Raven Revolution—Half Roll

 

 

Acrobatic displays occur year round in raven flight. The half-roll is the most common flip in the sky. The bird tucks in one wing, flipping upside down and rolls back as quickly as a wing beat. More than one half-roll may be performed in succession, or perhaps in combination with full rolls or dives. When the bird tucks into a half-roll, it emits a two-syllable sound that sounds like “klah-wahk” or “kuk-wik” to my ears. 

 

Researchers vary greatly in their estimates of raven sounds. It is generally agreed that the raven, with anywhere from 18-64 different sounding quorks,” “kluks,” “springs,” and “krooks,” is second only to the human in its variety of vocalizations.