A Question of Balance :: 5:00am 16th Aug 2018

Original air date - A Question of Balance :: 7:30pm 14th Aug 2018

Talking points Professor Darryl Jones, from Griffith University, explains why crows have gained a deserved reputation as the smartest bird in the world. Crows are among the few birds which have a true repertoire of calls. As well as “arks” there are weird clucks, clicks and gurgles, all part of having a big brain and being seriously smart. We now know that crows have the most complex calls, vocalisations and communication of any animal apart from humans. This communication is more complicated than dolphins and whales and exhibits more syntax in its construction, which is why people are now using the word language to describe it. Crows weren’t in cities like Sydney until 50-60 years ago but have moved in very successfully and are doing really well, having worked out exactly how to co-exist with humans. They learn quickly, are very attentive, observant and don’t take risks. Crows watch and interpret human behaviour so they are almost impossible to trap as they know what is going on. Studies by John Marzluff from Seattle’s University of Washington show strong relationships between groups of crows and people. An individual crow can recognise up to 50 people and can predict when people do things. Crows can learn people’s routine walks and follow them around, communicating with them if the people talk to them. Recently three Queensland school principals have asked Darryl what to do about the crows, which had become a problem. They had learned how to open school bags (outside the classrooms), take the lunchboxes out and open them to get the food inside. Incredibly, if the lunchbox was light enough, it would be carried to the next building and opened there! New Caledonian crows may be even smarter. There, crows can carefully manufacture little pieces of wood which they carry around. When a New Caledonian crow wants to get grubs and caterpillars from logs and rotted wood it selects a tool to use, much like we use a Swiss army knife. Crows are successful living in our urban environments because they know how the people work. Just like scientists they observe, interpret and act on this knowledge. Given a choice between an immediate food reward or a better one if they wait, crows will wait 72 hours for the better reward. This means they are actually thinking ahead, something no other animal (apart from chimps and orangutans) can do. Crows are now nesting on buildings in southern Queensland and Darryl will have a “crow cam” at Griffith University soon. Whichever way you look at it, there are a lot of talking points for crows.