Inside the Mind of a Crow
Trapped by a raven, a female crow finds herself pinned against the ground with no means of escape. Just when all hope seems lost, a man retrieves his raven and sets the crow free. The distressed but unharmed bird flies off and warns the others. The reunited group changes its migratory pattern and doesn't return to the area for two years.
For thousands of years, crows have been watching us. Only recently have we been studying them. Scientists are finding that they are one of the most intelligent animals on Earth. Crows have the ability to quickly distinguish faces in crowds and easily rival their best human counterparts at this task. Although we like to believe that we stand far apart from our feathered friends, these animals challenge our understanding of intelligence.
New Caledonian crows have the ability to not only use but also build tools. They carve off small shoots on twigs, craft hook tools and sharpen the ends to forage for prey. Crows also cleverly hide their food from each other and will even make believe they are hiding food to throw off the competition and then safely hide it away somewhere else.
With 250 distinct calls including different warning sounds for humans and cats, crows have as robust a language as their physical anatomy will permit. They even have a separate dialect that they only speak to their immediate family members verses a general dialect they use for non-family members.
Crows are also a highly cooperative and caring species. Their period of nursing their young is one of the longest of any species. This gives them greater time to build their cognitive abilities and learn from their parents. The whole extended family, uncles, aunts, grandparents and all cooperate as well by keeping watch of nests. When one dies, the whole group including non-related members gather silently in a tree by the deceased for a few minutes in an eerie ritual not unlike a funeral.
Although crow brains are smaller than some bird species, what they do have, they use well. They can easily discern friend or foe from past experience and are well known for watching humans. Often when we think they've flown off, a closer look reveals they have just gone to a safer vantage point to observe our actions. In fact, it is not uncommon to see them demonstrating their ability to judge the timing of traffic lights where they often drop walnuts onto roads, break them and then safely retrieve the food just in time.
Crows may not be the most magnificent avian species appearance wise, but their cognitive abilities rivals the great primates. In laboratory tests choosing shapes on computer screens, they come very close to children and greatly outperformed canines. They may not ever win a beauty contest, but they have their own agendas and deserve respect as the amazing animals that they are. For more information on crows and animal intelligence, check out pbs.org and the DVD/blu-ray disk, "a Murder of Crows".
About the Author:
Robert Haskell is a contributing author and manager of consumer affairs for http://www.officesalesusa.com which offers a great selection of Earth-friendly products that are safer for the environment including biodegradable trash bags, corn starch utensils, recycled products and more.
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