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Are you even surprised? That seems to be happening a lot lately: we knew that crows were smart, but a new study shows that they are even smarter – and it has happened again. This time, crows from New Caledonia combined individual tools they had never seen before to form a long-range tool.
We used to consider making tools as a human only capability, but we now know that this is not the case. Not only do a number of other primates use simple tools, but other more different creatures (like crows) do the same thing. Several studies have documented the remarkable ability of crows to make tools (especially those from New Caledonia), but now they have once again surprised researchers: not only are they able to use tools, but they can develop compound tools from individually useless components. .
"With the exception of a few observations in captive apes, the construction of a compound tool is unknown outside of the human, and the tool's innovation appears late. in human ontogeny. We report that Caledonian crows usually use tools (Corvus moneduloides) can combine objects to build new composite tools, "reads the study.
The scientists gave eight crows a "puzzle box" containing food. Naturally, the crows wanted it. However, the treat was placed behind a door that left only a narrow space at the bottom. The crows could see the food at the bottom of the box, but did not have access to it. They then received short sticks – far too short to win the prize – and left to their own devices without demonstration.
Image credits: University of Oxford.
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But the scientists gave a little help to the crows: the sticks they left were designed to be able to be combined – one was hollow, allowing the other one to go off. to be inserted inside. Four of the eight birds had no trouble understanding this and one bird, "Mango", was able to make compound tools from three or even four parts.
"The discovery is remarkable because the crows received no help or training to make these combinations, they understood it by themselves," says Auguste von Bayern, first author of the Institute's study. Ornithology Max-Planck and Oxford University.
It turned out that the mango was a genius in a bad mood. He showed remarkable abilities, but sometimes he just did not want to do that. However, its realization is particularly remarkable in that it is the first time that a nonhuman animal designs a tool using 3 pieces or more.
"The successful birds acted in a seemingly reasoned way using compound tools to target the food immediately after creating it. This usually required carrying the compound in the box for use, "the researchers wrote in their article.
"With the exception of one individual, Mango, a bird with seemingly fluctuating motivation, successful subjects also solved the problem in the three opportunities that followed their first success. Mango refused to participate in 2 follow-up trials, but always managed thereafter. "
The fact that crows – which have an anatomy and mental structure so different from those of humans – have been able to do so is remarkable. Tool-related behavior, especially the innovative manufacture of tools, is intimately associated with human evolution. Many anthropologists believe that this ability has co-evolved with specific neurological abilities, including the planning and coordination of complex tasks. So why did crows develop this ability?
The species seems to have an innate propensity to build tools and a remarkable innovation ability. But understanding how their minds work remains a challenge for future research.
Alex Kacelnik of Oxford University states:
"The results corroborate the fact that these crows have very flexible abilities that allow them to quickly solve new problems, but do not show how they do it. It is possible that they use a form of virtual simulation of the problem, as if different potential actions were performed in their brain until they found a viable solution, then do it. Similar processes are modeled on artificial intelligences and implemented in physical robots, to better understand animals and discover ways to build machines capable of finding autonomous creative solutions to new problems. "
Journal reference: A. M. von Bayern, S. Danel, A. M. Auersperg, B. Mioduszewska, A. Kacelnik. Construction of a tool composed by Caledonian crows. Scientific reports2018; 8 (1) DOI: 10.1038 / s41598-018-33458-z
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