Do Ravens Play? Snow Sliding and Raven Games Explained

How do ravens play?

Researchers usually define play as behavior that seems to have no immediate purpose, is repeated many times, and happens when an animal is relaxed and well fed. Common ravens show several kinds of play that fit this description.

Snow sliding. The most famous raven game is sliding. Ravens have been seen in Alaska, Canada and northern Europe lying on their backs or bellies and sliding down snowbanks or snowy roofs, then going back up and sliding again. Some roll in fresh snow or bathe in it with apparent enthusiasm.

Aerial acrobatics. Ravens are spectacular fliers. They roll over onto their backs in flight, tumble, dive and loop, and one raven was reported flying upside down for more than 800 m (half a mile). Pairs and small groups chase each other, and two birds sometimes lock feet briefly in midair.

Object play. Young ravens pick up twigs, stones, pine cones, bones and all kinds of human litter. They carry them, toss them, hide them, pass them between birds and play tug-of-war. A favorite game is to fly up with a stick, drop it and dive to catch it again before it hits the ground. Ravens are one of very few wild animals seen making their own toys, for example by breaking off a twig to play with.

Hanging and swinging. Young ravens hang upside down from branches or wires by one or both feet, sometimes letting go with one foot and dangling, a behavior that has no obvious use beyond play.

Do ravens tease other animals?

Ravens are notorious teasers. They sneak up behind wolves, dogs, foxes, cats or eagles and pull their tails, then hop or flap out of reach. Wolves and ravens often live closely together, because ravens scavenge wolf kills, and the two have been seen apparently chasing each other in a way that looks like a game of tag.

Some of this behavior may be more than play. By testing how close they can get to a large predator, young ravens learn which animals are dangerous and how fast they react. That knowledge is useful for a bird that depends on stealing food from carcasses guarded by gray wolves, bears and eagles.

Why do ravens play?

Play takes time and energy and can even be risky, so biologists assume it must bring real benefits. Several explanations are supported by studies of ravens and other animals, and they are not mutually exclusive.

• Practice for flying and foraging. Aerial rolls, drop-and-catch games and object handling give young birds practice at the precise movements they need to chase each other, escape predators and handle food.
• Learning about the world. Young ravens are extremely curious about anything new. By playing with objects they learn what is edible, what is dangerous and how things behave. As they grow older, ravens become much more cautious of unfamiliar objects, a change scientists call neophobia.
• Social bonds. Ravens live in complex societies. Shared play, such as passing objects or flying together, may help young birds form friendships and alliances that matter later when competing for food and mates.
• Flexibility. Some researchers argue that play trains animals to cope with the unexpected, helping them recover from slips, falls and surprises.

Studies of ravens raised in research aviaries, such as those at the Konrad Lorenz Research Station in Austria, have found that object play is most intense in young ravens and declines with age. Biologist Bernd Heinrich, who spent years watching ravens in the woods of Maine, described their play in detail and linked it to their intelligence and long learning period.

Is raven play a sign of intelligence?

Play is most common in animals with large brains, long lives and a long period of learning, such as primates, dolphins, dogs and the crow family. Ravens fit this pattern well. They have one of the largest brains for their body size of any bird, solve puzzles, plan ahead and learn from each other. You can read more about their mental abilities in How smart are crows and ravens? and in our list of the smartest animals.

Play is not proof of intelligence on its own, but the variety and creativity of raven play, including inventing new games and objects, is typical of flexible, curious minds.

Do other birds play?

Ravens are not alone. Other members of the crow family, including American crows, hooded crows, rooks, jackdaws, jays and magpies, also play with objects, tumble in flight and tease other animals. A widely shared video filmed in Russia shows a hooded crow sliding repeatedly down a snowy roof on a jar lid, a striking example of play outside ravens.

Parrots are the other great players of the bird world. Keas in New Zealand toss objects, wrestle and roll in the snow, and studies have shown that hearing the kea’s special play call makes other keas start playing. Several of these playful birds also use tools, as our list of animals that use tools shows.

Where can you see ravens playing?

The best chances come in winter and early spring, when ravens perform aerial displays above cliffs, ridges and mountain roads, and when snow gives them a slide. Watch for ravens soaring on updrafts along cliffs, especially on windy days, when they seem to ride the wind for fun. Learn more about the species in our common raven profile.