A corvid is any bird belonging to the crow family, which includes crows, ravens, jays, magpies, and jackdaws. These birds are famous for being remarkably intelligent: they can solve puzzles, use tools, recognize human faces, and even plan for the future.

Scientists have watched corvids do amazing things. Crows in Japan have learned to drop nuts in crosswalks so cars will crack them open, then wait for the traffic light to change before retrieving their snack. Ravens can remember people who've treated them badly and hold grudges for years. Some corvids hide food in hundreds of different spots and remember where each piece is buried months later.

Corvids also appear frequently in mythology and literature. In many stories, ravens serve as messengers or symbols of wisdom. Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem features a raven that keeps saying “Nevermore.” Some Native American stories feature Raven as a clever trickster who created the world or brought fire to humans.

If you see a large black bird and aren't sure whether it's a crow or a raven, size offers a clue: ravens are significantly bigger, about the size of a hawk. Both are corvids, though, and both are probably smarter than they look.