Oh yea, they are smart birds. I like to watch them throw nuts out in front of cars driving by, in hopes they will run the nut over and crack it for them.
That's really cool. I'd video it. There are other birds though that drop down food items to break them open or hit them on rocks. I guess it's not such a long shot for the crows to see a car run over it one time and then repeat it. Making a tool though is freaky.
Yes the crows will drop them in the street or pound them with their beaks into the road but they are too hard to crack. I have also witnessed smaller birds that learn a good easy meal awaits them on the front grill of cars and they frequent truckstops or parking lots, picking dragon flies from car grills. I love watching animals behaviours.
Awesome, now I don't have to try and remember where those damn crows were and hope I have my camera on me! LOL Probably somewhere near the YC Mall. I call it, crow central and I always seem to show up at crow:30. Can't seem to park anywhere without having a car smothered in birdshit by the time you leave. LMAO
Nice find Michelle. Again amazing stuff. This reminds me how much I always wanted my dogs to be aware enough of traffic to not get run over. The only time I've seen this kind of awareness is with street dogs. They really do understand traffic and how to be safe around it. I guess they either learn or die so there's natural selection for you. I'm not sure that even guide dogs for the blind have such an understanding of it. They are trained to recognize traffic lights though. Reading about training guide dog I learned that they start with the traffic light at ground level and raise it up gradually to teach the dog to look up.
I once taught a dog to avoid a car. Every time the owner would come home with the car the dog would jump in front of it and the owner would have to get out and put it away then park the car. I held the dog securely in the parking spot and had the owner advance with the car slowly while revving the engine. Closer and closer until the bumper pushed on the dog which I then allowed to move. Once he was showing avoidance towards the car which took one or two repetitions I knew he got it. The dog would always stay clear of the car after that.
I teach my dogs car awarness like that. Some learn better than others. LOL I street run my dogs and most have been hit (more like rubbed) by my vehicle at slow speeds. I have one dog that thinks it's fun to rush in from the side and push the other dogs into the car. Bitch! Baden is really cautious and stays a bit farther than some of my other dogs that will run right at the 1/4 panel where you can't see them up on the front tire. Freaks people out when they are in the car with me but I don't even slow down or look really, where the dogs are at anymore. They know the drill and will stay out of the way, even if I flip a U real quick. I use rural roads and they also know to stay close to the car if I stop or pull over, for other cars to pass.
Last edited by Michelle Kehoe; 03-04-2009 at 11:03 AM..
Amazing animal intelligence - Dogs and traffic awareness
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