My thanks to Ralph Reid, Martin Butterfield and Mike Carter for their
prompt replies and their interest in the aberrant Raven I reported.
Today it was on the other side of the road on the nature strip and as I
was not driving, I could give it my full attention.
It appears to be a rather young bird, and was following an adult
Little Raven, presumably its parent. And the paler neck was caused by
the loss of the outer feathers from the back of its neck, exposing the
pale greyish downy inner feathers. Perhaps it had been pecked by a
Magpie or a Red Wattlebird?
And House Crow was definitely a thought which entered my mind, but I
dropped it as a hypothesis because from all I have read, and photos I
have seen, the House Crow has a distinctly brownish tone, and this bird
was the proper shiny black a raven should be. Actually it reminded me
slightly of an oversized Jackdaw.
I agree completely that an eye should be kept open for ship-borne
House Crows - a very dangerous predatory potential introduction.
Thanks again,
Anthea Fleming
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