Name: What crows teach us about death
Uploaded: 2020-10-30T20:13:44Z
Duration: 13 min 14 s
Description: Rituals for the dead span much of the natural world, seen in practices from humans and elephants to bees, dolphins and beyond. With charm and playful insight, animal behaviorist Kaeli Swift delves into the life (and death) habits of crows and shares what their responses could reveal about our own relationship to mortality.

Rituals for the dead span much of the natural world, seen in practices from humans and elephants to bees, dolphins and beyond. With charm and playful insight, animal behaviorist Kaeli Swift delves into the life (and death) habits of crows and shares what their responses could reveal about our own relationship to mortality.

What crows teach us about death

Death rituals are not unique to humans; many animals from ants to elephants display remarkable behaviors toward their dead. Crows, for instance, gather around fallen comrades, sometimes holding silent vigils or even placing objects near bodies. Research shows crows can associate locations and people with death, suggesting these gatherings help them learn about danger in their environment. Yet the full range of animal responses spans from solemnity to startling aggression, revealing that the roots of mourning and meaning are far more varied than once believed.