Odd Raven behaviour in the Lake District

Pete Collins · #1 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 05:04 PM

I hope I'm not breaking WAB rules and won't get told off by the Mods! I've copied this post from the British Birds forum, where I didn't get too much response. Possibly people interested in walking in the Lake District might be better able to respond.

Back in May, I had a week's holiday walking in the Lake District. One day, my friend and I were sat eating our lunch on Sergeant Man (no, not a soldier, a mountain near Great Langdale!) when this Raven spotted us from some way away and flew directly to us. It landed 20-30 feet away and gradually walked closer, ending up about 10 foot away. It obviously associated us with food and was after any crumbs or scraps we might leave behind.

We remembered that a year or so previously on another holiday in the Lake District, another Raven had come incredibly close to us when we were having lunch on Cofa Pike, but we hadn't twigged that it was interested in our food.

I've been going to the Lake District for many years, but haven't had this happen before. Is it relatively new that Ravens associate walkers sitting down with food? Or has it been going on a long time and I've just not noticed? Does it happen elsewhere?

This was the original thread on the British Birds forum:
Raven behaviour in Lake District

KIDSTYPIKE · #2 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 05:51 PM

Pete,
I'm far from being an expert on bird or animal behaviour but I'm sure that they will associate walkers sitting down on the fells with a food supply. I remember a number of years ago we were sat in the summit shelter on Helvellyn one spring day. We had the shelter to ourselves, a rare occurrence, and were enjoying our sandwiches when a ewe came into the shelter looking for food. At the time we had our dog with us at time and it wasn't too happy with this intrusion but the ewe wouldn't back off. It was only when I got up and chased it off that I saw it had left its lamb to come to the shelter.

Dave

Pete Collins · #3 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 06:04 PM

Hi Dave,

Thought you'd reply!

Yes, Sheep on certain fells certainly are well aware that hikers can mean an easy meal. As you mention, Helvelyn is one such mountain, Haystacks is another. I was eating some crisps on the top of Haystacks once (this must have been about 15 years ago) and a sheep came and put its front feet right between my legs (almost treading on my tenderest parts!) and stared me in the face in a most aggressive manner (well, as agressive as a sheep can). I was only saved from having to make the critical choice of sacrificing some of my Salt'n'Vinegar crisps or risk losing any chance of fatherhood in the future, when another walker nearby foolishly left his lunch to take a photograph. He was not best pleased when he came back to find the sheep had nicked his sarnies, but his partner thought it was hilarious!

So sheep have recognised walkers sitting down as a food opportunity for years. But I've never before seen Ravens do this, nor have I heard anyone else describe this behaviour. I mentioned on the original thread that Alpine Choughs (another member of the Crow family) certainly take food from humans in some parts of the Alps.

Anybody else got any thoughts?

Pete

Jez · #4 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 08:35 PM

Same as really! Ravens being carrion will be where the food is faunted over the time they'll adopt the manner to take when they can! Same for crows, jackdaws etc. There just more bullish than others due to there size.

Washy75 · #5 (**permalink**) 15-12-2007, 05:49 PM

A ewe came over to me on Pillar in September this year but turned its nose up at everything we offered it! It stuck around though and I thought it was odd until now (until reading similar stories). In my experience Ravens don't usually behave like gulls but I have seen some exceptions in the Langdale area (when I was on a four-day hike and certainly wasn't willing to share my precious food!).

Pete Collins · #6 (**permalink**) 15-12-2007, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Washy75

A ewe came over to me on Pillar in September this year but turned its nose up at everything we offered it! It stuck around though and I thought it was odd until now (until reading similar stories). In my experience Ravens don't usually behave like gulls but I have seen some exceptions in the Langdale area (when I was on a four-day hike and certainly wasn't willing to share my precious food!).

Thanks for that, Washy75 - you're the first person to say they've seen similar behaviour in Ravens.

Welcome to WAB, by the way!

Putnamsmif · #7 (**permalink**) 15-12-2007, 07:30 PM

This isn't strictly speaking British wildlife (well not at all really), but I was in New Zealand where they have a type of parrot that lives in the mountains called a Kea. I had walked up to see a glacier, and there where a few people stopped for lunch. The Keas would have no qualms about going through your bag and stealing any item of food. One chap lost his entire lunch when he turned his back for a second and a Kea picked up his carrier bag containing sandwiches, a packet of crisps and a piece of fruit and disappeared into the trees with the whole lot.