Rooks, like crows, had already been shown to use tools in previous experiments.
Christopher Bird of Cambridge University and a colleague exposed the rooks to a 6-inch-tall clear plastic tube containing water, with a worm on its surface. The birds used the stone-dropping trick spontaneously and appeared to estimate how many stones they would need. They learned quickly that larger stones work better.
In an accompanying commentary, Alex Taylor and Russell Gray of the University of Auckland in New Zealand noted that in an earlier experiment, the same birds had dropped a single stone into a tube to get food released at the bottom. So maybe they were just following that strategy again when they saw the tube in the new experiment, the scientists suggested.Rooks, like crows, had already been shown to use tools in previous experiments.... more
Wolf Douglas was chosen to cover the Crowfest C20 Economic Summit in White Plains, NY this year and his almost emmy-like reportage is apparent. The crows come by the thousands to attend this summit and work out their differences. They came as far as Crow-A-Sha!.Wolf Douglas was chosen to cover the Crowfest C20 Economic Summit in White Plains, NY... more
In this video, Hacker and writer Joshua Klein talks about his fascination by crows. (Notice the gleam of intelligence in their little black eyes?) After a long study of corvid behavior, he's developed an elegant machine that may form a new bond with people.In this video, Hacker and writer Joshua Klein talks about his fascination by crows.... more
After being taken in by a family of animal lovers, a crow has begun to behave like a dog. He eats dog treats, sits in his owner's lap, and even attacks the postman. While this is oddly interesting, it opens new doors for behavior studies. Can animals impersonate the behavior of other animals if placed in an environment with that animal?
All I know is that kids should not try this at home. :)After being taken in by a family of animal lovers, a crow has begun to behave like a... more
Part of the problem is garbage – having no large landfills, Tokyo's garbage tends to sit outside until carted away, and in the interval becomes a fetid feast for the winged scavengers. It should also be mentioned that Tokyo crows aren't like the crows most of us are familiar with. Nope, these are crows on steroids, Terminator crows, Corvus Maximus as it were. They're big, mean, sport wickedly curved beaks and travel in flying wolf packs.Part of the problem is garbage – having no large landfills, Tokyo's garbage... more
Photos of crows cooling off at a public paddling pool at Clapham Common in London, England.Photos of crows cooling off at a public paddling pool at Clapham Common in London,... more
After a long amateur study of corvid behavior, hacker and writer Joshua Klein is fascinated by crows. He has come up with an elegant machine that may form a new bond between animal and human.After a long amateur study of corvid behavior, hacker and writer Joshua Klein is... more
