The Ravens of Snover Canyon

Sharing the shelf with Bernd Heinrich's and John Marzluff's asks us to reconsider our perceptions of the often-vilified raven. Using a wealth of research to provide a background on the species, Philip I. Moynihan uses his documentation, made with painstaking detail over the course of several years, to showcase the bright intellect of a pair of mated ravens found living behind his home. Grasping the rare opportunity to capture the details of the pair's nesting period, Moynihan catalogues the wondrous birth of their nestlings, their first leaps of flight, and the process in which they learn to survive in the wilderness. When tragedy strikes the raven family, Moynihan shares his reflections on the aftermath as well as the eventual, uplifting cycle of renewal that follows. Bird watchers, nature lovers, animal enthusiasts, and ornithologists will all be riveted by Moynihan's level of detail, vivid description, and gorgeous accompanying photographs. Amateur and expert alike will find the raven family's behavior fascinating for its confirmation of or deviation from earlier assumptions on the species and for this work's ability to reveal a new and fascinating perspective on these remarkable beings.