How long do crows live? 300 years. How long do crows live in the wild and in captivity?

A lot of associations arise when mentioning this bird. More often than not, they are from the darker end of the emotional spectrum. In general, since ancient times, many mysterious and mystical properties have been attributed to the raven. It was an incomprehensible bird for many - a raven, how many years it lives was unknown. It was believed that for a very long time, longer ordinary person. But apparently it’s worth separating the real raven and its mystical reflections. They do not always coincide in everything.

Raven: how many years does it live and where does it fly?

Among other things, for some it will be unexpected news that a raven and a crow are, although related, but different birds. The crow is absolutely not the legal wife of the crow. These birds differ both in appearance and in their behavior. The raven is noticeably larger and has blacker plumage; it usually takes off with a running start, after two or three jumps. The raven is a bright individualist, always flies and hunts alone. It has a wedge-shaped tail. A crow, on the contrary, is significantly smaller in size, has gray plumage, takes off from a place and prefers to live in a flock. The sounds made by these birds also differ. The crow croaks, and the raven makes a characteristic squawk. The crow is also no worse than a parrot, capable of imitating human speech, dog barking and the sound of various machines and mechanisms.

There are also significant differences in the life expectancy of a raven and a raven. Raven, how many years does this bird live? There is no consensus on this matter, but still, according to generally accepted data in ornithology, it is believed that in natural conditions his age does not exceed 30 years. Another matter ideal conditions, created for this bird in captivity. A comfortable cage can prolong its existence almost twice. They lived in the Tower of London for half a century or more. The oldest allegedly lived to be 210 years old, but it is not possible to verify the accuracy of this data.

How many years does a raven live outside of ornithology?

In addition to nature, the raven also lives in many ancient legends and works of painting, poetry, prose and cinematography. This is a very smart bird. Cunning, cautious, sometimes insidious. Since ancient times, people have treated it with considerable respect. Many magical properties and mystical dimensions are attributed to her. This is a powerful and impressive image and totem sign of many peoples and tribes - the Raven. How many years does this image live? Yes, exactly the same as humanity itself. For many peoples, it is generally a symbol of immortality. But everyone agrees about his exceptional wisdom and longevity. And this is not without reason.

How many years does a crow live?

But with this gray bird everything is much simpler. There is no mysticism around her. Flocks of crows usually live close to human habitation and often feed on human waste. Large landfills around cities and flocks of crows above them are a completely ordinary and familiar sight. These birds spend their lives struggling for existence, and their age usually does not exceed ten years. Only a few outstanding individuals live to be fifteen. But somehow it has not yet occurred to anyone to find out how long an ordinary gray crow will live in comfortable conditions of captivity.

Birds such as crows and crows are permanent residents of our cities and parks. They are also the heroes of songs, sayings, proverbs and fairy tales, and are present in heraldry. Despite the similarity of their names in Russian, raven and crow still differ from each other, since they are different biological species. The crow is smaller than the crow bird, and it lives less. It is not known exactly how long crows live. In the wild jungles of big cities, these birds usually live up to 10 years, but together with humans they can live almost twice as long. The crow is easily tamed, it is non-conflicting and can learn to make various sounds.

As for such a bird as the raven, it must be said that it is not only larger than its black and gray “namesake” (the weight of a crow is 700 g, the weight of a raven is one or even one and a half kilograms), but it also lives longer. Of course, it is difficult to track how long crows live in the wild. But we can assume that there is a lot, because during the earthly life of any creature experience accumulates and, as a result, intelligence manifests itself. And it is reliably known about crows that they are extremely smart birds. For example, they soak stale pieces of bread in puddles. - you say, - this is the same innate type of behavior as weaving a web in a spider. Well, what about this type of behavior observed in crows: the birds specifically place the nuts they find on the roadway so that passing cars will crush the hard shells. And only city crows do this, while rural crows continue to crack nuts with their beaks. It is clear that in order to spy on the properties car tires crushing solid objects, drawing the appropriate logical conclusion and implementing it in practice requires a rather large crow.

It is believed that in the wild a raven can live up to 30 years, but on average these birds live about 20. These are predators living in a flock. That is, an aging and weakened individual has the opportunity, with the rich spoils of his young and healthy brothers, to feed on crumbs from their table. And, conversely, if the flock’s food supply is poor, weakened individuals may lose their own prey and die of starvation. Therefore, it is somewhat difficult to give an average answer to the question of how long crows live. They are very social birds: crows, especially young ones, are known to love to play with each other using various items. However, knowing very well the habits of their relatives to take what is not theirs, crows carefully hide their supplies: they wait for the moment when no one is looking at them, bury the supplies in the ground, and cover the loosened area with fallen leaves.

