My (totally amateur) opinion is that, yes, the ravens are just playing. As birds spread to fill many different niches, their vocalizations had to diversify so

My (totally amateur) opinion is that, yes, the ravens are just playing. As birds spread to fill many different niches, their vocalizations had to diversify so they could still find each other. Complex mating displays (singing, dancing, nest building) are fitness demonstrations. They correlate to endurance, resourcefulness, memory, etc. And of course, some behaviors may simply be vestigial.