# Ravens, boy are they smart!



## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

These guys are very smart:
NATURE | Ravens | Stealing the Catch | PBS - YouTube


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## mcrocker (May 29, 2010)

They are indeed incredibly smart, check this one out: BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Clever rooks repeat ancient fable

It's an old fable that it turns out is true: Ravens were presented with a tube partially filled with water, and a floating worm just out of reach. Some of them would drop stones into the tube to raise the water level until the worm was within reach! I've met people who probably wouldn't figure that one out, those birds are absolutely amazing! Look farther down in that article to see some even more amazing use of tools by ravens.


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## crazy72 (Apr 22, 2010)

Yes they are smart indeed. I remember reading that they have been seen dropping nuts on the road for cars to drive on them and break them open. Then they eat the flesh.


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

Try Carrion Crows, they're (at the moment) considered to be the smartest bird, even topping domesticated parrots

Problem solving by a clever crow - YouTube

worlds smartest crow - YouTube


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

saw a special on pbs about ravens, they showed one lady in england who made a pet of the raven. No need for a cage or anything. For exercise she opens the sun roof and goes for a drive


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

hahaha...my dad used to tell the story of the raven dropping pebbles in the water when i was i a little girl. is there adifference between a raven and a crow? davefrombc used to have a pet crow.

this reminded me of this thief..........Sam the seagull stealing Doritos - YouTube


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## funkycat (Nov 3, 2010)

Whoa haha didnt know there were so many youtube vids of smart ravens/crows. 
Why do the ones here just seem annoying though.


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## mcrocker (May 29, 2010)

onefishtwofish said:


> hahaha...my dad used to tell the story of the raven dropping pebbles in the water when i was i a little girl. is there adifference between a raven and a crow? davefrombc used to have a pet crow.
> 
> this reminded me of this thief..........Sam the seagull stealing Doritos - YouTube


They are in the same family, but are different species. Ravens are much larger and have a pretty different call than crows. I see more ravens farther north, whereas around here I see crows but not ravens. I wouldn't be surprised if there are ravens around the lower mainland, but I don't ever seem to see them.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

They're closer to the mountains. You see them in North and West Van, and also around Pitt Lake or Stave Lake. We have what I think is a mated pair around our place sometimes (we're in the district of North Van near Cap Rd.) They mate for life. Very cool birds.


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## davefrombc (Apr 21, 2010)

Corvines are definitely the geniuses of the bird kingdom. My pet crow was definitely the smartest bird that ever owned me .. I found him the first bad snowstorm day at the start of winter up north . He was laying in the snow on top of a car outside a cafe .. When we came out , he tried to fly off , but fell to the ground. I thought at first he had an injured wing , but it turned out he had a broken leg and was weak from hunger and exposure. I took him home, made a quick cage for him , and gave him some food and water which he went for right away . Within a few minutes i was petting him and he'd fall right over soaking up the attention . Stop petting , he'd get up . .go back to petting and he'd lay right down to soak it up again.
His leg healed up over winter and in spring I walked outside with him on my shoulder to turn him loose. He flew up into a nearby tree and the swallows immediately began harassing him. I called him and he flew back to my shoulder and went into the house with me. After that he never went outside again.. If I walked to the door with him on my shoulder , he'd fly back to his cage.. After he learned the trick of tripping the latch on the cage door , I never bothered to close it again. He'd be out pestering for attention or getting into mischief , and all I had to do was tell him to go back to his cage . He's go and watch you from there. Call him , and he'd be right there for attention or treats. I don't know how old he was when I got him since he was an adult bird , but I had him for a pet for 10 years. If I have the opportunity, I'd have another .


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

That's a super cool story. We have what we call "pet" crows that hang out at our place - there's a family group that lives in our trees (along with about 8-10 Steller's jays) and eats at the bird feeder. They sit on the deck railing and watch "human TV" through the windows and scream at me if I'm late filling the peanut feeder on Saturday mornings.


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## keitarosan (Apr 21, 2010)

ok, this one i experienced personally and it blew my mind the moment i saw it. my family and i went out to woodland park zoo last spring break and my kids were munching on a spicy doritos. my son playfully threw a few pieces to a walking crow nearby and immediately the crow took a small piece, looked at us after tasting it then took another piece but didn't gulp it down like the previous one. here goes..... he walked to a nearby puddle and gently placed the spicy doritos there, waited a few minutes then gulped down the doritos. i was blown away because he did it to wash off the spicyness of the chips. at least that's how i see it. wow!

now i got really curious this time and did a little experiment. i gave another bird a piece of biscotti that i'm eating. as you know, these are hard piece of bread. this bird did the same thing. he gently placed the hard biscotti in the puddle, waited for a bit then gulped down the bread. this bird it softening the hard bread. now that's what i call a smart bird. they don't look as good as parrots, pigeons, etc. but they're not a bird brain either. 

btw, after that last experiment we did not feed the birds anymore. i know those foods are bad for them.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

On a drive to Powder King from PG, and then home again after a day of boarding, we stopped in the community of Bear Lake to use the facilities and get a cup of coffee. On the way out of the gas station (now, its -25...) Keane stops in his tracks, looks over to the other side of the car and says "huh, well, aren't you just a breat big northern chicken". Wondering, I take a look, and seriously the biggest raven I've ever seen, was sitting in the parking lot, feathers all fluffed up to keep itself more insulated. Instantly the quote from the movie despicable me came to mind.. "its so FLUFFAY!"
Yeah, it was adorable.


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