For the avoidance of doubt, the Raven (Corvus corax) is huge! And, no doubt, it is partly that size that accounts for the Raven’s evil reputation, together with its black colour, and its penchant for eating almost anything, animal or vegetable. In ancient Greece, it was feared as the bird that arrived soon after a battle to feed on the corpses and so became a symbol of death, symbolism that has continued throughout history in all manner of myths, legends and folklore.

This negativity is also reflected in the collective noun for a group of Ravens, an unkindness, but, personally, I think we humans have done these beautiful birds a disservice.

A pair of Ravens lives locally and can often be seen around the nearby cliffs and on the Cardiff Barrage, so I get to observe them quite often.

Recently, I watched what I presume was the male bird bring a piece of fruit as a gift for his mate to eat, an action that is probably a form of pair-bonding behaviour. It was delicately done, rather sweet, and certainly not unkind, and so I have a soft spot for my local Ravens.