Chatham raven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chatham raven |
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| Two skulls, from lateral (top) and ventral (bottom) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Corvus
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| Species: |
moriorum
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The Chatham raven (Corvus moriorum) was a large, prehistoric bird that lived on the Chatham Islands in New Zealand. It belonged to the Corvidae family, which includes modern-day ravens and crows. This ancient raven was closely related to the New Zealand raven (C. antipodum), which lived on New Zealand's North and South Islands.
For a long time, scientists thought the Chatham raven and the New Zealand raven were different species. However, in 2017, new genetic research showed that they were actually subspecies. This means they were very similar, like different types of the same animal, and had only separated about 130,000 years ago. Today, you can see a model of the Chatham raven at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Discovering the Chatham Raven
The Chatham raven is known from its fossil remains, which tell us about its past existence. It lived during the early Holocene period, which began about 11,700 years ago. This means it was around relatively recently in Earth's history.
What Did the Chatham Raven Look Like?
The Chatham raven was much bigger than the New Zealand raven. In fact, it was likely one of the largest passerines (perching birds) in the world! It had a long, wide beak, but it wasn't as curved as the beaks of some other raven species, like the Hawaiian crow.
Scientists believe the Chatham raven was probably all black, just like most of its close relatives today. However, because there are no detailed old stories or descriptions of this bird from the local people, we can't be absolutely sure. Sadly, much of the knowledge about this bird from the Moriori people, who lived on the Chatham Islands, was lost over time. This means we don't have many traditional accounts of what the raven looked like or how it behaved.
Where Did the Chatham Raven Live and What Did It Eat?
Most of the Chatham raven remains have been found near the coast of the Chatham Islands. This suggests that these ravens spent a lot of time by the sea. They might have visited seal and penguin colonies, perhaps looking for food. They also might have searched for food in the intertidal zone, which is the area of the seashore that is covered by water at high tide and exposed at low tide. This is similar to how the Tasmanian forest raven (C. tasmanicus) behaves today.
It's also possible that the Chatham raven ate fruit, like the New Caledonian crow (C. moneduloides). However, if it mainly ate fruit, it's a bit of a mystery why its remains are found mostly in coastal areas. Fruit-bearing plants would have been found throughout the island's forests, not just by the sea. This suggests its diet was probably varied, including things found along the coast.
