Anchorage’s Bird Treatment and Learning Center says there’s no doubt that the appearance of the rare white raven last winter has given the city a new appreciation for ravens. Bird TLC’s director, Laura Atwood, says it’s been one of the bird’s biggest gifts to the community.
“This white raven blows into town, and all of the sudden there’s this incredible amount of interest,” Atwood said.
To tap into the enthusiasm, Bird TLC will hold a fundraiser this Thursday. The theme of the presentation is “Mischief Makers: Ravens, Crows and Magpies and their Relationship with Alaska's Indigenous Peoples.”
Lisa Pajot, an ornithologist and a doctoral candidate in Indigenous studies, will delve into the mystery of ravens and share stories from Alaska’s Indigenous peoples that reveal a cultural understanding and respect for ravens.
The white raven first appeared in Anchorage last October and is believed to have hatched north of Kenai. The bird was last seen on April 20 in Anchorage and spotted in a Soldotna back yard the next day, not far from where a white raven hatchling was seen last summer. The bird is not an albino, but instead, has a rare, leucistic gene, which gives it its white color and clear blue eyes. Scientists say white ravens have a one in 30,000 chance of being born.
Photographer Glen Klinkhart will also talk about his experience taking pictures of the white raven last winter. Klinkart, a retired police detective, says he stopped counting after he took more than 10,000 photos of the bird and its antics.
Klinkhart and other photographers have also donated some of their pictures for a silent auction.
Atwood is excited about some of the work that’s been donated so far.
“We just got a new photo, a new print,” Atwood said. “The photographer just bought it by today, and it is, I think, one of my favorite photos of the white raven, because the raven is walking through the snow, very proudly, with a piece of pizza.”
Atwood says this photo by Todd List is one of the many that show the bird’s distinctive personality and tendency to play to the cameras.
There will also be a chance to meet two TLC ambassador birds, Girdie, a Northwestern Crow and Shavila, a Black-Billed Magpie. Girdie will sit on a table and be kept busy with toys and some water for bathing. Shavila might leave her cage and fly around.
The fundraiser will be held on Thursday, June 6 at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. There’s a presentation at 4:00 p.m. and a second one at 6:00 p.m. Both sessions will be held in the Athabascan Ceremonial House. Information on how to buy a ticket can be found on Bird TLC’s Facebook page.
