Ravens Console Each Other After Fights

After ravens see a friend get a beat down, they approach the victim and appear to console it, according to new research.  This is the first evidence for birds consoling one another.

Ravens are one species of corvid, a famously smart group of birds, so they are a natural set of study subjects for researchers probing the uniqueness of mammalian behaviors like empathetic consolation. The consolation of fight victims has only been definitely shown in chimpanzees and bonobos. Recent studies show similar behaviors in dogs and wolves, but how consolation works in those animals hasn’t been tested.

The scientists noticed that birds with whom a victim spent a lot of time were most likely to approach it after a fight.  A victim’s “friends” seemed to notice when it was stressed by the fight.

Original article here.