McCoy, like Rutz, also studies New Caledonian crows. New Caledonians were trained to recognise that a box at one end of a table contained more food than a box at the opposite end. Then, the crows were presented with a box in the middle of the table — suggesting an uncertain quantity of meat inside. Birds that had recently used tools to retrieve food from a container approached the mystery box more quickly than those that had not used tools. This indicated that tool use made the crows more optimistic, says McCoy.
Cognition, says McCoy, can be fun. Crows have shown advanced problem solving for situations they would never encounter in the wild Credit: Getty Images.
Crows, in fact, might be like us not so much because they are clever and so are we but rather because they sometimes engage their cleverness simply for fun — and so do we.
The crows McCoy studies have a natural curiosity, she says. They cheekily grab scientific equipment and fly off with it in the aviary. Young birds especially, she says, love to play.
One could argue that there are utilitarian benefits to such mental exertion. But if there is pleasure in it or if it has unexpected effects, one might also say that such activity is just part of what makes life colourful. New Caledonian crows, like us and other clever animals, have moods and memories. Strategies and expectations. They seem remarkably able to engage with complexity.
Evolution made this possible. But cognition, like life itself, serves more than just a need. Animal intelligence allows all sorts of fascinating phenomena to arise. A gorilla that recognises human language.
A crow that solves puzzles. A parrot that tells jokes. Nature provided the notes, but animal brains make the music. The mind, as they say, is the only limit. Join one million Future fans by liking us on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter or Instagram. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.
These observers either wore a so-called neutral mask or one of the dangerous masks worn during the initial trapping events.
Within the first two weeks after trapping, an average of 26 percent of the crows encountered scolded the person wearing the dangerous mask. Around 15 months later, that figure was Three years later, with no action towards the crows since, the number of scolding crows had grown to 66 percent. Knowledge about threats is passed on between peers and from generation to generation. I suppose for some, it can be unsettling to realize that there are other beings besides ourselves who operate on a high level of what we term intelligence.
But as far-out as this sounds, I find it rather comforting to know that there are a lot more brains out there that we may someday be able to tap in order to help solve the many problems on Earth that we humans have created. Twitter - Facebook. For what many would find boring, this is very insightful, and even humorous. Unless you are a bird brain and take offense at this information;. Click here to cancel reply. All rights reserved.
Share on Tumblr. About the author: Candice Gaukel Andrews View all posts by Candice Gaukel Andrews A multiple award-winning author and writer specializing in nature-travel topics and environmental issues, Candice has traveled around the world, from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica, and from New Zealand to Scotland's far northern, remote regions.
In addition to being a five-time book author, Candice's work has also appeared in several national and international publications, such as "The Huffington Post" and "Outside Magazine Online. Yellowstone: Restoring Wolves Revived Willows. For example, a circle and a square would be analogous to red and green rather than to two oranges. The crows grasped the concept the first time, without any training in the concepts of "same and different.
Cats and dogs can solve relatively complex problems, but they can't make and use tools. In this respect, you could say a crow is smarter that Fido and Fluffy. If your pet is a parrot, its intelligence is as sophisticated as a crow's.
Yet, intelligence is complicated and difficult to measure. Parrots have curved beaks, so it's harder for them to use tools. Similarly, dogs don't use tools, but they have adapted to work with humans to get their needs met.
Cats have mastered humanity to the point of being worshiped. Which species would you say is smartest? Modern scientists recognize it's practically impossible to apply an intelligence test across different species because an animal's skill at problem-solving, memory, and awareness depend on its body shape and habitat as much as on its brain. Yet, even by the same standards used to measure human intelligence, crows are super smart.
Goodwin D. Crows of the World. Klein, Joshua TED conference. Retrieved January 1, Rincon, Paul 22 February BBC News. Rogers, Lesley J. Comparative vertebrate cognition: are primates superior to non-primates?.
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