A raven soars over the Northwest Coast. Probably the world's most intelligent avian creatures, ravens thrive from the fog-drenched Aleutians to the burning Sonoran Desert. Normally shy, ravens act in a most extraordinary way here: they frequent towns and associate with people.
Considering their ubiquitousness, inquisitive behavior, and extensive vocabulary of intriguing calls, it is small wonder that ravens became the central creature in native mythology. Mythic Raven is wily, gluttonous and randy. In attempting to serve himself, he invariably ends up helping humans, and is credited with transforming the world into its present form.
Today we stopped in Ketchikan. Ravens scuttled with pigeons along the waterfront, or floated elegantly over the treetops. At Saxman Village we saw a collection of totem poles including this tall pole capped by a cedar raven.
