Corvid Intelligence... A Natural Wonder... #shorts

Corvids, are a group of birds that include ravens, crows, jays, magpies and Rooks, The most intelligent of all is the New Caledonian Crow, showing breath-taking problem solving and tool use. Researchers have observed these crows using sticks to extract food from crevices and puzzle game boxes, and using rocks for water displacement and to crack open nuts. The tool construction when tested was especially interesting as they can consist of multiple parts, inserting one tube inside another to make it longer – compound tool construction – a higher order thinking skill……which is remarkable.
But possibly one of the most remarkable aspects of corvid intelligence is making plans for the future, taking actions now that will benefit the beast later like cashing food – delayed gratification really is a high order skill most humans find difficult, we have the will power of a slug! It requires memory of the past, foresight and discipline.
And how do we use this bird’sintelligence? Teach them to steal money and pick up trash!

But corvids aren't just intelligent -- they also play an important role in many cultures around the world. The ancients knew very well of the intelligence of the Ravens, especially the Germanic Pagans who regards them as ‘Birds of the Gods’. The dead were placed on ex carnation platforms the crows would pick the bones clean and take the souls of the dead to the heavens. Odin was accompanied by two ravens, Huginn and Muninn, they would fly around the world and bring back juicy Intel. In England the Raven is symbolic of the sovereignty of the kingdom and if they leave the tower of London the kingdom will fall.
In many other cultures, corvids are symbolic of wisdom, intelligence and trickery. In Native American traditions, crows are seen as messengers between the living and the dead.
During the middle ages this view of these birds changed and they became synonymous with evil. War, Plague and the death that they bring were at the heart of this shift in perception, possibly because Ravens and crows are scavengers. War and plague leave a lot of food for carrion feeders. Even when we weren’t at war or fighting plague we still couldn’t stop killing each other; there were public executions and the carcasses left out in view as a warning to others wrongdoers and therefore were scavenged. Victims of circumstance, superstition and good ole paranoia, they became symbols of darkness, contempt and the supernatural. But perhaps, most importantly, corvids should remind us of the incredible diversity of intelligence on our planet.
They challenge our assumptions about what animals are capable of and force us to confront the fact that we are not the only intelligent species on Earth. So the next time you see a crow or a raven flying overhead, take a moment to appreciate the intelligence and significance of these incredible birds. Who knows - they might just teach us something.