The ravens were vindictive birds
Crows are known for their intelligence and wit. Now it turned out that they are still well characterized when they are hurt or cheat, according to scientists from Lund University (Sweden).
In the experiment, the ravens offered a “trade” with partner man: he gave a piece of cheese in exchange for a crust of bread, which was a bird. However, some people honestly did the deal while others cheated — took away the cheese and bread.
A month later the experiment was repeated and found that the crows avoided to conduct such “business” with the deceivers, reports Science.
This suggests that crows can not only distinguish between “just” and “unjust” people, but also retain the ability for at least a month, the researchers write.
The ravens are a complicated social life that is associated with friendship and rivalry. Their ability to recognize dishonest people even after just one meeting can help to explain the development of relationships between different individuals of this species. For people, however, the moral of this story is simple: be honest with the ravens.