A spiritual sign or just along for the ride?

[Prairie Dog]

Check out this video footage shot of a raven in flight by a couple returning home to BC from the Yukon along the scenic Dempster Highway.

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

It looks to be free-riding on that wave of air being pushed by the Jeep. This reminds me of something I saw while our USCG cutter was out on patrol, some 200 miles off the coast of the northeast Atlantic; a pod of 3-5 dolphins would swim directly in front of the bow of the ship while she was making way, at speed (speed being relative, say about 15 miles an hour). They would all be center midships of the bow and they'd swim in and out of each other, up and down. It seemed clear to me back then, that they were having a grand old time!

For sure, that was a special moment for rider and passenger in that Jeep. Raven, too!

 

[Handlebars]

Thanks for posting this!

 

[Taylor57]

It looks to be free-riding on that wave of air being pushed by the Jeep. This reminds me of something I saw while our USCG cutter was out on patrol, some 200 miles off the coast of the northeast Atlantic; a pod of 3-5 dolphins would swim directly in front of the bow of the ship while she was making way, at speed (speed being relative, say about 15 miles an hour). They would all be center midships of the bow and they'd swim in and out of each other, up and down. It seemed clear to me back then, that they were having a grand old time!

For sure, that was a special moment for rider and passenger in that Jeep. Raven, too!

Yeah, looks like he is a NASCAR race driver drafting off your car...

 

[Prairie Dog]

More here.

I’m willing to bet this bird has re-enacted this scene before only to astonish those who were fortunate enough to have experienced it first hand as this couple did.

 

[Taylor57]

More here.

I’m willing to bet this bird has re-enacted this scene before only to astonish those who were fortunate enough to have experienced it first hand as this couple did.

Great story.

 

[Mulezen]

Bernd Heinrich is your man for all things Corvid. I highly recommend…

Mind of the Raven - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Taylor57]

Bernd Heinrich is your man for all things Corvid. I highly recommend…

Mind of the Raven - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

We have tons of Ravens or Crows here in So Cal. They are huge...

 

[DaveMatthews]

Totally drafting, but that was very cool!

 

[Prairie Dog]

We have tons of Ravens or Crows here in So Cal. They are huge...

So true. I couldn’t believe the size of them when I visited family in Whitehorse many moons ago. Even though they now occur much in Central Alberta where they used to be absent. I personally have never seen one.

 

[DavidRvR]

Drifting and saving Fuel ..Awesome post.. Thank You.

 

[Mulezen]

Their IQ is off the charts…check out this demo

 

[Prairie Dog]

Their IQ is off the charts…check out this demo

Amazing!

 

[DaveMatthews]

Their IQ is off the charts…check out this demo

That's AWESOME!

 

[Bubba zanetti]

Riding the bow wave just as dolphins do ships. Wonderful!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Amazing part is the raven stopped flying when the jeep stopped. It knew a reward is coming.

Yes, but once they got back on the road, it continued flying alongside and in front of the vehicle for another 20 minutes until another raven swept down and they flew off together. Perhaps its mate?

What a wonderful and unique experience to treasure and by the looks of it the drive home wasn't too shabby either.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

News coverage with more info and driver interviews...

So many questions...
Q1: How fast does the Jeep need to go for its forward updraft to lift the raven's weight without flapping?

Q2: How did the raven catch that updraft in the first place? Serendipity on its part this one time, or has the raven become an aerobatic street performer working for some combo of tips, transportation, and fun?

Q3: What kind of air flows allow the raven to ride (a) low down in front of the car, and (b) alongside it with so little flapping? For (b), guessing a backwater (flow separation). The raven flies alongside some distance from the car. An attached boundary layer that thick and far back seems implausible.

Oh well, no matter how it all came about, quite the stunt pilot, this clever bird!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Yes, but once they got back on the road, it continued flying alongside and in front of the vehicle for another 20 minutes until another raven swept down and they flew off together. Perhaps its mate?

Maybe this is how ravens in the wild deal with long-distance relationships.

 

[PedalUma]

It will catch on. Air density is another factor at play. Cold air is much more dense. I heard the story of a Yukon bush pilot with part of a propeller that struck and broke. He sawed the other end to match and waited till it became very cold. Then he was able to fly. That would not work down south. I have a huge raven neighbor who likes to talk to himself in front of a mirror tinted window. Hollow Kingdom was a fun book about a crow. Much of it used research from U of W. It is a dystopian comedy with animals.

Kira Jane Buxton - Hollow Kingdom

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton

www.kirajanebuxton.com

 

[DavidRvR]

Here is a good one..

New life for Dallas doctor came from near-death on Everest

As Everest opens in theaters, Dr. Beck Weathers shares the harrowing tale of his climb and the family he almost lost.

www.dallasnews.com