Biomedical Ephemera, or: A Frog for Your Boils

Corvus corax principalis - Northern Raven (Common Raven)

Ravens are incredibly smart. Young ravens are actually playful, much like mammalian youth are - this builds up their brains and coordination that they use so much as an adult. Even the adults play around sometimes, taunting wolves and dogs, playing catch-me-if-you-can. It’s very rare that a canine can catch a raven when the bird initiates a game; they don’t have any element of surprise, nor are they adept at catching flighted animals to begin with.

Juvenile ravens have been observed multiple times sliding down snowbanks like fox pups or bear cubs, and ravens of all ages break off twigs and sticks and play social games with them. It’s fascinating to watch, especially if you have a full “conspiracy” or “unkindness” [archaic collective nouns, now known as a simple flock] living nearby.

Portraits and Habits of our Birds: National Association of Audubon Societies. Edited by T. Gilbert Pearson, 1921.