Differences in Space Use by Common Ravens in Relation to Sex, Breeding Status, and Kinship

Abstract

Abstract. Group differences in avian space use relate to group differences in resource use and demographic parameters. However, studies that consider year-round, intraspecific variation in the space use of noncooperatively breeding species are relatively rare. A greater understanding of factors relating to intraspecific variation in space use is especially important for managing human-subsidized predators, such as the Common Raven (Corvus corax). We hypothesized that sex, sociality, and the distribution of bonanzas of food should influence year-round space use by breeding and nonbreeding Common Ravens on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. We detected differences in space use between breeders and nonbreeders but not between the sexes. Breeders shared little space with their neighbors and displayed strong site fidelity, except in the fall and winter or after the death of a mate, when some breeding ravens moved extensively. Nonbreeders moved widely, were more gregarious, and their home ranges interse...