Corvids

[tinycorvid]

Lately, and probably as influenced by my course (we study animal intelligence as potential homologues for human cognition), I've come to appreciate corvids (crows, ravens, jays) a lot more. They're the most intelligent of all birds: they make innovative tools, and they recognise their own reflection (many animals can't do this). They're able to

Comments

[mazz]

I like when birds suck people in. :D

[bloophoenix]

The BBC had a film about Rooks at Membury service station that had learned to pull on bin liners until they could easily get at the food inside. Sadly it's not online anywhere. And I've been to Membury services many times and never seen them do it!

I absolutely love corvids too. They're so fascinating to watch. I once saw a Carrion Crow look both ways before going into the road to get food! I also love watching them figure things out, like a Carrion Crow who once landed on our birdfeeders and kept working until he could get some suet cake out of the holder.

(This is blueybirdy on Twitter, blowing the dust off her LJ account.)

[tinycorvid]

Really? That reminds me about the blue tits that learned how to peck through foil milk tops to get at the cream, some time ago.

I watch crows all the time to see what they're up to, because they're always doing clever stuff like that. Unlike pigeons.

[bloophoenix]

I wouldn't discount pigeons quite yet. One of the Feral Pigeons in our garden learned to hover next to the sunflower seed feeders so he could reach in and get the seeds out. He did this from watching the Woodpigeons and then bested the Woodpigeons at it!

[shadow_mage]

I adore birds in general, and love crows. I miss my cockatiel baby. <3

Loving your new themes on Twitter and LJ.

[tinycorvid]

Aw, what was your cockatiel's name? I'd love a parrot (to teach it how to talk) but I'm not sure I could commit to the length of its lifespan (40 yrs).

[shadow_mage]

His name was Percy. I taught him how to say about 30 words, including "Percy loves Mama", and he would always sit on my shoulder, in my lap, or in reach on my desk, so we could always pet and cuddle. He was very spoiled, and only stayed in his cage at night. :D

[thejackalface]

I'm a massive bird nerd. I was SO EXCITED in Texas - seeing grackles, cardinals, blue jays! Crows and magpies are my favourites too, they're so clever.

[tinycorvid]

Oh, you're lucky, they have some really cool birds over there. I saw pelicans in San Fran but that's about it :P