In the Company of Crows and Ravens

October 3, 2005
Historically feared, hunted and otherwise maligned, corvids (crows, ravens and the like) have finally found in the coauthors two champions of their cause. Professor Marzluff and artist and writer Angell, in their decades of observing crows and ravens (Angell's illustrations complement the text), have compiled an eye-popping catalogue of crow feats: Japanese carrion crows use moving cars as nutcrackers; Seattle crows, after being trapped by the authors, have learned to avoid them, even in the midst of thousands of UW-students; and, given the choice between french fries in a plain bag or a McDonald's bag, crows choose the branded bag every time. Marzluff and Angell entertain with these stories, but find less success with their arguments that no other animal has been as influential to human culture, and the two species have been for centuries involved in a "cultural coevolution." In essence, shifts in our culture cause crows to adapt, and in response, our culture responds, ad infinitum. They provide a litany of examples of crow influences on human culture (think Counting Crows, cave art and doctors dressed up as crows during the Black Death) and point to the similarities between human and crow cultures (particularly that of social learning) as evidence for the book's unofficial maxim: "to know the crow is to know ourselves." While the claims made here may over-reach, Marzluff and Angell passionately argue crows' importance, and along the way, provide ample evidence of corvid ingenuity.

Starred review from October 1, 2005
Even the most ornithologically challenged recognize and notice crows -they're big and black, loud, social, and smart. Now come two superb studies that should deepen our understanding, and perhaps appreciation, of these fascinating birds and their corvid cousins, ravens. Marzluff (wildlife science, Coll. of Forest Resources, Univ. of Washington) and artist Angell aim for readers to get to know the "whole animal." To that end, these intrepid researchers go to extraordinary lengths, even eating crow (literally: they claim it is scrumptious). Their book offers a satellite view of the corvid bird family, but pays particular attention to the American Crow -its evolution, biology, complex social rituals, tool-handling capabilities, and communication skills. The authors are especially interested in the changing relationships between humans and corvids across time and place, how our culture has affected crows, and how crow "culture" has affected us. In particular, they advance the idea of "cultural coevolution," wherein interaction between corvids and humans leads to social learning and the evolution of each group's culture. Savage ("Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows", "Ravens, Magpies and Jays") offers a witty life history of the crow interlaced with stories, poems, songs, and pictures that support the bird's strong mythic hold on the human imagination over the course of our shared history. (She also helps us appreciate researchers' struggle to turn trickster crows into cooperative study subjects.) Though Angell's more than 100 charming drawings and the authors' clear zest for their subjects may lend "In the Company of Crows" and Ravens popular appeal, this is a serious book well suited for academic or large public collections. Brief and beautifully illustrated, "Crows", on the other hand, is a more accessible book and a perfect choice for general collections. But readers of either book are very likely to agree with Savage that "any day with a crow in it is full of promise." -Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2005
Crows are one of the few birds that everyone can recognize. As ubiquitous members of the worldwide corvid family (which also includes the ravens, jays, magpies, and their kin), the more than 40 distinct species of crows have formed both practical and mythic relationships with their human neighbors. In this delightful blend of science, art, and anthropology, biologist Marzluff and illustrator Angell, both fascinated by the corvids, demonstrate why the crows and ravens are worthy of study and respect. Crows and ravens are adaptable, intelligent, and able to learn, remember, and use insight to solve problems. They use unique methods to obtain food, such as pulling up the lines of ice fishermen and rolling walnuts under car wheels. Humans have long noted these large, black, brainy birds, and their images have entered human culture (we "eat crow," open things with a "crowbar") and human mythology (the Norse god Odin was guided by two ravens). The text travels easily from science to folklore to literature, which, along with Angell's lively black-and-white illustrations, recommends this book highly.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)