Crows, like humans, store their tools when not in use

[Greywings]

Humans use many different tools every day, and are very good at keeping them safe for later use. Dr Christian Rutz, team leader and one of the study's co-authors, said:

"When you put a treasured pen in a pen holder, you know where it is, and can quickly find it again. It turns out that crows do exactly the same, sometimes storing their tools in tree holes or behind bark."

 

 

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-05-crows-humans-tools.html#jCp'>http://phys.org/news/2015-05-crows-humans-tools.html#jCp

 

[h=3]Crows, like humans, store their tools when not in use[/h] Researchers at the University of St Andrews have discovered that crows, like humans, store their tools when they don't need them. The study published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B is the ...

 

http://phys.org/news/2015-05-crows-humans-tools.html

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[katana600]

Thanks for posting this link. In eight years, I have seen a family of crows pass through twice. In January, they came to our backyard right before an extended freeze and ice storm. So, of course, I read to see what I should do. I was wondering if I fed them are they going to stay and become a nuisance. But, I couldn't let them freeze or starve, so I gave them some peanuts. Before I got to the inside door, one had alighted on the deck rail with a great thump. They were surprisingly polite and orderly. They perched in the trees and came one at a time and each took one peanut. Within five minutes, it was fascinating to see them sort the peanuts. One learned quickly that taking the biggest peanut first would act as a lever in its beak and prevent them from picking up a smaller peanut. Quickly sorting peanuts by size, taking the smallest one first, one payload could be up to four peanuts. I quickly ran out of peanuts so I went to the grocery store and bought five pounds of unsalted peanuts. It's only two miles to the store. As I came back down my street they were waiting for me and recognized my car and began "cheering". Over those few freezing days I fed them several times a day. As soon as the cold weather was gone, they didn't beg or hassle me. Subsequently they left me two small gifts on the top of our hot tub. First it was a metal base and filament of a candelabra light bulb. When I saw it I had just cleaned the spa so I had changed the position of the lid and I know there wasn't anything on it. We talked and wondered if it was a gift from the crows, but decided to leave it there in case it was dropped accidentally. Later, as I thought about it, I wondered if it was a slight if I refused their gift, so I went out to get it. I had not seen them near but as soon as I picked up the offering they were excitedly calling to each other. Then they left a screw there. So, I put a shiny button in its place and they took that. They hung around a while and then seem to have gone. Now a new family is here and they are not so polite. They didn't sort the peanuts, they threw them about, ate right on the railing and the got on the deck which the first group did not. They are loud and abrasive and not at all like the first ones in their unkempt appearance and the sound of their calls. They don't take turns and they don't seem respectful of one another like the first group.

[Greywings]

Thuggy Crows, what an interesting experience between the two groups.

[birdhouse]

I loved watching them even before I got addicted to birds in general. I have always felt like you could just see their little wheels turning! Fascinating.