Talk:Raven Branwen/@comment-26258854-20180529114147/@comment-24018437-20180531221214

@SomeoneYouUsedToKnow

I'm aware of that word. But see, a lot of names and stereotypes that are centered around animals are based on superficial and even wrong observations. For example, people used to think crocodiles ate their own young because they carry them in their mouth, or that some animals would give their young 'shape' by licking them once they're born. Hyenas often kill an animal and lions come in to steal it, and they hang around to wait till the lions leave again. This gave many people the impression that it were the lions that killed the animal in the first place, and that the hyenas were just scavengers waiting to be fed, when spotted hyenas actually hunt up to 80% of their own food in most regions of Africa. And the sayings 'blind as a bat' and 'wise as an owl' are also not truth-based, as owls aren't that much more intelligent then most birds and bats aren't actually blind at all. Even the whole changing color ability of the chameleon is centered more around expressing emotions, rather then for defensive camouflage.

Corvids are known to be the most intelligent of all avians and animals in general, and they are known to express a great sense of empathy towards others of their kind that many other animals lack and they are generally good parents. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Rabenmutter saying is one of the many negative superstisions people had about corvids in the western world.

As many of you may know, corvids have a long history of negative portrayel in European history and culture. They were generally seen as scheming, cunning and greedy bandits that stole jewelry and brought bad luck and would be the harbingers of war and famine. The only exceptions would be the legend of the ravens from the London Tower, the role corvids play in Norse mythology and the fact that crows actually played a role in the Phoenix myth. But that's besides the point.

I don't doubt that ravens, like most animals, will abonden their young when there is no other choiche. Practicly every species does. But I'm wondering if its a genuiley common behavioral trait, or if its just blown out of proportions.