During the many years I camped in a tent in S.E. Alaska ravens were a usual part of life. Science has shown that ravens are about the smartest bird, with blue jays and magpies being second Ravens make camp life in the northern forest far less bland than it might be with so few creatures living in it besides bear, wolf (if one is lucky) and so forth-it isn't the Amazonian rain forest so rich with wildlife.
Ravens usually woke me up each morning flying over the tent or landing nearby and sounding off with various calls just before light when safe flying was possible. They weren't attracted just by the possibility of food, although they will recognize people that feed them now and them and distinguish them from those that don't, as they also distinguish those that have attacked them from those that haven't.
http://www.nwf.org/news-and-magazines/national-wildlife/birds/archives/2013/crows-recognizing-faces.aspx
Ravens will interact simply to have something to do, vocally. One can reply to basic raven caws with a similar caw, yet the vast range of raven sounds changes, and they have a repertoire that English language speakers cannot well imitate. Ravens seem attracted by certain kinds of music from a radio, and seem to like sound quite a lot as it is a tool for communication as well as pleasure. Some of the sounds are quite remarkable. With good sound recording equipment and living in a tent several years a scientist could record quite a raven lexicon, yet its important to have a relationship with the birds rather than to be simply a visitor in order to observe the social communication permutation.
After feeding ravens walking along a road a couple of days with leftovers or crackers attacked by mice and deemed unsafe to eat ravens on subsequent days remember the source of food and will follow the walking individual and fly as close as a foot or two away to attract attention and stimulate the recall of the walker that the raven wants food. Ravens even remember where a trail is that the walker will take and may approach just at the critical moment as a last chance to get a crust of bread.
Raven life is interesting to observe.
Ravens usually woke me up each morning flying over the tent or landing nearby and sounding off with various calls just before light when safe flying was possible. They weren't attracted just by the possibility of food, although they will recognize people that feed them now and them and distinguish them from those that don't, as they also distinguish those that have attacked them from those that haven't.
http://www.nwf.org/news-and-magazines/national-wildlife/birds/archives/2013/crows-recognizing-faces.aspx
Ravens will interact simply to have something to do, vocally. One can reply to basic raven caws with a similar caw, yet the vast range of raven sounds changes, and they have a repertoire that English language speakers cannot well imitate. Ravens seem attracted by certain kinds of music from a radio, and seem to like sound quite a lot as it is a tool for communication as well as pleasure. Some of the sounds are quite remarkable. With good sound recording equipment and living in a tent several years a scientist could record quite a raven lexicon, yet its important to have a relationship with the birds rather than to be simply a visitor in order to observe the social communication permutation.
After feeding ravens walking along a road a couple of days with leftovers or crackers attacked by mice and deemed unsafe to eat ravens on subsequent days remember the source of food and will follow the walking individual and fly as close as a foot or two away to attract attention and stimulate the recall of the walker that the raven wants food. Ravens even remember where a trail is that the walker will take and may approach just at the critical moment as a last chance to get a crust of bread.
Raven life is interesting to observe.
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