Silence falls over the forest as a handful of black birds wait in the branches, their next meal just moments away. As the other birds move away from the decay, these wait, the carcasses cooling for a moment before they and their brethren move forth, picking clean the cooling corpses of whatever creature met its end that day. While quite smart, these are birds of opportunity, waiting for some other predator to do the dirty work, for causing the death that fills their bellies and paints their beaks for the next few hours.
Ravens are one of the most common birds found in
Vóreios, but they can also be found in parts of
Nótios as well. Variations of this bird are scattered from the northernmost reaches to the south and the warmer temperatures. A large carrion bird, these creatures are often mistaken for their smaller siblings, the
Crows, but Ravens often have more pronounced beaks and are much quieter, if not silent, with their caws. Ravens are considered to be the silent hunters of the
corvids.
Those who have crossed paths with Ravens believe that they have crossed paths with a messenger of
Lok, a silent reminder that death eventually finds all. It is common for these birds to be confused with their scavenger siblings when in fact they prefer to stay away from most towns and villages. Their intellect sets them apart, even from the
Crows, as they can learn faces and schedules, complete puzzles, and store information to be used at a later date. They do not take trophies like
Crows, but their silent judgment is often unsettling.
Basic Information
Ravens and
Crows can easily be confused as their feathers have a similar iridescent color that can shine in hues of blues, purples, and greens. The only true difference between the two birds is their size.
Anatomy
Ravens are large birds often ranging from twenty-two to twenty-seven inches from beak to tail. These birds can weigh upwards of three pounds, but their wingspan of up to forty-eight inches is considered impressive for their size. In most places, Ravens are considered the largest carrion bird unless other large birds of prey such as
Eagles are present.
While considered to be black in color, Raven feathers range greatly in color, often having shades of blue, purple, and green mixed with black. Many describe their feathers as iridescent in color, shining with a plethora of colors. Only in the brightest sunlight are the true colors of their feathers revealed.
While Ravens are commonly silent, they do have a number of vocalizations that serve different purposes. Much like
Crows, they can also mimic the sounds of other creatures and their environment. Ravens differ from their siblings the
Crows due to their larger beaks and their more stable soaring style that does not involve flapping their wings as much as
Crows.
Genetics & Reproduction
A wide variety of Ravens live throughout Isekai including the Common Raven (
Corvus corax), the Northern Raven (
C. c. voreios), and the Southern Raven (
C. c. notios). Many more variations of Ravens exist throughout the world, but most commonly, all are referred to as Ravens or
Crows. In many instances, the names Raven and Crow are used interchangeably as the birds are relatively similar, and to most, it is hard to discern any differences while the creature may be in flight.
I love ravens. I was watching a pair of them for a while at a wildlife centre on Saturday, and you can really tell they think about things before doing it. Nice article showing how they exist in your world.