Parking Lot Ravens - Douglas / Arapahoe

[Jared Del Rosso]

There were at least four Common Ravens at the Target off Highlands Ranch Parkway in Douglas County today. Among them, a Crow seemed to be trying to cache -- or trying to uncover something cached -- in the soft soil around landscaping grasses.

Later today, I watched a pair of Common Ravens at Streets of Southglenn in Centennial (Arapahoe) chase away a Red-tailed Hawk from the mall. The hawk was perched along the edge of the now empty Macy's, where the ravens have previously nested. The ravens harassed the hawk from a perch above him. One raven croaked at the Red-tail; the other banged their bill against the ledge above the hawk -- a surprising strategy, at least to me.

Eventually, the hawk flew off and the Ravens gave chase. The Ravens returned, perched where the hawk had been, croaked and generally seemed unsettled. The Red-tail was still in their view, perhaps explaining their unease. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO