Corvids are everywhere: they are found on nearly every continent, and many species thrive in human dominated environments. They have influenced art and literature throughout history, and whether they inspire love or hate, they have certainly impacted the hearts and minds of the humans who share their space. But being common isn’t enough to earn this level of connection. So, what is it about corvids that positions them to take such a prominent role in culture and story-telling traditions? And how does that relationship impact the birds themselves? Join Dr. Kaeli Swift as she explores the unique features of corvids that make them so appealing to watch and study, answers why they do (some of!) the things they do, and how human attention towards these birds has shaped their own ecology and culture.

Dr. Swift earned her PhD in avian behavioral ecology from the University of Washington. While there, she studied American crows, with a special emphasis on behaviors around death. She is currently a research scientist at the University of Washington, where her work has taken her to the remote Pacific island of Tinian. For the past five years, she has lived and worked on Tinian where she studies rare forest birds. You can read her popular science articles on her blog, corvidresearch.blog.  You can also find her on Instagram and TikTok at the @corvidresearch handle. Video, audio, and print reports of her research have been featured by: National Geographic, PBS, the New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Ologies podcast.