FILLMORE : Raven Eats Man Out of House and Home

For the past two weeks, Wendell Kister has been desperately seeking the owner of a raven that has taken up residence in his back yard.

The Fillmore man placed a classified ad in a newspaper hoping the bird’s keeper would step forward. But no one has, and Kister said he is beginning to figure out why.

“That bird looks at everything as a potential snack,” said the 49-year-old Point Mugu technician. On Aug. 12, Kister discovered the ravenous raven outside his garage. “He’s pecked holes in six screens around my house.”

Kister said he knows the raven is a pet because its wings are clipped to prevent it from flying far. However, the condition hasn’t affected its eating habits, and Kister has been doling out hot dogs, cheese and canned dog food to keep it from scarfing on his house.

“It won’t have anything to do with birdseed,” Kister said.

Despite the animal’s appetite, Kister said he has “really warmed to the bird” because it perches on his shoulder and lets him stroke its head. “For about one day I wanted to keep it,” Kister said.

Kister’s yard became too small for the raven, however. Over the past few days the bird has declared war on Kister’s dog and is scratching up the lawn looking for worms.

“It won’t leave,” he said.

Two people have responded to the ad, but neither is the raven’s owner.

One boy called and said his mom got rid of his crow and he wanted another pet. A woman said she had a big cage to put it in. “But I want to find someone who will really take care of it and not cage it,” he said.