The Corvids — which include birds like crows, ravens, magpies, jays, nutcrackers and their relatives — are familiar backyard visitors with extraordinary behaviors enabling them to thrive where many other species cannot.

On Thursday, March 6 at noon in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Coe Auditorium, Dr. John Marzluff, professor emeritus of Wildlife Science at the University of Washington, shares his research into this group of birds in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The free talk, Gifts of the Corvids, is part of the Draper Natural History Museum’s Lunchtime Expedition series.

Focusing on crows and ravens, Marzluff highlights secrets of corvid life that he, colleagues, and students have unveiled through experiments and observations conducted over the past four decades.

“The audience will learn how crows have mastered city life, including a long-lasting ability to recognize people and hold grudges,” Marzluff says.

Through brain imaging experiments, he has been able to draw parallels between human cognition and that of crows.

The talk also delves into Marzluff’s research into the relationship between ravens, wolves, and humans in Yellowstone National Park. From data collected through state-of-the-art transmitters on tagged ravens, he says, “The birds shared their secrets as they flew a hundred miles directly to new kills, commandeered territory, found mates, and reared young.” Marzluff discusses what all this tells us about these opportunistic birds.

All Lunchtime Expedition presentations are recorded and will be posted to the Draper Museum’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/@drapernaturalhistorymuseum3506) within a day.

Marzluff has mentored more than 40 graduate students and authored more than 170 scientific papers on various aspects of bird behavior and wildlife management. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithologist’s Union, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a National Geographic Explorer.

His research has been the focus of articles in The New York Times, National Geographic, Audubon, Boys Life, The Seattle Times, National Wildlife, Consumer Reports, Time, and Science. PBS’s Nature featured his raven research in its production “Ravens,” and his crow research in the film documentary “A Murder of Crows.” 

Marzluff has edited several books and written six that explore the natural science of birds including pinyon jays, crows, ravens, and meadowlarks. His research ranges from the biology and neurobiology of the birds themselves to their interactions with humans, as well as how people can steward the biological diversity of bird species on moderately settled lands to the benefit of both the human and corvid occupants.

The Draper Museum’s Lunchtime Expedition lecture series is made possible through support from Sage Creek Ranch and the Nancy-Carroll Draper Charitable Foundation. All talks in the series are free and open to the public, and most take place the first Thursday of the month from February through December.

To find out more about this presentation and the Lunchtime Expedition series, contact Draper Museum Curator Corey Anco at coreya@centerofthewest.org or 307-578-4093. The Center of the West’s full calendar of events can be found at centerofthewest.org/events.