Does anyone know if there are Ravens in Missouri?

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Hi folks, I was wondering if anyone knows if there are Ravens in the Missouri Ozarks? We are thinking of a possible move there next year and just wondering about Ravens because we would miss them so much. We live in Northern Minnesota. I guess there would be a lot we would miss but a lot we would look forward to also. Can't have it all, right?

Thanks, Deb

-- Deb Borgia (borgia@northernnet.com), November 23, 2001

Answers

If you are talking about the big black birds, I would imagine they are there as we live in So. IA and we have them. Around here they tend to be a nuisance, eating up freshly planted fields and gardens.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), November 23, 2001.

I'm pretty sure ravens are everywhere, at least in the lower 48. Trivia Time: a group of ravens is called a "kindness"...and a group of crows is called a "murder". Odd, huh??

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), November 23, 2001.

Yeah they gottem there. also have them down in the everglades too.

-- Ed (smikula@bellsouth.net), November 23, 2001.

I cracked open a bird book that I have. There are northern ravens in northern MN but their range barely extends south to central MN. If crows will do, then you won't be disappointed when you move to the Ozarks.

-- (dshogren@uswest.net), November 23, 2001.

Most likely there will be Crows. Most can not tell the difference. Generally Crows live on the great plains and East. Ravens in the western mountains (also in the North where it is cold). Note the word generally. Ravens have a slightly different head structure and, of course, habits.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), November 23, 2001.


Thanks to all you guys who responded to this question. We finally realized that we had a bird book somewhere {duh} and looked it up in there. It seems their range does not include the Missouri region. Darn it! We just love those birds and watching them do their airial acrobatics is fascinating. Plus the wide range of a vocabulary they have is amazing. Crows are neat too, it always seems like Saturday night party time to them, but Ravens hold a special place in our hearts. When it is -30 below zero up here and you go out into that wild land with it's deep silence and then a Raven comes floating in out of who knows where and seems so happy and carefree and does a barrel roll in mid air, it just makes you smile and feel warm inside. We do truly love those birds. Thanks again everyone! Have a great day. Deb

-- Deb (borgia@northernnet.com), November 23, 2001.

You got the answer to your question but for those who think a crow is very simular to a raven I think you need to get glasses. Ravens are BIG BIRDS, way larger than crows. The common crow is about 20" long (smaller here in the Northwest) and the common raven is almost 3 ft. from head to tail. If you see one in MO. it is probably an escaped pet. Yes, they are fun and wondrous birds and I can see where you would miss them. I love to enter the territory of a nesting pair in the spring and watch them watch me! LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), November 23, 2001.

My bird book says that one of the differences between Ravens and crows is their tail feathers; when in flight, the tail feathers of the Raven appear rounded at the tip whereas the crows' appear flat. We have a pair or HUGE Ravens here (North Idaho) that are nesting high in a tree a stone's throw away from our house. They are fascinating and beautiful (that is, if they are not scaring the crap out of my chickens!) I agree with Quacker -- these birds are definately MUCH larger than crows!

-- Lisa (mountainlady@imbris.com), November 23, 2001.

My buzzards can whip your ravens.

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), November 25, 2001.

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