Ravens are corvids, a species which also includes crows, magpies and jays. Ravens are the largest of this group being two to three times the size of a crow. Many scientists believe that ravens and crows have an intelligence rivaling that of chimpanzees.

Young ravens like to have fun and often play games like hanging upside down and balancing on a flimsy perch. They are said to be the most playful of the corvids and often imitate each other in their play. If one slides down a snowbank, others may follow suit. They also like to show off by doing aerial acrobatics or going to unusual (frightening to them) sources of food to attract potential mates.

Ravens, as do many species of corvid, have a talent for mimicry. A tame raven named Macaw greeted his keepers by how they greeted him, "Hellomacaw." Ravens also may have the most complex vocalizations of any species other than humans with upwards of sixty recognizably different calls that permit them to express many meanings.

Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven