Facts about Intelligence and Tool Use in Crows
- 05
Scrub jays, close relatives of crows, cache food and actively deceive other birds by re-hiding food when watched, demonstrating theory of mind.
- 04
In laboratory experiments, crows have demonstrated the ability to solve multi-step sequential puzzles, accessing a food reward only after completing several tool-use stages in the correct order.
- 03
Crows have demonstrated metacognition, showing awareness of their own knowledge gaps by choosing to seek information before making decisions.
- 02
Rooks, members of the crow family, demonstrated the ability to use stones to raise water levels and retrieve floating food, mirroring an Aesop's fable.
- 01
New Caledonian crows are renowned for their ability to craft and use tools, including bending wire to form hooks to retrieve food.