers making it to London is not out of the question, by any means.

I attach an image of the range map of Common Raven from the OBBA. (If you like, you can go the their website, http://www.birdsontario.org/atlas/maps.jsp?lang=en, and pick out any species you want, and get the range map; just select the Data and Maps link, and choose "Bird Maps" from the drop-down.)

Hasta luego,

PeteR C.

 

[mrmanning]

Thanks for all the replies to this.


I have contacted my local record keeper, and there has never been a Raven recorded for Middlesex County (which is the county where I live). So mine will be the first, but now I have to go out and hoep there are still on this forest edge and get a picture. And here I was thinking it wasn't a big deal. Wish me luck!

 

[Peter C.]

Thanks for all the replies to this.
I have contacted my local record keeper, and there has never been a Raven recorded for Middlesex County (which is the county where I live). So mine will be the first, but now I have to go out and hope there are still on this forest edge and get a picture. And here I was thinking it wasn't a big deal. Wish me luck!

Well then - Good luck! :t:

But even more useful than a picture, would be to hear it - photos can be ambiguous, and crows can look like ravens (depending on distance, angle of the shot etc.) but nothing (in Canada, anyway) sounds like a raven!

PeteR C.

 

[maersk]

ive seen ravens as far south as kalamazoo michigan and the allegan state game area near lake michigan in allegan county michigan. they seem to be expanding their range southward in recent decades.

 

[SimcoeDelhiDonna]

Not only have I seen big "crows" that leave me wondering if they're ravens, but I've also have heard that familiar crackley croaking sound. Could there be ravens in Norfolk County, Ontario?!? It's SE of Middlesex County, just on the other side of Oxford County! I too have been checking maps, some say 'yes', some say 'no'. I've lived in Thompson, MB, so I do know ravens to see and hear them, as they seem to be more abundant than crows, there!

BTW, I've searched and found a few "how to tell crows from ravens" sites and some also say to check the throat feathers and flight patterns. Ravens will soar like a hawk or eagle and tumble in the air, though I'd never seen them do that, not even where they lived abundantly. Crows fly, as the crow flies - fairly straight flight patterns.

Also, dead corvids can be really hard to find! I see a rare one dead on the road, but it usually gets picked up fairly quickly; I'll assume by coyotes or some other hungry scavengers.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Not only have I seen big "crows" that leave me wondering if they're ravens, but I've also have heard that familiar crackley croaking sound. Could there be ravens in Norfolk County, Ontario?!? It's SE of Middlesex County, just on the other side of Oxford County! I too have been checking maps, some say 'yes', some say 'no'. I've lived in Thompson, MB, so I do know ravens to see and hear them, as they seem to be more abundant than crows, there!

BTW, I've searched and found a few "how to tell crows from ravens" sites and some also say to check the throat feathers and flight patterns. Ravens will soar like a hawk or eagle and tumble in the air, though I'd never seen them do that, not even where they lived abundantly. Crows fly, as the crow flies - fairly straight flight patterns.

Also, dead corvids can be really hard to find! I see a rare one dead on the road, but it usually gets picked up fairly quickly; I'll assume by coyotes or some other hungry scavengers.

Ravens are very large birds, larger than a Northern Goshawk. The easiest ways to id are the very heavy bill with feathering covering about half of the top mandible, a large throat can often be seen and the diamond shaped tail when soaring is usually prominent. The song/call range is quite extensive and often the "gronking" call can be heard as one flies over its territory. The smallest Raven is larger than the largest Crow.