Corvids/birds in general

[Ilovecashews]

This might be a bit too niche, but I want to make a very unfortunate boy really happy this Christmas, so I would appreciate your help. We are based in London. He is my nephew. He is 12 and really didn't have an easy 2024.

He loves birds but in particular corvids. I do not actually know what I am looking for, but has anyone been to places that teach/show/let you get to know birds in general and corvids in particular? I am not thinking zoos or dodgy situations where the birds are mistreated, more like events where one can get close to the birds. Also, if you have tv episodes or books to suggest I'd appreciate that, but I would want to take him out of the home for as long as possible with one/more such events than give him a book and leave him on his own to read.

Thanks a lot!

What a lovely idea!
I don’t know of any specific corvid experiences, most seem to be falconry based (I was searching falconry for a friend’s grandson today). Falconry is a great way to meet and learn about birds, though. This one is out west - https://codafalconry.co.uk Mentions a raven.

This came up on a Google search https://www.lavenhamfalconry.co.uk/experience-days/raven-experience-new-for-2019/

Sweet! Take him to tower of london to see the ravens?

https://codafalconry.co.uk/meet-loki-the-raven/

Have you been to the spot in Kensington Gardens where the parakeets will let you feed them by hand? Monkey nuts are their favourite.

Has he been to see the ravens at the tower of London? I remember talking to one of the guards about the ravens for ages when I was a similar age, and he seemed like a world expert to me (but I might have just got lucky!)

Cute idea! My Ds is also a corvid fan, so I’m following for tips. Another option would be to give him young rspb member ship and take him and some binoculars, a picnic and hot chocolate to an rspb reserve - wetland are esp good over winter.

Just spotted you are in London: wetlands centre is a great place for birdwatching (although Loki or the Tower of London ravens are great ideas too) https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/London

an alternative similar option would be going somewhere to watch starling murmurations - Brighton pier is an easy ish option from London: www.brightonpier.co.uk/eat-and-drink/starlings-roost

Gosh I wasn't expecting all these messages! Brilliant suggestions, thank you very much! I might even manage the 4-hour round trip to go meet a corvid!
I am worried at taking him to the Tower of London in case we don't see them (or only in the distance) and that's that, the present and the day, very envy of the pp who passed a long time talking to one of the guards and finding out lots about them. Murmurations would be amazing. I think I will be very busy checking out all the options, but please keep them coming if possible!

Does he have access to a garden? Magpies can become quite tame if you bribe them with cheese.

Oh, very interesting, I will ask him if he ever sees them around and suggest that. I once had a squirrel visiting us for months because we were giving him?/her? nuts, I wonder if he can do that with corvids? They are supposed to be very smart.

I can recommend an excellent book: Corvus: A Life With Birds by Esther Woolfson.

She rescued a fledgling rook (named Chicken), and also ended up with a magpie and a crow (amongst others) along the way. It’s beautifully written and I think a 12 yr old will enjoy it. Lots of facts and anecdotes and natural history.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvus:_A_Life_with_Birds

If you can get down to Hampshire, there is a brilliant park called Birdworld.

Also the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover is well worth a visit.

A few national trust type places do falconry eg Hever Castle.

Corvids are incredibly smart (whatever you do, don't piss them off as they won't forget). Do you not have any parks nearby? All my local parks have lots of crows and if you feed them regularly, they quickly learn to recognise you and will appear when they see you.

(I used to volunteer in a wildlife hospital as a baby bird and fledgling feeder so had lots of experience with corvids and they're all real characters).

Apparently crows can remember that you pissed them off about something for up to 17 years.

www.earth.com/news/crows-hold-grudges-for-up-to-17-years/

Ignore the link title, it will take you to Crow Come Here: crowbegone.com/crowcomehere.htm

A cd whose sound attracts them 😊.

The ceremony of the keys gives you a bit more of a behind the scenes kind of experience with ravens. There's a lovely book series called Arabella's raven, but it's for younger readers.

Your nephew sounds great

Has he read "my family and other animals ?" The magpies in that are amusing I recall

I have 6 Jackdaws who feed at my bird feeder several times every day. They wait their turn on the fence and the pop over to the feeder (they particularly like to feed from one they are supposed to ge too big to feed from!) I love watching them and one is brave enough to knock on the patio doors if there isnt any if his favourite food out! There are also 4 Magpies, at least 10 starlings plus all the varieties of tits and robins. There are a lot of crows in the nearby trees but they don't come into the back garden even though I see them strutting along the road at the front (they are huge!)

You could just do a day out corvid spotting/feeding/befriending. I walk my dog and see magpies, crows, jackdaws, jays. I saw some rooks the other day!
I love corvids too. They're so clever.

There was an episode of Inside the Tower of London series (on C5) which featured the ravens. It showed how they were housed, fed and trained, all the different birds and what they can do. You should be able to get them on demand.

Came on to see if anyone had mentioned the Arabel and Mortimer books by Joan Aiken, illustrated by Quentin Blake.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortimer_and_Arabel

I beg to differ about the age appeal, though. Yes, they're certainly suitable for younger readers, but they're not really the sort of book you grow out of.

Nevermore!

Ripon castle. Bit far.

Chris Skaife, the former Ravenmaster at the Tower of London, has a book out and sometimes does speaker events. He's on socials including YouTube.

There's been a new Ravenmaster since spring.

For stuff to watch/ books if you look up dr Grainne cleary, she’s Irish based in Australia and is very animated and interesting and fun talking about birds, think like a kids tv presenter although she’s not!