Sulky Ravens Share Their Bad Mood With Their Friends

[Judi Lynn]

(BergmannD/iStock)

MICHELLE STARR 26 MAY 2019

You know how when one of your friends is grumpy, it brings everyone's mood down? Well, it that's not unique to humans. Turns out some of our favourite avian friends are prone to the same malady. A raven in a huff makes other ravens surly, too.

According to new research, when a raven is shown food it dislikes, other ravens nearby are less interested in their own food - even if they can't see the first raven's food. They are responding not to the stimulus, but the first raven's disgust.

Such mood-sharing is called 'emotional contagion', and it's thought that it can be a tool for sharing information, empathy and group bonding.

It's not been studied much in animals because it can be difficult to differentiate it from mimicry, or behavioural contagion. But if any animal can demonstrate social and emotional intelligence, surely it would be corvids, so well known for their problem-solving smarts.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/sulky-ravens-share-their-bad-mood-with-their-friends

[sprinkleeninow]

1. I got this going on myself. 🙄 n/t