I’ve always had a thing for corvids. I don’t know when it started…or why. Maybe it has something to do with a crow that I befriended as a child. Don’t believe me? Neither did my mother…until I was late with my afternoon snack one day and the bird showed up at the window demanding food! I think she’d written off my feathered friend as being of the imaginary kind. Which is funny, because she’d had crow friends when she was a little girl. Maybe it runs in the family.
So I have to admit, one of the main reasons I wanted to go to the Tower of London was to see the ravens.
You can’t miss them! Big, beautiful, and sleek, the ravens are free to wander the grounds of the Tower. But why are they there in the first place?
Truth is, no one really knows. The birds have been present at the Tower for pretty much as long as anyone can remember and legend has it that if the ravens ever leave, the Tower (and London) will fall. For that reason, King Charles II insisted that six ravens be kept at the Tower at all times. Though, nowadays, there are often one or two ‘spare’ birds and even sometimes baby ravens at the Tower as well.
Each bird has their own name and personality. Currently there are seven ravens: Erin, Gripp, Harris, Jubilee, Merlina, Poppy, and Rocky.
The birds are fed a diet of raw meat and blood soaked bird biscuits. Since they can wander at will, their wings are clipped to keep them (mostly) confined to the Tower. Though at least one has wandered off over the years! While they wander all day, they have an aviary to roost in at night.
Their care is overseen by one of the Yeoman Warders…the Ravenmaster. The current Ravenmaster kindly keeps a social media account, letting people around the world appreciate these incredible birds. Make sure to check out the Facebook page here. He’s also written a book, The Ravenmaster.
Next time you’re in London, make sure to stop by and check out these incredible birds!
