Monday Afternoon Diversion: That's So Raven

By Kevin Robinson in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 11, 2011 8:00PM

Besides occupying a place in fiction and folklore, the common raven (corvus corax) is a pretty remarkable bird. Omnivorous in diet and spread across nearly the entire Northern Hemisphere, the raven has one of the largest brains among birds; research has shown that they're capable of problem-solving, and in the wild ravens have demonstrated self-awareness.

Aside from being one of the smartest birds in nature, ravens can mimic sounds from their environment, much like parrots do, including human speech. In the wild they've been observed tricking wolves and coyotes into opening up carcasses for them, making it easier to eat the meat. Here was see a raven quoting the poet who made him famous, while citing Fozzie the Bear.