DISCOVERY - CROWS CAUGHT ON CAMERA BUILDING and STORING TOOLS VIDEO LINKED
Excerpt: Poring over the footage captured on the cameras' micro-SD cards (the cameras safely detach from the birds within a few days), the scientists witnessed two instances of the birds fashioning hook tools they would use to probe tree crevices for food....
It was clear to the researchers that these tools seemed precious to the birds.
“In one scene,” said Troscianko, ”a crow drops its tool, and then recovers it from the ground shortly afterwards, suggesting they value their tools and don’t simply discard them after a single use.”
The birds are highly attuned to disturbances in their midst, and their tropical habitat can also be a hindrance to anyone wishing to get a close look at how they earn their living. But the cameras the team employed afforded just such looks.
“By documenting their fascinating behavior with this new camera technology,” said Troscianko, “we obtained valuable insights into the importance of tools in their daily search for food.”
