Science On Tap

Wednesday, Janurary 09, 2019, in Vancouver

As the Crow Flies: Corvid Behavior, Play, and Funerals

Crows are everywhere: they are found on nearly every continent and thrive in human dominated environments. They have influenced art and literature throughout history, and whether they inspire love or hate, they have certainly impacted the hearts and minds of the humans who share their space.

Because crows are so common, it may be easy to overlook the fact that they are very intelligent and have complex behaviors and social structures, including play, tool use, communal roosting, and being able to recognize specific humans. Kaeli Swift, PhD, studies crows and other corvids (ravens, jays, and magpies), and will introduce and explain to us the world of these fascinating birds, including, of course, crow funerals.

You can find Dr. Swift on Twitter and Instagram @corvidresearch where she talks about crows, corvids, and other wildlife and plays a weekly game called #CrowOrNo to help people learn how to correctly ID and distinguish different kinds of corvids.