Raven training progress

I may have mentioned before that some ravens hang out in our yard. I read that they're as smart as dogs, so I decided to try to train them.

First, I started to put snacks out for them. It seems they prefer cookies and bread. They ignore cheese, which means the squirrels eat it, which then means the squirrels conk out for a big, full-tummy nap in the platform birdfeeder. But then I think they're dead, so no more cheese is going out there. The ravens don't really care for pretzels, but they'll eat Cheerios if there's nothing better.

They really seemed to learn fast to expect food from us. After about a week of sometimes showing up and sometimes not showing up, they seemed to catch on that there would be food every day. Now, if I don't get it out there early enough, they'll sit in trees and caw until I bring it.

And today! A raven was in the tree nearest the deck, on a branch close to the railing. When I went out with the leftover toast I wanted to give them for today's snack, he didn't fly away like they usually do when I come out. Earlier on, they'd fly away if I even came close to the sliding glass door. But today he just sat in his tree and watched me put his toast out. I was only about five feet away from him. Him and his large, sharp beak and deadly claws.

Soon, my pretties, soon you will do my bidding! Soon, the barky dogs of the neighborhood will have bird shit on their heads! As a second warning, their eyes will be pecked out! BWAH HA HA HA HA.