Kaeli Swift holds two of the masks used in her crow research. Photo by Jeff Emtman.

Crows have really strange habits around death. When a bird dies, crows gather, squawking loudly and gathering as many other birds as they can find to come and look at the dead body.

Much of what we know about crow funerals comes from the work of John Marzluff, a biologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. He and Kaeli Swift (one of his grad students) are trying to get to the bottom of these strange phenomena using taxidermy crows and masks and Cheetos and raw peanuts.

On this episode of Here Be Monsters, We look at and listen to the strange behaviors of crows and how they might be able to teach humanity about the origins of funerals and emotions.

Each evening, thousands of crows roost in the wetlands of Bothell, Washington

Inside the wetlands

Liuetenant Dungarees (Nora Gunning, left) and The Sturgeon General (Sam Capeloto, right) outside the wetlands of Bothell, Washington

Crow researcher John Marzluff with 3 masks.

From left to right: Vivian, unknown mask, and The Caveman.

Three masks that are in use for crow behavioral studies at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Crow Researcher Kaeli Swift holding two masks used in crow research projects in and around Seattle, Washington.

Kaeli Swift holds a stuffed crow while wearing a mask, replicating the pose used by her volunteers in a crow behavioral study.

Cheetos + Peanuts = Crow Food

The face of Michelle

The taxidermied body of a crow, used in Kaeli Swift's research at the University of Washington.

Jeff Emtman wearing the mask of Michelle.

Bothell, Washington

Many thanks to David Kestenbaum of NPR's Planet Money for his help on a short version of this piece made for radio...keep your ears peeled.

Also, many thanks to Brian Emtman for tipping us off to this story.

Some of the crow sounds in this episode came from Cornell's Macaullay Library. Citation: macaulaylibrary.org/audio/45291http…org/audio/45291

In this episode there are some amazing recordings of funeral practices from around the world, including Laos (LukeIRL), Bali (RTB45), Colombia (renatofarabeuf), and Ghana (Klankbeeld). via Freesound.

Music from Flower Petal Downpour, Serocell, and The Black Spot.