Raven becomes local celebrity in Jyväskylä

A raven has become an unlikely celebrity in central Jyväskylä, drawing attention as it moves boldly through the city’s busiest areas, reports Yle.

The large, all-black bird has been spotted on the market square, in Kirkkopuisto park, and along Kauppakatu street, sometimes perching on park benches beside people or pecking at food scraps on the pavement. Residents have shared photos of the bird on social media.

Tuomas Syrjä, deputy chair of BirdLife Central Finland, said ravens are rarely seen in city centres, though they have increasingly nested near urban areas in recent decades. He suspects the Jyväskylä bird is a young individual that may have strayed from a nearby nest and discovered easy meals among people.

Observations show the raven eats whatever it finds, from dropped fast food to vomit in the bushes. While ravens are omnivorous, Syrjä noted their natural diet—berries, carrion, and other birds’ chicks—would be healthier than fries or nuggets.

He advises the public not to feed the bird and to admire it from a distance for its own well-being.