Ravens in Hollywood

Posted by ravens at February 15th, 2009

When I saw ravens this January, I often saw one in hot pursuit of another, and not in a friendly way. I’m supposing that this is the time when the owners and would-be owners of breeding territories begin to assert themselves. And I notice from the dates on last year’s posts that we are on the threshold of nesting season. Even ravens celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Last year’s nesting observations went mostly unrecorded, so the first thing to do is review what happened and where. It was the first year that I happened to observe several active nests, and even fledglings. I also learned how quickly ravens can spot an animal that is watching them, and how quickly and energetically they will target that animal in an effort to chase it off.

Two sites were in large power pylons. Two were inside billboards – the double-faced ones that are common in LA, and probably used a lot for caching, too. One was on the facade of a church, where nests had been constructed on the shoulders of the statues of Saints Thomas Aquinas and Catherine of Siena. Only one of these nests was used. I am assuming the nest in the pine tree at the Wright house in Runyon Canyon is used every year, but it is impossible to actually see that one. The sites ranged from the LA River on the Valley side of the Santa Monica Mountains to a billboard on Lincoln Blvd. two miles or less north of LAX. The two pylon sites were also located very near freeways.

Former nesting sites in some of the areas were not used. The nest that is high on the side of Iron Mountain is still in place, but seems abandoned. There had been a nest on the upper floors of the Furama Hotel, but this was dislodged when it was renovated into its new incarnation as the Custom.

All sites, including trees, are anthropogenic. Native oaks do grow high on steep slopes of the Santa Monicas, and one would expect nesting in these. Vast tracts of LA probably harbor other nesting territories, if the known density is constant. Given the abundance of food here

, raven pairs probably have a much higher tolerance for neighbors than they would in the wild.