Scientists have been researching New Caledonian Crows and are ready to release their findings in regard to the abilities of this fascinating bird. It has always been known that these crows make use of tools in the wild to obtain food. They create tools from screw pine leaves by using their beaks to cut away the leafy edges to form a narrow strip that they are able to use to scratch in small holes to extract insects. Researchers decided to put the skills of the crows to the test, not by asking them to perform a one step task, but by giving them various options and multi-step tasks to complete. Some birds were able to assess the situation and complete their tasks on their first try, while others were able to figure out the solution to the problem within their first four attempts.

One of the tests given to the crows involved a piece of meat that was placed in a box, but was out of their reach. They were then given a short stick, and a long stick was placed in another box. The crows quickly established that the short stick was too short to retrieve the meat, but long enough to retrieve the longer stick and completed their task, which was rewarded by the tasty treat. Another test gave the crows a straight wire to remove a small bucket from a hole, containing meat. Here, the crows assessed the situation and used their skills to bend the straight wire into a hook to retrieve their food. Zoologist, Alex Kacelnik, from the University of Oxford commented: “These animals learn something interesting, no doubt, and can use its flexibly to generate new behavior, a feat that until a couple of decades ago was thought to be restricted to humans and other apes.” Research has also shown that adults teach their young the skills they know, ensuring that the next generation is also able to solve food related problems. One fact is for certain: humans will never look at crows in the same light again. They have proven to have extraordinary skills and the ability to manufacture tools.

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New Caledonian crows are well-known for their resourceful use of tools in the wild. They have been observed using their beaks to skillfully shape twigs into bug-grabbing devices in a way that some researchers believe to be so advanced that it rivals the abilities of some primates. In an effort to find out more about these intelligent birds, that are easily disturbed and therefore difficult to observe, scientists have developed an ingenious new technique to witness their behavior in their peaceful, densely forested mountainous habitats.

Using extremely light-weight miniaturized video cameras with integrated radio-tags which are attached to the crow’s tail feathers by means of adhesive tape, scientists have been able to record previously unobserved details of crow behavior. The cameras are designed in a way that would not hamper the crow’s movements and could be removed by the bird if it proved to be a nuisance. Alternatively the camera would detach with the bird’s natural molting process in a few weeks.

It had previously been thought that New Caledonian crows only used tools to explore cracks and holes in rotting wood and trees, but now it has been discovered that they use tools on the ground as well. A crow was observed searching through leaf litter, presumably for ants or grubs, using a grass-like stem as a tool. The development of tool-using behavior is generally put down to a response to food shortages in easily accessible places. Without some sort of tool to assist the crow in its quest for food, it would not be able to reach bugs in cracks and holes of trees. Searching through leaf litter with a tool is infinitely more successful for the crow than foraging with its feet or beak.

Researchers have been very encouraged by the results of this study, as it has already provided them with new insight into the New Caledonian crows’ behavior. This advanced technology has opened up new avenues of ornithological field research and has the potential to answer many perplexing questions about the behavior and ecology of other bird species that are difficult to study in their natural environment.

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