Crows Know How

Researchers and scientists have been studying the New Caledonian crow for a number of years now. It has proven to be a bird with extraordinary capabilities, able to solve problems and use tools to gain access to food. This remarkable talent has led to numerous papers being published in regard to the intelligence of the crow. It seems that researchers wanted more and believed that the crows’ problem solving skills could be pushed a little further, and they were right. New tests have shown that crows are able to devise plans and show extreme caution in unfamiliar circumstances.

Breakthrough in Understanding Bird Intelligence

Humans and primates have always been seen as intelligent due to the ability to solve problems and create tools to assist in various labors. But there is another creature that uses its tool making skills every day: the New Caledonian Crow. Similar in size to the normal House Crow, New Caledonian Crows can be distinguished by their less slender look, and their rich feathers that often shine in shades of dark blue and purple. They are all black in color, with chiseled features, and have very advanced skills that give the phrase “bird-brain” new meaning.

The Fascinating Flightless Cassowary

The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a large flightless bird found in the Seram Islands of Indonesia and the tropical rainforests of Aru, as well as New Guinea and northeastern Australia. Cassowaries have a reputation for being bad tempered and dangerous, a reputation that has been reinforced by the 2004 edition of the Guinness World Records, which lists the Cassowary as the most dangerous bird in the world.

New Caledonian Crows in the Spotlight

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.

Amazing woodpecker tongues – Birds

You’ll often hear woodpeckers rattling their bills against trees. They’re going after their favorite food: bugs hiding under the tree bark. The woodpeckers have some very specialized equipment for extracting them.