h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've read about researchers who have studied ravens. The birds are extremely intelligent and eat a variety of foods, including carrion. The carrion is a clue to humankind's association of the raven with death and evil, but the birds will also happily eat cereals, insects, berries, fruit, and small animals.

Ravens figure prominently in "The Chimes," a dystopian fantasy novel set after the collapse of civilization as we know it. The thing is, birds are the good guys. Ravens represent intelligence and culture, so the sinister Order has them killed off. The Chimes themselves are sinister: they make people forget their memories, so the order can tell them what to do.

Yes, ravens are impressive. Big, intelligent and powerful birds, companions of the gods in legend.

We have a lot or crows around here. If I saw a raven, would I think it was just a large crow?

Do you have the Carrion Crow (corvus corone corone)? My book says 'Distinguished from Raven by smaller size, smaller bill and square tail'.

Mind you, if you've got lots of crows together, doesn't that make them rooks?

Could be.

I've seen them infields, but not in my yard. Mostly I get bluejays, robins, or goldfinches. There was a dead catbird on my front walk yesterday, though. A friend theorized that Milo, a local orange tiger cat, may have killed it given it to me as a "gift." Later in the day, I was at Milo's home, and petting him. I choose not to believe the rumors. Milo could not be any sweeter.