People, observing the intelligence of ravens, endowed them with magical properties and were considered magic birds. Perhaps the ability of ravens to imitate various sounds and even human speech played a role in this? They can very similarly imitate the meowing of a cat, the barking of a dog, and now the rumble of a motorcycle. But, despite the dark glory of birds as companions of witches and sorcerers, and despite the fact that they do not disdain carrion, people respect ravens very much. In heraldry, the raven represents wisdom, foresight and longevity. People often tame them and keep them at home. That’s why we know how long crows live in so-called captivity: 40-50 years. And this is not the limit, since veterinary medicine has not studied the raven’s body so thoroughly, so a life expectancy of half a century is taking into account the lack of treatment or with minimal use of it.

Since these blue-black birds were often passed from father to son and even grandson as pets, various myths about how long crows live. Legends give them longevity: 150, 200 years. There is an undocumented case of a raven living to see its 210th birthday. But in fact, the oldest long-lived raven reached his 100th birthday.

Raven is a mysterious and odious bird. Black from its claws to the tip of its beak, the raven left a bright mark on ancient culture many nationalities. From time immemorial, people have observed the famous scavenger on the battlefields, thanks to which the bird has been identified with military valor, bloodshed and death.

Raven: front view.

A black raven walks through the grass.

The ancient Greeks and Romans considered the raven a symbol of good luck, in 9th century Tibet the raven acts as a mediator between God and man, and among the ancient Germanic tribes it was customary not to bury fallen warriors so that their flesh would go to the raven and the wolf - the messengers of the gods. For the Spaniards, the cry of a raven three times meant the imminent approach of death. In Christianity, the raven is considered an “unclean” bird, a fiend of hell and is opposed to the holy spirit embodied in the dove.

Raven: description

The raven is one of the largest passerines, the size of an adult individual is from 60 to 70 cm, and the weight reaches 800 - 1600 g. The bird belongs to the family of corvids and the genus of ravens, which forms several species. The typical species is the common raven, widely distributed in almost all regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

The male raven is slightly larger than the female; no other differences between the sexes are observed. The raven in the photo is easily recognizable by its monochromatic black plumage, reminiscent of the color of a rook or black crow. Young specimens have matte black plumage, devoid of metallic shine; the feathers of adult birds are blue or purple on top and green below.

In flight, the raven is distinguished by its particularly long and narrow wings, the span of which can reach one and a half meters, and by its wedge-shaped tail. A soaring raven flaps its wings much less frequently compared to its closest relatives.

The distinctive features of a raven are a characteristic “beard” formed by elongated feathers on the throat and a high-set, powerful and sharp beak with a slightly curved upper part.

Raven in the sky against the background of the Sun.

Young raven on a branch.

In this photo you can see the raven's beard.

Raven: portrait of a bird.

Raven: photo of a bird on a branch.

A pair of ravens.

Where does the raven live?

The common raven is found in Europe, Asia and North America, and in most of the area all year round conducts within the feeding area. In cold winters, when there is a lack of food, some birds gather in small flocks and roam until spring.

The raven can settle in a wide variety of landscapes, from forests and deserts to high mountains and rocky sea coasts. Crows avoid populated areas not because they avoid humans, but because high competition with other corvids: hooded crows, rooks, magpies.

A raven in flight with something edible.

Raven of Tottenham.

Raven: photo in flight.

Raven: beautiful photo of a bird.

Raven in flight.

Photo of a raven in flight.

Diet features

The raven is extremely indiscriminate in its choice of food. These birds are omnivores and eat everything they can find or catch. The remains of large mammals occupy the main part of the raven's diet and help them survive in harsh climates. The raven will not refuse a dead frog, rodent or fish, and in the absence of carrion, it hunts a wide variety of animals: from small ungulates to snakes, lizards, birds and insects.

A modest plant diet includes berries, grains and a variety of other plants, including cacti.

In the process of obtaining food, the raven displays intellectual abilities that are rare for corvids. Birds often accompany driving herds and wolf packs, feeding on garbage and the remains of predators' meals.

Without bothering to hunt, a raven can watch for a long time as an arctic fox destroys a bird's nest and hides some of the eggs in reserve, and after a while flies in for a ready meal.

The raven's beak is not sufficiently adapted to tearing thick skin, so the birds wait patiently until large predators cut up the spoils.

Raven bird in flight.

Raven on a branch.

Beautiful photo crow in flight.

Raven eats rose hips.

Raven in the grass.

Black raven in the sky.

A black raven is flying: front view.

A pair of Ravens on a stone.

Raven in flight.

Reproduction

The raven is a monogamous bird, and the created pair occupies the same nesting site every year, ranging from 1 to 5 km.

