In the company of crows and ravens /

A felicitous collaboration between Angell (an artist) and Marzluff (a Univ. of Washington biologist), both deeply attached to their subject, has produced this authoritative work on the family Corvidae, crows in the greater sense. Unlike many monographs, this one does not focus on species accounts but attempts to review common aspects of these birds' behavior and ecology worldwide and across many species. The authors emphasize the interaction of crows and humans from Pleistocene times to the present. Their thesis that both crows and humans have coevolved--that human behavior is shaped by crows as much as the reverse--is controversial but not essential to the value of the book as a reference work. More than a hundred black-and-white illustrations by Angell embellish the text; many are striking full-page or double-page compositions of almost abstract art. The highly readable text is nontechnical, and will appeal to readers from high school through postgraduate and professional levels. The book includes copious notes, with complete references; a useful appendix of children's books that involve crows and ravens; and suggestions for readers interested in studying these birds. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All levels. T. C. Williams emeritus, Swarthmore College

Crows are one of the few birds that everyone can recognize. As ubiquitous members of the worldwide corvid family (which also includes the ravens, jays, magpies, and their kin), the more than 40 distinct species of crows have formed both practical and mythic relationships with their human neighbors. In this delightful blend of science, art, and anthropology, biologist Marzluff and illustrator Angell, both fascinated by the corvids, demonstrate why the crows and ravens are worthy of study and respect. Crows and ravens are adaptable, intelligent, and able to learn, remember, and use insight to solve problems. They use unique methods to obtain food, such as pulling up the lines of ice fishermen and rolling walnuts under car wheels. Humans have long noted these large, black, brainy birds, and their images have entered human culture (we eat crow, open things with a crowbar ) and human mythology (the Norse god Odin was guided by two ravens). The text travels easily from science to folklore to literature, which, along with Angell's lively black-and-white illustrations, recommends this book highly. --Nancy Bent Copyright 2005 Booklist

Historically feared, hunted and otherwise maligned, corvids (crows, ravens and the like) have finally found in the coauthors two champions of their cause. Professor Marzluff and artist and writer Angell, in their decades of observing crows and ravens (Angell's illustrations complement the text), have compiled an eye-popping catalogue of crow feats: Japanese carrion crows use moving cars as nutcrackers; Seattle crows, after being trapped by the authors, have learned to avoid them, even in the midst of thousands of UW-students; and, given the choice between french fries in a plain bag or a McDonald's bag, crows choose the branded bag every time. Marzluff and Angell entertain with these stories, but find less success with their arguments that no other animal has been as influential to human culture, and the two species have been for centuries involved in a "cultural coevolution." In essence, shifts in our culture cause crows to adapt, and in response, our culture responds, ad infinitum. They provide a litany of examples of crow influences on human culture (think Counting Crows, cave art and doctors dressed up as crows during the Black Death) and point to the similarities between human and crow cultures (particularly that of social learning) as evidence for the book's unofficial maxim: "to know the crow is to know ourselves." While the claims made here may over-reach, Marzluff and Angell passionately argue crows' importance, and along the way, provide ample evidence of corvid ingenuity. (Oct. 31) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.