Ravens can plan for the future and show self-control comparable to great apes
Some trivia is so bizarre it forces you to rethink your entire understanding of the world. Check out the fact below, see how others reacted, and scroll down to dive into the verified science and history behind it.
In a 2017 study, ravens were shown a box with a puzzle they could solve for a food reward. Later, they were given access to a tool that could solve the puzzle, plus a tempting immediate reward (a food piece). Ravens chose the tool over the immediate food in up to 73% of trials, demonstrating that they understood the tool would produce a future reward worth delaying gratification for. This is comparable to performance by great apes. Ravens also cache food to consume later, protecting it from theft by pretending to hide it when others watch.
Planning for the future — forgoing present reward for anticipated future benefit — was long considered a uniquely primate capacity. Finding it in a bird challenges the idea that complex cognition requires primate-level brain structure.
The Science Behind It
In a 2017 study, ravens were shown a box with a puzzle they could solve for a food reward. Later, they were given access to a tool that could solve the puzzle, plus a tempting immediate reward (a food piece). Ravens chose the tool over the immediate food in up to 73% of trials, demonstrating that they understood the tool would produce a future reward worth delaying gratification for. This is comparable to performance by great apes. Ravens also cache food to consume later, protecting it from theft by pretending to hide it when others watch.
Why Your Brain Finds This Hard to Believe
Sources & Verification
OddlyHuman Editors
VerifiedWritten and fact-checked by the OddlyHuman Behavioral Science Team. We verify all psychological, sociological, and historical claims against peer-reviewed journals, primary sources, and established encyclopedias to bring you accurate insights.
Read our Editorial Guidelines →“Ravens can plan for the future, choosing a useful tool over an immediate food reward because they know the tool will get them something better later. Their self-control rivals great apes. 🐦⬛ #OddlyHuman”