good one

also see Ravens in Winter

Though never trust these tricksters  if you are trying to learn perching bird behavior.

choad wrote:

Cool, thanks. It's out of print but the library across the street has a copy, so I'll let you know.

A friend wrote this. I highly reccomend it. What the robin knows

I have walked beneath an army of crows, and had them all fall silent to a bird. I have participated in the parliament of ravens, high in the coastal mountains, and again in the Rockies, and learned many things about their history and their ways. Once I stood on a mountain peak, and a particularly hot one gave me a blowjob. It was sensational.

choad wrote:

https://cruelery.com/sidepic/pickawinner.jpg

~ click ~

That's a truly cheering story, for some reason.  Thanks, I needed that.


Goddamnit, you KNOW how much I hate that disgusting picture.

Auto-edited on 2020-08-02 to update URLs

square wrote:

Ravens are smarter than 4-year-old children.

They learned how to operate a puzzle box that opened to yield a reward, but the box could only be opened with a specific tool. The next day, they were shown the puzzle, loaded with food, but no tool. Only an hour later they were shown a tray of objects, including the tool, and given the opportunity to choose just one thing. Fifteen minutes later, the puzzle came back, and if the raven had chosen the right tool, they could open it. . . .

These ravens weren't done yet: they passed a task that required them to choose the tool for opening the puzzle--which contained a superior treat--over an immediate but inferior treat. Doing that requires not just planning, it also requires self-control.

Some are even smarter than PhDs.

The average would have been higher if one of the ravens hadn't thwarted the researchers by figuring out a way to open the puzzle without using a tool--she didn't pick the tool, because she didn't need to.

That's a great article, square. I have spent some large part of my recent years marveling at birds, and wondering how we got it so wrong -- they are fascinating and fantastic, and none more than crows and ravens.

I haven't read the story choad posted about the girl who receives gifts from the crows either, and it's a keeper too.

The jays and crows are intriguing and full of flash. But god damn confusing to interpret their actions. Scientist are constantly warning each other to stay skeptical about the corvids.

Don't forget to notice what the little brown birds are up to. They may know more that first appears. For those who are interested in seeing for themselves what is happening I can recommend this book, What the Robin Knows

I spent half a decade working with the author to develop and refine the source material. It was a labor of love to see the life's  work  from many of the people involved  published in various volumes.

Absolutely nutty things you could not imagine someone producing came out of these projects. Mark went on to being one of the foremost authors of guides. He created a number of new books for the Peterson series. His ability is remarkable to not only do his own research, but compile everyone elses.

Now they're dropping rocks.