Who is training who?

 

My new best friend, the raven, woke me at five o’clock this morning with several well-known raven “croaks.” My eyes popped open at the sound which was directly over my house. It echoed through the early morning stillness.

The raven was letting me know it wanted one of my treats— but I had no intention of running to the deck in my nightgown at the crack of dawn to obey a raven’s demand. My raven, it seems, is getting nervy.

However, all things considered, my “tame the raven” project is coming along nicely. Last winter a raven would occasionally join the pine siskins, chickadees and nuthatches for sunflower seeds on the ground but avoid me. To gain its friendship, I’ve been setting out tempting treats like stale dinner buns and old cinnamon rolls, hoping this large black bird will grab the treat I’ve left on the rail while I’m on the deck and that seems to be working. Although it keeps a safe distance, the raven is slowly accepting my presence.

My goal is to train it to eat from my hand, but I’m cautiously thinking it over, not sure it’s a good idea. Meanwhile, it’s been interesting to learn about this amazing bird. An internet search provided a wealth of information on raven intelligence and behavior.

Ravens can imitate human speech and have been known to imitate wolves to attract them to a carcass that the raven can’t break apart. When the wolves are done, the ravens get the leftovers. The term “bird brain” certainly doesn’t apply to these birds.

Raven intelligence ranks up there with dolphins and chimps. In one experiment, ravens were shown a tool to help them access a piece of food. Twenty-four hours later, the birds were shown an array of tools and were able to pick out the same ones.

Ravens love to play and that includes in the snow. They’ve been known to slide down hills and a video showing a raven rolling down a snowy hill and obviously loving it, proves it.

I don’t expect my raven friend to perform any exciting feats, just show up and partake of the hospitality. Although, as I set out another choice bit of left-over ham sandwich, I wonder. If ravens are so smart, could this one be training me?