Dayna Slater, the founder of Good Caws Crow Rescue in Prince George, British Columbia, marvels at the resilience of a crow named Riven, who has managed to evade capture despite having half of her face torn off. Slater describes the crow as a formidable figure for enduring such a traumatic injury.
Riven, a crow whose name signifies being split or ruptured, came to the attention of volunteers in early March when they noticed that the lower portion of her beak was hanging off, raising concerns about her ability to feed and groom herself. Efforts were made to attract Riven with food for potential repair and rehabilitation, but the crow proved to be wary of human intervention and avoided capture.
According to Slater, Riven’s broken beak is still hanging and is expected to fall off soon. Recent observations show that Riven has adapted by using the remaining portion of her beak as a scoop and tilting her head to allow food to go down. Despite her injury, Riven’s feathers are in good condition, indicating that she has either learned to preen herself or is being groomed by her family.
Slater emphasized the importance of preening for maintaining feather health, essential for waterproofing and flight. The rescue team will continue monitoring Riven to ensure her well-being, especially as the seasons change. Nevertheless, Slater is pleased with the positive progress Riven has made on her own, avoiding the need for human intervention.
In Slater’s view, Riven’s resilience is remarkable, as most people would require extensive medical care and therapy for a similar injury, while the crow has managed to cope without any external assistance.