The first round of research was done to see how crows make use of tools to forage. Researchers gave the crows a three phase puzzle which was solved successfully. They first used a short stick to retrieve a longer stick, which they then had to use to get to their food which was placed in a hole. This test already stunned researchers, but the crows have now shown that they use tools for various other actions as well.

Over and above using sticks to find food, it seems that New Caledonian crows also use sticks to look at objects they deem to be potentially dangerous. Instead of inspecting it closely, they make use of their sticks to take a look around first before approaching something they are unfamiliar with. Dr. Joanna Wimpenny, a research zoologist on the team is very excited about the new findings, saying: “Evidence is building up that they’re able to plan their actions in advance, which is very interesting from a cognition point of view. It isn’t just that they’re responding in a pre-programmed sort of way. It seems possible they may potentially view a problem and know what the answer is.”

To test this, a rubber snake was used in one instance. The crow moved a little closer, but showed signs of being hesitant. He then used a tool to prod the snake a few times and after seeing no movement, he quickly pulled on the tail while jumping backwards. Once he was sure that the rubber snake posed no danger, he approached completely and began pecking on it. These tests and research prove that crows have an intricate thought process. Further behavioral studies are underway to find out more about these fascinating birds and their intelligent problem solving abilities.

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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, Professor 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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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.

Reaching a weight of 85 kgs, the Southern Cassowary is the second largest bird in the world (after the Ostrich), and is the largest of the three-member Cassowary family. It has hard, stiff plumage, a blue face and neck, a brown casque (horn-like crest) and a red nape. Because of the two red wattles hanging down its throat, the Southern Cassowary is also referred to as the Double-wattled Cassowary or Two-wattled Cassowary. The plumage of the Southern Cassowary is sexually monomorphic, but the female is larger than the male, is dominant and has brighter colored bare parts, as well as a longer casque. The plumage of the immature Southern Cassowary is plain brown.

This solitary bird only pairs in the breeding season, which occurs in late winter or spring. The male Southern Cassowary is a stay-at-home dad. He builds the nest, incubates the clutch of three to six eggs and raises the chicks. The nest, which is a mattress-like structure made out of herbaceous plant material, is built on the ground in a sheltered area, such as among tall grass.

The Cassowary is an elusive bird, preferring to hide out in dense foliage and long grass, avoiding contact with humans. But when disturbed, and especially when cornered or threatened, Cassowaries are known to lash out with their powerful legs, and are fully capable of inflicting a fatal blow to an adult human.

The Cassowary’s prehistoric-looking casque is the subject of much debate among avian experts as to what its purpose is. One possibility is that it serves as an identifying feature for determining the sex of the bird, with the female’s casque being longer than the males. Other suggestions are that the casque is used by the bird to batter its way through thick underbrush; is used as a tool for pushing leaf litter aside when foraging; or it may be used as a weapon in dominance disputes. Research indicates that it is very likely that the Cassowary uses its casque in some form of acoustic communication.

Fruit on low branches, or fallen fruit, is the mainstay of the Cassowary’s diet. In rain forests they serve an integral role in the ecosystem as they swallow the fruit whole and distribute seeds in the excrement across the jungle floor. They are also known to eat fungi, insects, snails, frogs, insects and even snakes.

Sadly, loss of habitat has caused a drastic decline in Southern Cassowary numbers. In the Mission Beach area of Australia alone, Cassowaries have lost around 50 percent of their vital habitat over the past decade. With the encroachment of man, hand feeding the birds has become a problem, as the food offered is seldom good for their state of health. Southern Cassowaries are listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species, which means that avian conservationists are aware of the problem and will no doubt take whatever steps are necessary to stop the decline, and even reverse the current situation.

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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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First they have a sturdy bill, for pounding holes in the wood, or for chipping pieces of bark out of the way. It needs to be sturdy – the bird’s bill may be traveling at 25 miles per hour when it hits the tree! Woodpeckers have special shock absorbers in their skull to avoid being knocked unconscious by such a force.

Once they’ve pecked through the tough tree bark, they’re ready to lap up the insects. But how? That’s when the woodpecker brings out its second tool: an unbelievably long tongue – in some species, it can extend 5 inches beyond the bird’s beak. This tongue is covered with sticky saliva and barbed hairs that trap the insects.

How does the bird fit such an unbelievably long tongue in its mouth? Well, it doesn’t – part of the tongue is stored in a special corridor inside the skull – the corridor wraps all the way around the bird’s head.

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