In Roosevelt and Curry counties, as well as other areas in the eastern side of our state, Chihuahuan ravens are frequently called crows, a common misidentification.

Courtesy photo: Tony Gennaro

Ranges of the two birds rarely overlap.

Ravens are slightly larger than crows, and the end of the raven's tail is wedge-shaped, not roundish.

We are fortunate that crows do not occupy eastern New Mexico since they have the reputation of giving farmers havoc. Crows like to munch on produce, which can cost farmers millions of dollars annually, and they especially enjoy seedlings of corn and wheat.

Chihuahuan ravens, on the other hand, are primarily scavengers, although on occasion they will help themselves to grain.

My interviews with growers of produce in this area, Ray Paiz and others, indicate that ravens have not been a problem.

Therefore, we have no need for scarecrows, human-shaped structures used more than 2,500 years ago by Egyptians and Greeks to scare birds.

And, we have no need for scareravens.

Desert Biologist Tony Gennaro of Portales writes a monthly column on creatures of the Southwest. Contact him at: tonygennaro_08@msn.com