View this post on Instagram
Ornithologists and bird lovers all know that crows, ravens, and other members of the corvid family are extremely intelligent. Not only do they possess sensory consciousness, meaning they cultivate an awareness of the present and immediate past through observed events, but they also understand the concept of zero. As it turns out, these creatures flip the script on the term “bird brain.” Recently, one raven named Gosha has been making the rounds online for his ability to solve a puzzle by utilizing an ordinary stick.
In the clip, Alexander's hand can be seen inserting some treats in a clear tube. Much to the crow's annoyance, the food seems to be just out of reach. Gosha then accepts a little help, and jumps on his human's gloved hand. Using his beak, the bird unloads a white stick, which falls to the ground due to its weight. But the crow is not going to give up.
The bird quickly flies down to recover the stick. At first, he grabs the prop from an end, but quickly realizes it's too heavy to carry. In a unique display of intelligence, the crow chooses to pick it up from the middle this time, allowing him to continue with the mission. Gosha then expertly inserts the stick into the clear tube without missing a beat, and voilà! The treats have been freed, and Alexander's clever little feathered friend wastes no time to promptly eat them. As he is hurriedly feasting on his reward, his human gives him a congratulatory scratch.
As amazing as this feat is, it's just one of many things that ravens and crows can do. The New Caledonian crow has been observed making hooks and other tools out of sticks to reach food. This species even knows how to handle them for optimal use. “New Caledonian crows are gifted tool users,” Dr. James St Clair, who conducted a study on these birds at the University of St. Andrews, told The Guardian. “The highly dexterous behavior we observe in adult birds is the outcome of complex interactions between genetic predispositions and lifelong individual and social learning—a process that we don’t yet fully understand.”
Meet Gosha the beautiful black raven.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
This smart bird and his human Alexander are incredibly close pals who have a lot of fun together.
View this post on Instagram
In addition to random playtime, Gosha's intelligence has allowed Alexander to train the raven and even teach him some tricks.
View this post on Instagram
Watch how the smart raven uses a stick as a tool to get food that's trapped in a tube.
View this post on Instagram
Raven Gosh and Alexander: Instagram
h/t: [Reddit]
Related Articles:
Study Finds That 4-Month-Old Ravens Are as Intelligent as Adult Apes
Crow Nudges Hedgehog Standing in Middle of the Road to Bring It to Safety
Sweden Is Using Clever Crows To Clean Up Litter Around the City
Crows Appear To Have a Form of Intelligence Thought To Be Reserved for Humans
