I see the blackness first, but with the sun’s rays hitting the darkness, I realise this is not the dull black of mourning attire but the shimmering black of a party dress. This uniform of black is broken by a white, porcelain-like iris around a pupil that has a hint of a blue tinge bordering it. This is the Australian Raven, a large bird who inhabits our cities, but unlike the Australian Magpie, bas not not entered our yards nor really our consciousness. Despite its brilliant black plumage, which can look sequin-like under the rays of the sun, as a carrion feeder, the raven may look more like a fallen idol struggling on the streets rather than the current in-person off to a gala function. Despite its lack of brand recognition, most Australians would be familiar with the single note call of the raven, normally made somewhere off in the distance, as part of the ambient noise of the countryside.