Skaife says his highly intelligent charges – research has shown the creatures recognise human faces and have the ability to plan – often exhibit behaviour that is almost human. “They are probably the most pampered birds in this country.” “The enclosure encourages them to come back at night for food,” he says. Skaife says he doesn’t need – or want – to hold the ravens prisoner. The bird’s wings are trimmed to limit their flight, although not as severely as in the past. Sometimes I see them all on Tower Green and I know they’re trying to steal the Crown Jewels.” The first one, an “unkindness”, doesn’t appeal to Skaife, who considers it “well… unkind”. Ravens have spawned not one, but two rather expressive collective nouns. Many people know that a gathering of crows is known as a “murder” and when owls get together they form a “parliament”. Christopher Skaife is Ravenmaster at the Tower of London (Credit: Harper Collins) Image via Kane, Michelleīirds of a feather Birds have some of the best collective nouns in English. That’s important, he says, because if they were to leave the Tower of London for a few days, they “wouldn’t have to rely on humans to feed them”. “She’ll come and run behind me and hide like a child.” As much freedom as possibleĭespite the dire warnings about what might happen if the ravens desert their post, Skaife does everything he can to ensure his winged charges have as much freedom as possible. “She comes up to me when she’s being told off or one of the other birds is chasing her,” he says. She is tamer than the other birds because she was hand-reared.

Skaife’s closest bond is with 12-year-old Merlina, who was still a chick when she was found by the side of the road. Erin is a boisterous mother hen, while Gripp is a shy young male who likes to keep to himself. The Tower’s ravens all have different personalities, he says. Before that he was in the military for 25 years. Skaife has been a Yeoman Warder since 2005.

Skaife has recently parlayed his following on social media into a book – fans of The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London include the author Neil Gaiman.

Skaife warns those hoping for a raven selfie: don’t get too close because their peck is “blummin’ painful”. After that, they are released into the grounds to begin their work: amusing tourists. He feeds them breakfast – chicks, mice, rabbit and some red meat – and checks them for injuries or ailments.

Ravenmaster by Christopher Skaife