Ravens are known around the world as shapeshifters and humans are often changed into ravens by an enemy's curse.

They are prophets, spell-casters, and messengers of the gods. Gods and goddesses of war and thunder such as Badb and Odin have ravens as their attributes. They are early emblems of the Danes and the Vikings.

The beautiful song of the blackbird makes it a symbol of temptations, especially sexual ones.

The devil once took on the shape of a blackbird and flew into St. Benedict's face, thereby causing the saint to be troubled by an intense desire for a beautiful girl he had once seen. In order to save himself, St. Benedict tore off his clothes and jumped into a thorn bush.

This painful act is said to have freed him from sexual temptations for the rest of his life.

More about the raven as a supernatural animal