IN middle lane The breeding season for ravens begins in February, when there is still snow. Mating games involve joint complex flights and mutual preening of feathers. Nests are built on trees, rock ledges, as well as on lighthouses, bell towers, and power line supports. The female lays 1 to 8 bluish-green spotted eggs and incubates the clutch for 20 to 25 days. Newborn chicks are covered with thick brown down, and for the first 2 weeks the mother warms the offspring, and then continues feeding along with the male. The chicks begin to fly at the age of 1 - 1.5 months, and the family breaks up only the next year.

In the wild, ravens live no more than 15 years, but in captivity their lifespan can extend to 40 or even 75 years.

The lifespan of ravens has been a long-standing subject of debate among many ornithologists. According to legends, this beautiful bird associated with dark forces and can live up to 300 years. This belief, of course, is a myth: crows don’t live that long. If only because they are regularly in danger, and it is not easy for these birds to obtain food. But there was supposedly such a case: once one of the representatives of the ravens lived to be 210 years old, but this fact has no confirmation other than rumors; Accordingly, this record is highly controversial. But the fact that the raven is not a stupid bird, is easily tamed and can be trained is an indisputable fact. It is not for nothing that ravens are recognized as a symbol of longevity and wisdom.

Here it should be emphasized that many people confuse two different birds. This is a raven and a crow. And some even believe that it is a male and a female. But in fact we are talking about absolutely different birds. The raven is larger and is a loner by nature, while the crow is smaller and lives in flocks. In addition, the raven is primarily a forest dweller, while the crow prefers cities. As for life expectancy, both of these representatives have approximately the same. But since the crow is bigger city bird, then due to ecology and nutritional problems it lives less than its more hardy “brother”.

It is problematic to unequivocally answer the question of how many years crows live. Since their life expectancy directly depends on many factors, the main one of which is the conditions in which these birds live. For the shortest time possible, no more than 10 years, they live in an urban environment, where it is very difficult to protect themselves from hungry cats and constantly scurrying traffic. Also, crows can live in the wild for quite a short time, about 15 years, because wild nature is about constant survival. These birds live much longer at home: with proper maintenance, they can easily live up to 30 years, even more.

However, ornithologists argue that these figures are not exact, but approximate, since there have been unique cases when crows in captivity lived up to 40–50 years. The official record, which is documented, is 59 years. Although, according to rumors, there were more impressive cases. Therefore, it is impossible to say with certainty how many years a raven lives. If you create for him comfortable conditions, far from danger (for example, a nature reserve), then in such a favorable and safe place for a quiet existence, a raven can live for quite a long time. According to experts, even up to 70 years. Or even longer.

Video on the topic

Crows. Winged pranksters:

Beak and brain. Brilliant birds:

This will be obvious even if you just look closely at the photo of the crows. This different types birds, even from the same family. Moreover, these birds even quarrel with each other. The raven belongs to the passerine order and is its most prominent representative.

Description, appearance of birds

In particular, the body length of ravens can reach 70 cm, and the massive bird sometimes weighs up to two kilograms. The dimensions of the female are somewhat smaller. It has a large, thick beak and a wedge-shaped tail, which the same crow cannot boast of. The coloring also attracts attention: the bird has black plumage with slight variations in shades near the neck, while the abdominal region has a glossy, metallic tint.

Young birds:

Young chicks have a matte coloration, with brown or gray tints.

The raven has a wingspan of one to one and a half meters. The bird has pointed throat feathers, and under the beak, with age, they form in the form of a “beard”. Like the plumage, the beak and legs of ravens are also blue-black. The claws on the feet are curved. Iris of a Raven's Eye coffee shades.

Similarities with other birds

Similarities can be found with rooks, but the raven is much more massive and differs in a number of characteristics. Is it possible that crows have a monochromatic body color, like rooks or carrion crows? The bird's voice has a low, guttural "kru" or a loud, short or drawn-out "kra", also known as a croak. It is believed that crows can imitate sounds, imitate the voices of other animals.

Spread of ravens

They spread almost everywhere in the so-called Holarctic region, which covers most globe. From the far north Russian Federation, Alaska and Greenland to the northern part of the Sahara Desert, Arabia, northwestern India. Where they definitely cannot be found is in South America. However, despite such a vast distribution area, the bird is losing its numbers every year.

Raven's habitat

From the previous paragraph it is clear that crows can choose almost any landscape as their habitat, from plains to mountains, from desert to tundra. However, they avoid dense coniferous forests. Birds prefer broadleaf forests or, if it is north, bushes near ponds and swamps. In the southern regions of its range it prefers mountains to steppe plains. They even live in the Himalayas, at great heights.

Lives in deserts!

The bird does not shy away from arid deserts, be it the Sahara in Africa or the Mojave in the USA.

