Keeping Ravens Legal???

[nurse_turtle]

OK. Mynah birds are not directly related to ravens but belong to the starling family of soft bills. They live to about 10 years and sell for just over $1000 from a breeder. To be truly happy and healthy, you need 2 of 'em.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
I have rehabbed a few injured or baby animals/birds. I release the ones that can be released and give the rest the best home possible. Sometimes that means giving them to another rehabber that has another one of that particular animal. Most, according to law, must be given to a licensed rehab facility.

 

[aprophet]

crows are fairly easy to tame I have not tamed ravens but I would imagine them to be the same I did not "keep" them but we were friends

 

[War Chicken]

You can get non-native species of ravens as pets as they're not prohibited by federal laws. However, state laws vary on which exotic animals you can keep.

 

[SilkieBantams]

Quote:
That was what I've ment which are the non-native raven species. I wonder if there are non-native raven species that have an all black plumage but are not native to the US?

 

[kywest]

I used to train birds at a Zoo. It is illegal to keep a Common Raven (native to the US) without the proper state and federal permits. There are other non-native species like the white naped raven (remember the glass cleaner commercial?) that are legal to keep in some states without any special permit, but each state has different regulations, so check carefully before acquiring one. NO, the local zoo doesn't want it if you can no longer keep it!
We briefly had a hand-raised common raven that we used for programs. It was quite a bird - nothing like anything else I had ever trained before. Smarter than any parrot, crow, or certainly any raptor! We were never able to develop a completely trusting relationship, and I didn't end up using it for shows. One would need hours each day to devote to a raven if you wanted it to have a properly enriched life in captivity. Or you could keep two so they could keep each other company, which is what we did with our bird - back on exhibit with another raven.
You might think that our US regulations are too strict, but they do a very good job of protecting the birds they were written to protect. We have the pleasure of having owls, hawks, ravens, crows, eagles, falcons because people are no longer allowed to engage in the wonton destruction of these species.
If you just want to get close to a wild bird, you could always train the chickadees to come to your hand for sunflower seeds - many nature centers have done this and it is not illegal as far as i know! Or secure a baby starling and raise it. They make entertaining captives, and they are non-native, so legal to keep. Heck, keep a thousand of them if you like!

 

[SilkieBantams]

Quote:
I've been always fascinated with the common raven since I've read a history about them during the 16th century which they live around villages and around old castles in the 16th century. In London there are some raven keepers that keep the common raven corvus corax in the vicinity of a historic castle.

 

[Pele]

I'm sure the lady who owned the chimp that mauled her friend last year thought owning a wild animal was 'cool' too. Without thousands of years of domestication, animals do not make good companions to humans.

If you really want to help the species, instead of just entertaining yourself for a while, then take the time to train yourself and become licensed to rehabilitate and keep injured ravens. That is if you have the space to do so, and an aviary (no small cages unless you want a mentally broken bird with self-destructive behavior problems).

Co-habitating with ravens is not for everyone, they are fiercely independant, willful, and intelligent. They can and will make your life difficult if they want you to do something for them (like hide important things so you understand they are mad at you for not giving them treats). They don't do tricks or enjoy snuggles. What they DO like to do is be loud loud loud!

 

[Oregon Blues]

You can't keep a raven, but you could lure it to hang out in your yard by using treats. They are smart enough to differentiate between people so the bird could learn that you are a "safe" person and continue to stay close by.

The bird wouldn't be a pet and you couldn't touch it, but it might make your home and bird feeder it's home base. That way, you could observe it.

I'm not particularly in favor of feeding wild birds. It turns them into welfare recipients. So if you start feeding, be aware that you are taking on a very long term commitment. Especially if the bird is supposed to migrate and doesn't because you are feeding it.

If you want a really smart bird to sit on your shoulder, I suggest that you purchase a domestically hatched African Grey Parrot. You'll be a lot happier in the long run.

 

[SilkieBantams]

Quote:
I think you're wrong. People can keep a raven as a pet.