A Novel Technique to Improve Capture Success of Common Ravens

Authors

• Lindsey R. Perry, Oregon State UniversityFollow
• Terrah M. Owens, Oregon State University
• Zachary T. Slick, Oregon State University
• Jimmy D. Taylor, USDA National Wildlife Research Center
• Jonathan B. Dinkins, Oregon State University

Date of this Version

Winter 2021

Document Type

Article

Citation

Human–Wildlife Interactions (Winter 2021) 15(3): article 17 

doi: 10.26077/ac41-c60f 

Special topic: Raven management 

Comments

Open access. License: CC BY 4.0

Abstract

Traditional trapping techniques for common ravens (Corvus corax; raven) require significant effort, often produce low capture rates, and cannot be used in some situations. We designed a 3-m noose pole to secure ravens from nocturnal roost locations while using a strobe spotlight to temporarily disorient them. We collected measures of trapping efficiency and contrasted them with padded leghold traps also used in the study. We effectively implemented our noose pole method in July and August of 2018, 2019, and 2020 in the Baker and Cow Lakes sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Priority Areas of Conservation in eastern Oregon, USA, which yielded trapping efficiency of 0.48 trap-hours/raven (37 total captured ravens). Our trapping efficiency using leghold traps during the same summer months was 76.42 trap-hours/raven (3 total captured ravens). Our new trapping method constitutes an inexpensive and simple way to safely trap ravens at accessible communal roosts and merits further refinement to increase utility and capitalize on the vulnerability of ravens to capture at night.