Crows are amongst the smartest in the avian world. So, "birdbrain" really isn't insulting for them. In fact, their brain is relatively the same size as the chimpanzee brain. As do apes, crows think about their physical and social environment. Crows have been seen building tools to help probe for food; one way is by crafting hooks with twigs in order to poke holes in trees and another is to shape stiff leaves into sharp tools, with their beaks, to be able to probe rubbish leaves for insects.
A stunning discovery they made is how to crack open tough nuts. They will patiently wait at a traffic light crossing, waiting for the red light and walk along with the human pedestrians to finally reach their reward: a cracked nut, thanks to road traffic!! (Watch "Crows Using Traffic To Crack Walnuts" )
Crows also like to have fun. This one was filmed sliding down a roof more than once. and when it couldn't slide, it would peck at its very own "crazy carpet" to make it go a bit further. To catch a glimpse of this amazing scene, go to You Tube and watch "Crow Goes Sledding".
I believe we have yet to discover how very smart these birds are!!
Posted by snackshackforbirds.com
with help from: news.nationalgeographic.com
