The incredible intelligence of crows

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In summary: Summary: In summary, crows use bread to fish for food, and motorcycles are the cause of their deaths.
  • #1
ElliotSmith
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A crow solves an 8-part puzzle to use a longer stick to get at some food.

 
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  • #3
We had a couple of threads here (or at least posts) about how smart crows are, and yeah, they ARE
 
  • #4
Here (Perth) they always steal plastic and smash lunch boxes to uncover and get the remains of food.
 
  • #5
phinds said:
We had a couple of threads here (or at least posts) about how smart crows are, and yeah, they ARE
Recently I saw a crow scavenged a dumped bag of potato crisps, then dumped the empty bag into a nearby wheelie bin!
 
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  • #6
A few years ago, I watched a few years a couple of crows for about 10 minutes.
One had a walnut and was trying to drop it onto the street to break it open, but the second crow wanted to get the bits when the walnut broke so it was following the first bird around. The first crow therefore took lots of devious means to drop the walnut such that the nut would be on the ground near him (or her) before the other bird could get to it.
It was fascinating to watch.
 
  • #7
Not just crows, but birds in general, particularly parrots.
 
  • #10
That's certainly not what I thought when a crow pooped on my favourite hat as a child.
 
  • #11
We don't have a lot of crows in NZ but we do have a very intelligent mountain parrot we call the Kea. They are great problem solvers but are mainly known for their ability to strip your car of every piece of plastic, rubber or material.

Cheers
 
  • #12
I once saw a crow on the street that was soaking a dry piece of bread in a puddle. Smart-ass ;)
 
  • #13
MulderFBI said:
I once saw a crow on the street that was soaking a dry piece of bread in a puddle. Smart-ass ;)
That's cool!

Prepare to be further amazed:
Smart Heron Used Bread To Fish - Super Smart Animals - BBC Earth
 
  • #14
Crows really are intelligent birds. Unfortunately they've been dying by the thousands up in my province lately.

The problem was so bad, the provincial government commissioned a study to see what was causing all the crow deaths. I have a friend who does a lot of those bird surveys and he was asked to help out by the group conducting the study.

My friend ended up spending weeks out in the fields, "counting crows" so to speak and at the conclusion of the study, it turned out the problem was motorcycles.

You see crows spend a lot of time or roads, either for the heat or to nibble on road kill or worms that have washed up after a storm. But they're smart enough to warn each other. When a four wheeled vehicle approaches they all start crying out: "CAW CAW CAW!"

But the problem is that none of them can say: "MOTOWCYCLE MOTOWCYCLE MOTOWCYCLE!"

o0)
 
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  • #15
How crows are making use of driving cars to open nuts really blew my mind:

 
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  • #16
http://www.crowdedcities.com/#training

"The crow goes out telling the others, or keeps this secret to himself – we are not sure."

It will be interesting to see how this works out in the real world.
 
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  • #17
Choppy said:
Crows really are intelligent birds. Unfortunately they've been dying by the thousands up in my province lately.

The problem was so bad, the provincial government commissioned a study to see what was causing all the crow deaths. I have a friend who does a lot of those bird surveys and he was asked to help out by the group conducting the study.

My friend ended up spending weeks out in the fields, "counting crows" so to speak and at the conclusion of the study, it turned out the problem was motorcycles.

You see crows spend a lot of time or roads, either for the heat or to nibble on road kill or worms that have washed up after a storm. But they're smart enough to warn each other. When a four wheeled vehicle approaches they all start crying out: "CAW CAW CAW!"

But the problem is that none of them can say: "MOTOWCYCLE MOTOWCYCLE MOTOWCYCLE!"

o0)
10/10 execution from antitheses to conclusion.
 

What makes crows so intelligent?

Crows have a high level of intelligence due to their large and complex brains, which contain a high number of neurons. They are also highly adaptable birds, able to learn and problem-solve in order to survive in various environments.

How do crows communicate with each other?

Crows use a variety of vocalizations and body language to communicate with each other. They are also able to recognize and remember individual cawing patterns, allowing them to identify each other and convey specific messages.

Can crows use tools?

Yes, crows are known for their ability to use tools in order to obtain food. They have been observed using sticks, twigs, and other objects to reach food that is otherwise difficult to access.

Do crows have a concept of time?

While it is not fully understood, research suggests that crows do have a concept of time. They are able to anticipate future events and plan accordingly, and have been observed waiting for food sources to become available at specific times.

How do crows demonstrate problem-solving abilities?

Crows have been shown to have impressive problem-solving abilities, such as using tools to obtain food, recognizing and remembering human faces, and even completing complex tasks in order to access food. They also have the ability to learn from observing others, making them highly adaptable problem-solvers.

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