Skip to main content

Welcome! Be sure to visit the NABC website as well.

Can Ravens Read? A Conversation, and Ted - UPDATE January 18, 2017

In Ely, ravens rule in winter. They fly overhead watching. They perch on buildings and power poles with an eye out for food. But I wasn’t thinking about ravens when RavenRaven's rule in winterI drove to Ely to get corn for deer for the Wildlife Research Institute. At Ely Flower and Seed, Dave piled twelve bags in the back of the pickup. I went to Zup’s Grocery to get food for humans. I was in the store maybe 20 minutes. When I came out, a raven on the tailgate of the pickup didn’t fly until I started to get in. Then I noticed the top row of bags. All opened. What was it about those bags in the back of a pickup in a big parking lot that drew attention. Ravens have a good sense of smell, but the smell of food is everywhere at a big grocery story, and no food was visible. In those few minutes, a raven flew over, recognized the bags, and tore into three of them. I couldn’t tell that the raven had actually eaten from any of them. Did it tear into three of them looking for something other than corn? The bag said “FEEDS” but wasn’t specific. I’m not ready to accept that ravens can read, but I’m surprised that a raven would recognize these bags as potential food and check them out like this. 

Raven pecks on bags Raven pecks on bags 20170118 Raven 3
Raven pecked bags Eye of the raven High on a perch

 

Out the window, a male hairy woodpecker was on the suet when a gray jay hesitantly took a few pecks from the other side of it. The woodpecker told the jay to have better manners. The jay backed off. I think this is the same woodpecker that stands up and flares its wings at squirrels, thrusting his beak at them.Hairy woodpecker and gray jayGray Jay VS Woodpecker The jay backed off to a smaller piece of suet. The woodpecker said it was still too close and had a conversation (photo). The jay said he meant no harm and was nonthreatening. The usually brave woodpecker gave up and retreated to the peace of a nearby branch. The jay went back to gathering pieces of suet to carry off and stash here and there.

A Lily Fan emailed a birthday greeting to Ted: “A very HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY to a very dear friend TED. Miss you big guy but your pictures are all over the walls of my " man cave " so the fond memories linger on..” He was in a Black Bear Field Course a couple years back and will never forget Ted, Lily, and the other bears we look forward to reconnecting with this summer.

Thank you for all you do.

Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center


Share this update: