Crows: The Ultimate Bird Problem Solvers?
Crows are so intelligent and therefore efficient at getting food, that they have no idea what to do with their brains when not eating-- they then invent games and play. Fascinating to watch.
Mike Barber (HG champion) told me he once watched many many crows lined up on a power line. One by one, they flew down to an apparently important dead crow comrade of theirs, walked around it, then flew up to the wire on the other side-- each apparently paying his / her respects to their dead comrade.
Unfortunately also, with crows intelligence, they are causing problems-- as Ken can tell you, crows benefit from urbanization and are able to exploit niches near wilderness areas-- hence, they have learned to attack desert tortoises from their perches on power lines, breaking holes in their shells and eating the tortoise. They are also evicting many native species of birds-- chasing them off and or eating their eggs / young.
Comments
Fascinating video XC ... I've observed crows and noticed that they definitely have some cognitive skills not typical in most creatures. Sometimes they seem mischievous and sneaky but mostly its a combination of being both hungry and smart at the same time. They appear to have an amazing memory and can observe and put things together. Very interesting.
That was really amazing. Our bigger problem in the Mojave is their bigger cousin the Raven, just as smart and twice as big. We don't stand a chance.