Corvid Thanatology (CROW FUNERALS) with Dr. Kaeli Swift

Dr. Kaeli Swift in the field, being awesome. Also: wearing an Ologies shirt because she is awesome.

Dr. Kaeli Swift in the field, being awesome. Also: wearing an Ologies shirt because she is awesome.

Crows have funerals? CROWS HAVE FUNERALS. The inky black bird with the big brain warns and maybe mourns around their fallen friends and Dr. Kaeli Swift is here to tell us all about it. As an avid wildlife researcher and corvid specialist, she's observed death behaviors that will surprise you to your bones and ruffle your hackles while somehow also making you cry about a peanut. Also: so much inspiration to keep being yourself and to work hard toward what you love. She is a hero.

Listen on Stitcher, iTunes, Omny, Spotify or wherever you get podcasts.

Dr. Kaeli Swift's blog, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter & Instagram


Some links which might be of use:

Mind of the Raven by Bernd Heinrich 

What IS a corvid tho?

Dr. Swift’s video of …a death orgy?

Dr. John Marluff’s mask work 

Many many berbs on the Bothel campus

On Go’s death

Plague doctors: very creepy 


Ologies info:

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Sponsors of Ologies

Transcripts and bleeped episodes

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram

Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris

Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

BirdsAlie Ward