In response to Hugo Phoillips RFI on nocturnal Raven behaviour I have noticed
the following.
Living in the inner Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) suburb of Richmond I
regularly
see Ravens utilising a large gum in the back yard of a neighbouring property.
The group of up to 25 birds arrives within about half an hour of dusk, usually
quite
silently. The birds quickly find a 'preferred' roosting spot which is often in
clumps
of eucalypt leaves high in the tree.
After nightfall the black birds are almost impossible to see in the tree but
the
Flying Foxes (large fruit bats from the Royal Botanic Gardens 2km away) can be
observed (and heard) flying overhead on their way to the greener suburbs along
the Yarra River. Next to this 'Raven roost tree' is a woodlot for firewood
which
sometimes has its floodlights on at night. Even though numerous moths and
other insects are attracted to the lights, the Ravens have never been observed
leaving their tree to catch them. Not definitive evidence for Ravens being
solely
diurnal, but an observation on a group of these birds.
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Martin O'Brien
Wildlife Policy Officer
Flora and Fauna Branch
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
4/250 Victoria Pde.,
GPO Box 41
East Melbourne, 3002
Victoria, AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 3 9412 4273
Fax: +61 3 9412 4586
e-mail
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