How to Get Rid of Ravens??

R

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My Mom in northern AZ has a 'common raven' problem. Those big, scary birds know that she feeds the local quail and sparrows -- early every morning -- with bread, and they (or at least one "spotter") wait in local tree, and then pounce when they see the goodies on her lawn (yup, she has a small patch of grass), scaring the other birds away.

She won't use a firearm/airgun. Is there anything she might do, or use, to to scare them away without also scaring off/harming the quail and sparrows?

Thanks in advance for your comments. And, again, firearms are out of the question.
 
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how to get rid of ravens?
send em back to cleveland and rename them the browns :p

ok, sorry, i can't answer your question.
 
She won't use a firearm/airgun.
Click to expand...

How about a garrote?
Cheap, quiet, efficient.
Tell her to shoot some video! :)

Grenades work too, but WILL scare the other birds...
 
Ravens can't legally be killed in AZ, there is no open season. Even the common crow is protected by a January thru August closed season.

This situation can be blamed on Mexicans, who refused to ratify an international migratory waterfowl treaty unless ravens, and I think, other corvidae, (which includes ravens, crows, magpies, jays, etc.), were protected. Evidently ravens have some superstitious/"religious" significance in some elements of Mexican culture.
 
ace22 said:
how to get rid of ravens?
send em back to cleveland and rename them the browns :p

ok, sorry, i can't answer your question.
Click to expand...

Yeah, or they could leave Baltimore in the middle of the night and move to Indianapolis.
 
jkc said:
Ravens can't legally be killed in AZ, there is no open season. Even the common crow is protected by a January thru August closed season.

This situation can be blamed on Mexicans, who refused to ratify an international migratory waterfowl treaty unless ravens, and I think, other corvidae, (which includes ravens, crows, magpies, jays, etc.), were protected. Evidently ravens have some superstitious/"religious" significance in some elements of Mexican culture.
Click to expand...

Can anybody explain the difference between a crow and a raven? I mean, in terms of being able to differentiate in the field. I know, I should just Google it, but then some future employer is going to ask some question about search engines I'll have to answer.:rolleyes:
 
...and Native American culture too, if I'm not mistaken. They're all over the place up here. I was out working on my trailer one sunny day and when I would turn my back they would come after my socket set...guess they liked the shiny metal in the sunlight. They usually disperse somewhat when a Bald Eagle visits the neighborhood.
 
[email protected] said:
She won't use a firearm/airgun. Is there anything she might do, or use, to to scare them away without also scaring off/harming the quail and sparrows?
Click to expand...

She can get a cat.
Sometimes a decoy owl will keep them away.
How about an Airsoft gun, it won't kill them but should sting them and teach them they are not welcome.
 
Ravens are bigger than crows..which only helps if they're together.

We saw some pretty predaceous ravens at Lassen National Park; practically take the food out of your mouth...
 
yaktamer said:
Can anybody explain the difference between a crow and a raven? I mean, in terms of being able to differentiate in the field. I know, I should just Google it, but then some future employer is going to ask some question about search engines I'll have to answer.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

They are very similar in overall appearance, i.e., all black, similar shapes, and so forth, but ravens are about half again the size of crows, 24" vs. 18" +/-. What birders call "GISS", or General Impression Size Shape, behavior, and vocalizations are clues, if you don't (and probably won't) have specimens to compare, side by side. Crows are often very gregarious, foraging, roosting, etc., in large flocks, whereas ravens often are seen in pairs (commonly engaged in seemingly playful aerial acrobatics --- the avian equivalent of the Blue Angels). Their vocalizations are also distinctive --- the crow's "caw", vs. the raven's more guttural grunting calls. The distinction is difficult, and when I once asked an AZ Game & Fish LEO about this very matter, he told me, "As far as I'm concerned, any large, black, dead, bird, is a crow." This is the same officer who told me, with a wink, that he had, never, in his long career, found time to investigate the alleged shooting of a feral burro, an animal that is unfortunately offered Federal protection, prompted by "Wild Horse Annie" and her misguided, ill-informed followers, and is the equivalent of the environmentally ruinous feral hogs that plague other parts of the country.
 
Two suggestions:

1, try a crow call. They are cheap and very easy to use. The ravens probably don't like crows.

2, get a dead raven (have her get one from a neighbor if she can't "find" one. Leave it conspicuously near the feeding area. If ravens react to dead brethren like crows do, they will vacate the area.
 
Our local city here has been having an ongoing war with crows and ravens for years, and I can tell you that so far the best way to deal with these things is a rifle or shotgun. Be careful though because here in NY ravens are protected, so you might want to check the local laws. However you can always say that you thought they were big crows. A .22 Hornet should do (works well on crows).
 
Raven and Crow Eliminator

Benjamin(Crosman)'s Marauder .22 airrifle is totally silent and effective to 100+yds on varmint ofall sorts. It is so quiet that the loudest sound you hear is the pellet hitting the target. Shot from a 'hide' in your home/garage, no one will ever know that the raven/crow didn't die of a heart attack/old age/drive-by shooting/hit-and-run driver/sonic boom/whatever. Try it--it works GREAT!
 
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