Most people automatically associate ravens with death or mysticism. But to Tower of London Ravenmaster Chris Skaife, “They are like little babies.”
For many families the Tower’s ravens are a top attraction. Legend has it that the presence of the six resident ravens is critical, otherwise, “the kingdom shall fall.” Few people however, see beyond superstition and glimpse the fascinating relationships that flourish between the birds and their keepers.
For the past seven years, Chris, 47, has completely devoted himself to the care of his elegant, feathered friends. The outcome of the job is that of a quite unique relationship. “It takes quite a while for adult ravens to have trust of humans, especially if they‘ve not been used to them from a young age,” he explains. “Once they see a face that they know, they recognize it for life. If you get them at an early age then you become either a partner or one of their parents.”
In the case of Merlin (or Merlina), a glossy coated female raven who can say ‘hello’, Chris is undoubtedly the partner. “She comes in the box and sits with me as she watches the public walk pass,” he says. “I can stroke her and she will shut her eyes and fall asleep by my side.”
At times, according to Ravenmaster Mark Anderson, Merlina can also be naughty. “She is the most confident,” he smiles.
Just a few weeks ago she snatched a purse and ran away with it. Once under her possession, she opened the purse and flew away with pounds to later bury them under a piece of turf. “People are surprised to see when ravens approach them and run away with something of theirs,” he says.
As an ‘imprinted’ raven, Merlina, as Chris affectionately refers to her, was hand fed and taken care of by humans since she was a hatchling. The attention given to her bequeathed her authoritarian behaviour with or without her keeper’s presence compared to the other resident ravens and granted her the confidence to closely approach people.
According to wildlife adviser at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Tom Waters, there are several differences between the ravens at the Tower and wild ravens. “The differences between the birds at the tower and wild ravens would be much like any other pet bird and its wild cousin. The tower ravens are used to human interaction from being fed everyday and have shelter,” says Tom.
Besides being the most pampered birds in Britain, the ravens have developed a characteristic that has made them mostly dependent on the human care they have received since a very young age.
“It is unlikely that the birds from the tower would survive if they were suddenly introduced into the wild,” explains Tom. “Wild ravens would learn the survival skills from their parents like how to fend off predators and where to find food, a trait that captive bred ravens are not taught.”
Merlina’s breakfast, which consists of rats slit open by the “delighted” Chris, is served at 7am. As soon as her cage is opened, she croaks with excitement and quickly greets him. “I can not be in uniform, not even inside with the ravens, and they know when I am approaching towards them. They have a sixth sense: that they know I am around. I can hear them croaking to themselves and they’ll come running over.”
But not everything is work. Conversations where the birds mimic human speech and playtime with the Ravenmaster also take place during his 365 days-full-time job. “I can say ‘hello’ and she will say ‘hello’ back to me by making a sound that I recognise as an emotion for her,” he enthuses. “I can recognise her speech and say whether she is angry or stressed out. We don’t have large conversations, although I probably do more talking to her than she does to me.”
According to Chris, Merlina is also an “attention seeker.” If the raven is not getting the attention she demands, she will spot a crowd of tourists and “play dead” by laying on her back with her feet up and her wings out until he approaches her. “It’s like looking after children,” he laughed.
The nurturing relationship between these two iconic figures proves that the legend, as well as the Crown, is fully dependent on both participants for ensuring the prosperity of their roles. Laughs while reminiscing about fun stories developed throughout time between the Ravenmaster and the ravens reveal that it is not just an occupation, but the development of an essential and long-lasting bonding.
Ariana Perez 