brainy bird
photo of wolf and raven in Takshanuk Mts Northern Southeast Alaska by WJG Kazlowski
Ravens are very, very smart – biologist Mareike Stöwe reckons they have the cognitive capacity of a two year old human child. They have an amazing ability to play in order to understand their enemies, because they mostly live on carrion stolen from large, possessive predators.
“Ravenologist Stöwe has even observed gestures of consolation. When one raven has lost out in an argument, the other appeasingly runs its beak between the loser’s feathers. “It’s touching to see what gentleness these mighty beaks are capable of,” says Stöwe.
The biologist is a long way from growing bored of the lively birds with their searching spirit. “They look at everything we do so carefully,” Stöwe says. “We’re really the ones under observation.”
Der Spiegel has a lively description of raven research, which is full of most excellent behavioural detail. They are the ultimate ratbags.
More comments and links at Metafilter.
(Via Aldaily)