“RAVEN REASON” 

Student Organizer Answer Key

Type of Intelligent Behavior/Abilities

Example as Demonstrated by Ravens 
(or Crows)

Adaptability
	Ravens’ ability to find food in a wide variety of environments. 	

Taking advantage of other animals
	Symbiotic relationship in which ravens lead coyotes to carrion, which the coyotes tear open so the ravens can eat it. 	

Counting
	A raven counting out the exact number of hot dogs it knows it can fly away with.  	

Communication
	Squawking and feather puffing to indicate territorial primacy or hierarchical status. 	

Memory
	Being able to recall the location of cached food. 	

Social interaction
	The dusk gathering of the roost, in which ravens who have found food share information with those that haven’t.	

Cooperation
	Young ravens sticking together to resist attacks by older ravens.  	

Ability to solve complex problems
	Ability to figure out Berndt Heinrich’s “meat on string” tests of spatial reasoning.	

Trial and error learning
	Japanese crows’ crosswalk nutcracking technique.	

Tool use
	New Caledonian crows’ construction, use, and retention of tools for eating insects.	
Other	Answers will vary