Caltech Wildlife: Crows and Ravens

Correction of the previous issue “Caltech Wildlife: A Welcome Guide”: The caption for the first photo “a mysterious snapping turtle” should actually be “a razor-backed musk turtle.” Many thanks to Hannah Way, the current president of the Caltech turtle club, for pointing that out. According to Hannah, “we have two of these turtles in the pond. They can be identified by their tall and ridged shell with distinct overlapping diamond-shaped scutes down the middle. These turtles can actually breathe underwater by utilizing special papillae on their tongue to extract oxygen from the water. This means they can stay underwater for months at a time, which makes it a rare and special occasion for them to be spotted basking on the shore!”

We will have a special column dedicated to the turtles in future issues.

Now, time to talk about the corvid.

Who’s the smartest creature on the Caltech campus? You might think of a brilliant classmate who is always on top of everything, or a witty professor known for sharp remarks during your torturing candidacy exams. But at the pinnacle of the non-human world are a group of birds you might easily mistake for shadows—members of the corvid family: American crows and common ravens.

Crows on campus like to hang out in gangs, giving them an unmistakably gangster-like vibe. Their favorite spots include the rooftops of Caltech’s parking structures. On a hot summer day, you might see them lined up in a row, panting with open beaks under the shade. It’s a scene straight out of a movie: a group of watchful figures crouched on the pavement, eyes following every passerby. Then, without warning, they swoop down—the fast sweep of black wings casting shadows over the lawns, prompting every terrestrial creature (me included) to instinctively look up. That’s an innate response towards the looming stimuli.

Crows do act like gangsters. With harsh cries, they mob and chase away birds of prey like Cooper’s hawks or red-tailed hawks. I once saw a young red-shouldered hawk wander into campus, perhaps seeking new territory. Within moments, a group of crows had spotted the intruder. They surrounded it midair, screeching and dive-bombing until the hawk flew away. These high-speed aerial chases are like action scenes unfolding above your head on Caltech campus.

And crows don’t just pick fights—they play pranks, too. I once spotted two crows and a squirrel standing together on the fence outside Beckman Auditorium. The squirrel stared curiously into my camera, anticipating treats, completely unaware of a crow sneaking up behind it. The crow, perfectly aware of my presence, didn’t care about its deed being recorded. It hopped in tiny steps and suddenly – it plucked the squirrel’s tail and sent it flying in panic! I was laughing so hard that the photos were shaking out of focus – so I only had one taken of the imminent moment.

Besides crows, we also have ravens on campus. Telling crows and ravens apart is a required lesson for beginner birders. Online guides will tell you to examine their calls, wing shapes, tail profiles, beak curves, body size, and more. These details are scientific but can be overwhelming and difficult to catch with the naked eye. But here’s a tip: listen for a sound like water drops falling from a fountain, or like a monk rhythmically striking a wooden fish. That Zen-inducing, percussion-like call is unique to female ravens. We still don’t know why only females make it—but it’s mesmerizing. The sound is so odd that you’ll look up and be surprised to find a raven as the broadcasting source on the top of pines.

Crows and ravens are undeniably intelligent. People often try to quantify animal intelligence by comparing it to human development, saying things like “crows are as smart as 8-year-old kids.” Personally, I find this comparison anthropocentric. These birds are fully functional adults—self-sufficient and navigating complex social lives in the wild. Adult birds form lifelong partnerships and organize themselves within strict social hierarchies. They forage and scavenge in their territories. At dusk, they will fly together towards the same roost to rest for the night. They have close friends and distant acquaintances, and even attend what appear to be funerals (source: National Audubon Society). They recognize humans who are kind or mean to them. They also engage in tool use and playful behaviors—like snowboarding on plastic lids for fun.

Rather than measure them by standards of human intelligence, it’s more fitting to appreciate crows and ravens as they are: clever, complex beings perfectly adapted to their world. The Caltech corvids occupy their own ecological niche, and I invite you all to observe their behavioral richness while you take a stroll around the campus.

A common raven enjoying a little snack from the human photographer.

A raven in flight. Notice the diamond-shaped tail, thick beak and sharp wing tips.

You are very likely to be under the observing gazes of a crow while you walk around the campus.

An american crow pondering the next move of its prank.