By April Stelle
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church meticulously planned a Harry Potter event this month to immerse kids in a world of magic. But an unplanned attraction high above the church doors added a dash of realism — especially for fans of Ravenclaw.
Just before Easter, ravens decided to make St. Peter’s their home, building a nest behind the statue of its patron saint that towers over the sanctuary entrance.
Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, ravens are a protected species in the U.S. and cannot be killed, captured or transported, leaving St. Peter’s with few options other than waiting for the birds to leave and then removing their nest.
“I don’t know what the solution is, but that’s their home for now,” says the Rev. Canon Robert Picken.
Ravens are intelligent, social birds who pick their nesting spots with safety and food in mind, according to Charlotte Arndt, director of education at The Raptor Trust.
“It’s actually really cool,” she says of the ravens’ roost. “Ravens don’t nest in man-made structures as often as other birds do, so it’s neat that they get a front row seat to watch these babies grow up.”
After the baby ravens hatch, Arndt estimates they will stay in the nest 35 to 49 days before fledging, when a young bird sprouts feathers and learns to fly. After fledging, Arndt says, the child may stay with its parents for up to seven months — though the family may leave the nest before that time is up.
Linda Carrington, a former St. Peter’s parishioner who has been birdwatching for 50 years, heard the ravens near Maple Avenue, behind St. Peters, and has been keeping an eye on the nest.
Last week, she observed multiple ravens in the nest and one fledgling in a nearby tree, leading her to deduce that the eggs have hatched and one nestling has fledged.
Carrington also has noticed three ravens consistently perched on the statue, which puzzles her. Birds typically pair up, one female and one male.
Giselle Smisko, co-founder of Avian Rescue, says the third raven may share a genetic connection with the nesting couple. Or the birds’ social nature and communication may have linked them.
It is not uncommon for these smart creatures to forge new behavioral patterns based on food and nesting availability, she adds.
‘NEVERMORE!’
While it’s unlikely the ravens came to worship at St. Peter’s, the birds do have a home in the Bible. From keeping Elijah alive during his camp at brook Cherith to Noah releasing a raven and a dove from the ark following the Genesis flood, Carrington says these noisy visitors receive surprisingly favorable treatment.
A darker portrayal can be found in Edgar Allen Poe’s 19th century poem The Raven. The black bird is described as “grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous,” only able to croak the word “Nevermore.”
This is closer to the experience of Mario Ramos, facilities manager and sexton at St. Peter’s, who has the vexing challenge of cleaning the ravens’ copious calling cards from the church steps. It’s not his first brush with birds, either.
A vulture and two eggs were discovered in a church building’s attic by a roof repairman last week. Ramos says the vulture got inside through a gap from a metal roof covering that fell off.
After consulting with Smisko from Avian Rescue, Ramos says the eggs were removed from the attic. But the mother keeps returning looking for them — even bringing another bird, which Ramos believes is the father.
“Birds are naturally looking for safe spaces, and we are definitely a safe and loving community, so maybe they’re trying to point that out,” says Kathleen Carozza, a vestry member at St. Peter’s.
She organized this month’s Harry Potter wizarding event, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film’s release. The ravens proved popular.
“For the purposes of the Harry Potter event, we thought ravens and Ravenclaw would be a fun way to to think about them, and they certainly added to the atmosphere of the event,” Carozza recounts.
“I had one little girl say, ‘Ah! Ravenclaw is my favorite house!’”
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“Sic transit gloria mundi,” all earthly things are temporary. The carcass of a raven was found crushed in the crosswalk at South Street this afternoon, Wednesday. Five other ravens were cawing from the roof near the tombstones.