The Common Raven is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids. There are at least eight subspecies with little variation in appearance, although there are significant genetic differences among populations from various regions. It is possibly the heaviest passerine; at maturity, the Common Raven averages 63 centimetres (25 inches) in length and 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) in mass. Common Ravens can live up to 21 years in the wild, a lifespan exceeded among passerines by only a few Australasian species. Young birds may travel in flocks but later mate for life, with each pair defending a territory. The Common Raven has coexisted with humans for thousands of years and in some areas is considered a pest. Part of its success comes from its omnivorous diet; Common Ravens are extremely versatile in finding sources of nutrition. Some notable feats of problem-solving have been observed in the species, leading to the belief that it is intelligent. Over the centuries, it has been the subject of mythology, folklore, art, and literature. In many cultures, it has been revered as a spiritual figure or god.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Raven
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1799:
France became the first country to adopt the metric system as its system for weights and measures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_metric_system
1884:
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by American author Mark Twain was first published in the United Kingdom and Canada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn
1901:
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded, on the anniversary of the 1896 death of their founder, Swedish chemist and industrialist Alfred Nobel (pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize
1948:
The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, representing the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights
1989:
At the first open pro-democracy demonstration in Mongolia, journalist Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj announced the formation of the Mongolian Democratic Union, which would be instrumental in ending Communist rule four months later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsakhiagiin_Elbegdorj
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
canary in a coal mine: (idiomatic) Something whose sensitivity to adverse conditions makes it a useful early indicator of such conditions; something which warns of the coming of greater danger or trouble by a deterioration in its health or welfare. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/canary_in_a_coal_mine
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
The best thing you can do for your fellow, next to rousing his conscience, is — not to give him things to think about, but to wake things up that are in him; or say, to make him think things for himself. --George MacDonald https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_MacDonald