Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Why Can't Crows Be Dumber?

BBC, via nc links:
Researchers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, tested wild-caught crows' reactions to mirrors.
The crows did not recognise themselves but found cached food items by studying their reflections.
The results put the birds in an elite group of species - which includes primates and elephants - known to be able to process mirror information.
New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) are known for their intelligent and innovative use of tools, such as twigs, which they use to fish nutritious insects out of holes and crevices.
Mirror experiments with other members of the same family of birds, the corvids, have found that magpies recognise their reflections but jungle crows do not.
It makes me mad when crows sit in the yard when I am outside and unarmed, but take off as soon as I bring a gun outside.

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