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When bird brains were being passed out, the common raven (Corvus corax), one of ten raven species worldwide, must have received an extra measure or two. There is, in any event, no smarter bird species in the national parks and damn few anywhere else.
As students of Native American mythology can attest, the raven's intelligence is quite literally legendary. Raven, like Coyote, is the embodiment of craftiness and trickery, and there is more to this than myth. Empirical studies confirm that the bird's reputation for braininess is well deserved. In the lab, scientists are challenged to invent ever more complicated tasks (including tool use) for what some call the "Einstein of the bird family." In the field, researchers have documented a similarly impressive array of competencies.
Ravens are awesomely good mimics, sometimes using this skill not just to amuse themselves, but to deceive or confuse, as the situation may demand. Their communication system is intricate, employing not only body language, but also a sophisticated system of vocalizations that has at least 30 different patterns (including local variants) for purposes such as hailing, warning, threatening, taunting, and cheering. The raven's curiosity, ingenuity, problem solving ability, and playfulness all reveal an intellect of a caliber that we seldom associate with birds -- or with most other animals, for that matter.
Unfortunately, the same keen intellect, curiosity, and playfulness that makes ravens interesting and amusing also makes them troublesome. Because ravens hanging around farmsteads quickly learn how gate latches work, they sometimes open gates to livestock pens. Ravens frequenting picnic areas, campgrounds, parking lots, trailheads, hunt clubs, and similar places learn how to get into an impressive variety of food containers. A pair of ravens at Scottys Castle in Death Valley National Park, for example, know how to open the zippers on motorcycle saddlebags containing snacks. At the Squaw Flat Campground in Canyonlands National Park, ravens are generalists, forcing officials to prominently post signs that read:
Ravens have become very adept at obtaining human food in the campground. They are clever, curious, and persistent. They can easily get into food packages, cardboard boxes, styrofoam coolers, and soft-sided coolers. Ravens can even pry coolers open with their beaks and unzip packs! Stow all food, trash, paper products, and body care items in either latched hard-sided containers or your car with the windows closed. Failure to properly store food and trash may result in a citation.
more at: http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com...igent-bird5933
As students of Native American mythology can attest, the raven's intelligence is quite literally legendary. Raven, like Coyote, is the embodiment of craftiness and trickery, and there is more to this than myth. Empirical studies confirm that the bird's reputation for braininess is well deserved. In the lab, scientists are challenged to invent ever more complicated tasks (including tool use) for what some call the "Einstein of the bird family." In the field, researchers have documented a similarly impressive array of competencies.
Ravens are awesomely good mimics, sometimes using this skill not just to amuse themselves, but to deceive or confuse, as the situation may demand. Their communication system is intricate, employing not only body language, but also a sophisticated system of vocalizations that has at least 30 different patterns (including local variants) for purposes such as hailing, warning, threatening, taunting, and cheering. The raven's curiosity, ingenuity, problem solving ability, and playfulness all reveal an intellect of a caliber that we seldom associate with birds -- or with most other animals, for that matter.
Unfortunately, the same keen intellect, curiosity, and playfulness that makes ravens interesting and amusing also makes them troublesome. Because ravens hanging around farmsteads quickly learn how gate latches work, they sometimes open gates to livestock pens. Ravens frequenting picnic areas, campgrounds, parking lots, trailheads, hunt clubs, and similar places learn how to get into an impressive variety of food containers. A pair of ravens at Scottys Castle in Death Valley National Park, for example, know how to open the zippers on motorcycle saddlebags containing snacks. At the Squaw Flat Campground in Canyonlands National Park, ravens are generalists, forcing officials to prominently post signs that read:
Ravens have become very adept at obtaining human food in the campground. They are clever, curious, and persistent. They can easily get into food packages, cardboard boxes, styrofoam coolers, and soft-sided coolers. Ravens can even pry coolers open with their beaks and unzip packs! Stow all food, trash, paper products, and body care items in either latched hard-sided containers or your car with the windows closed. Failure to properly store food and trash may result in a citation.
more at: http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com...igent-bird5933