Crows, as a rule, do not settle next to humans. Although Lately note that the black crow began to appear in the suburbs and abandoned villages. IN major cities seeing him is rather an exception to the rule. However, sometimes a photo of a raven gets caught in the lens. In cities, the bird can nest in uninhabited multi-storey buildings. Ravens may be attracted to available food in landfills, meat processing plants, or barnyards.

Bird nesting place

Ravens often nest in forests, near a water source. If it is found in open areas, it is more likely to be where it is rare to find a living person, for example, in cemetery groves. It is extremely rare near any busy roads, if there is an edge and food there.

Choosing a bird nesting site, given the sedentary lifestyle of the raven, is very important for him. Rarely a raven decides to fly long distances for the winter. That’s why the bird chooses remote places, hard to reach for humans, with dense trees. As a rule, a raven chooses a strong tree with a high fork in the trunk for a future nest, for which pine trees, oaks, and lindens are suitable.

Life in the mountains:

In mountainous regions, ravens build nests right in the rocks, under an overhanging canopy.

If the raven has chosen a cultural landscape as a nesting site, then the choice of place is limited to abandoned high-rise buildings, water towers or old churches.

Lifestyle, behavior characteristics of birds

Raven is extremely intelligent, with a well-organized nervous system. Older birds pass on experience to the young ones, and the memory of those birds allows them to remember everything and repeat the behavior habits in the future. That is, we can talk about the fact that, along with unconditioned ones, they also have conditioned reflexes. These birds can be distinguished from others like them even in flight.

The bird makes much less flapping of its long wings, which resembles its larger fellow predators. Also species feature The bird can be called the start of a raven before taking off, since it makes a certain run-up. And in general, the raven feels good on the ground.

Beautiful flight!

In the sky, a bird is capable of complex figures aerobatics

At night the raven sleeps in its nest and is always busy hunting during the day.

As a rule, these birds form small flocks closer to autumn, and before that they live in separate pairs. It is also interesting that the raven is different in that, like people, it fights for territory. The bird attacks each other in flocks in an organized manner, if necessary. A powerful, wedge-curved, large beak helps them in the fight. A flock of winning ravens settles in the conquered territory and obtains food within its boundaries.

Crows feeding

The raven is practically omnivorous and does not disdain carrion. The bird has also been spotted destroying the nests of other animals. Much depends on the time of year. The raven has excellent eyesight, so when there is no easily accessible food in the form of carrion, it looks out from the sky for small living creatures - from field mice to insects. If the raven suddenly interrupts its lunch and flies a short distance away from the food, as a rule, this means that the owner of the place, be it an animal or a person, has returned or arrived.

Meat lovers!

However, leftover meat or offal suits them quite well, and they are ready to wait patiently.

Raven and diet features

Domestic animals are rarely attacked. It is interesting to watch the ravens that settle along the banks of the river foraging for food. The raven catches a toothless shell on the shore, and then lifts it high into the sky, from where it throws it back. And so on several times until the shell breaks to get the slug out.

Crows have also been observed eating grain and various plant foods. Despite the rather low socialization, birds tend to share large prey with their brothers, about which a loud signal is given. This especially applies to young animals.

Reproduction

As is the case with flock behavior, those crows that have formed a pair will certainly take ownership of some territory and jealously guard it. The distance between the lands of all such marriages is several kilometers (the only exception is the anthropogenic zone).

Sometimes the attachment of ravens to a place allows them to maintain such a union until the very end of their lives, which is why they received the definition of monogamous. By the way, puberty begins after the second year of life. It's time for the crow to prepare the nest.

Reproduction:

According to statistics, the breeding process usually begins in February, when it is still winter.

Mating games are distinctive in that male crows begin to perform aerobatic maneuvers in the sky or, like a peacock, walk in front of the female with a “flowing” tail. If the female agrees, the pair begins to clean each other's feathers and prepare the nest.

Raven and offspring

During the construction of the nest, materials (these are twigs, branches, scraps of skins for laying, moss, lumps of clay, etc.) are brought by both “spouses”, but only the female is in charge of the nesting, and then hatches the eggs there. This continues for up to 3 weeks, until the structure inspires confidence in the bird: the diameter of the nest is on average about a meter, and the height is half a meter.

Often, a pair of ravens sets up several nests at once within their territory, just in case, and periodically changes their location. But, despite the number of nests, there is never more than one brood per year.

On average, a clutch of ravens contains up to 6 greenish eggs. During incubation, which is about three weeks, the male raven is engaged in obtaining food.

The first time after hatching, the female raven continues to warm the down-covered chicks in the nest. Then the raven and his mate simply feed them. A newborn chick eats everything its parents eat. A little over a month later, the chicks begin to fly, and within a year the bird will be living independently.