Ravens: Yellowstone's Clever Corvids

To fit with the spooky theme of today, Halloween, we are spending some time with one of Greater Yellowstone’s most enigmatic and charismatic creatures. If you’ve been to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, you’ve definitely seen these beautiful, surprisingly large, black birds that seem dead set on making mischief. That’s right, we are talking ravens.

Ravens can be found throughout Greater Yellowstone and are members of the corvid family, which also includes crows, magpies, jays, and more. These birds are known for their intelligence, mimicry skills, and penchant for taking advantage of and robbing unsuspecting Yellowstone visitors. But beyond giving tourists plenty of stories, what role do ravens play in this remarkable ecosystem? 

Today, we’re chatting with Lauren Walker: wildlife biologist and former member of the Yellowstone Bird Program. While at Yellowstone, she participated in many avian research projects, including some focused on ravens! 

We cover a lot of fascinating ground today, including how to tell the difference between ravens and crows; what we know about the intelligence of ravens and their relationships with wolves; and some fun facts that even us raven nuts didn’t know.

Voices of Greater Yellowstone was created by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, a conservation nonprofit dedicated to working with people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, now and for future generations.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.

> Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.

> Check out Lauren holding a raven in Yellowstone

> Mind of the Raven - Bernd Heinrich

> In the Company of Crows and Ravens - John Marzluff

> Yellowstone's Birds - Douglas Smith, Lauren Walker, Katharine Duffy

> Donate to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition

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Podcast Artwork > Rachel Dunlap Art

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