Guardians by Roger Blackwell

My favourite family of birds - I know so many people find ravens, crows, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, jays threatening bullies - and I'm afraid they can be - but they're intelligent, independent, courageous (just watch them chase away buzzards!) and full of character. And all the characteristics people tend to transfer to them are really just reflections of our entirely horrible selves. Well, I'm sorry: but they are! I think they're just wonderful - and by comparison, we're not. I'd much rather put a crow in a painting than a human - so there.