The brain trust of the bird world are the corvids. This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. They exhibit cognitive abilities comparable to some primates.
Corvids have a large brain size for their body size, which means their brains are well-suited for processing complex information and solving problems. These birds use their smarts among other things to find and acquire food. New Caledonia Crows showed researchers this in repeated tests. A female used a bent wire to fish food out of a bucket. A male observed her and stole her tool so he could get the treats himself. She was left with a straight wire, which she re-shaped and used to continue getting the treats. She was not helped in any way in this task by the researchers.
Corvids have evolved to have strong memories, which aid in learning and adapting to new situations. They can recognize human faces and hold grudges. Researchers had their students wear masks and then bother local crows. After that, anytime the crows saw a masked person, they mobbed the person. If that same student went around unmasked, the birds ignored the student.
The above study also showed that corvids are highly social animals. They learned who was a potential enemy and passed the information along to the other members of their flock. When I was in Florida, I remember a Florida Scrub-Jay observing me and wanting the treats I was dropping on the ground. It didn’t know me, so it made sure none of its family left the shelter of the bushes while I was still there.
Next time you’re out walking, remember the corvids are watching your every move.
Note: Crow image generated by ChatGPT.
Leave a Comment