A local eccentric who lived a couple of miles from here when I was a kid hand-tamed a crow (abandoned by its mommy, really sad) and taught it to talk. They make pretty good talkers.
Posted on 04/14/2025 3:03:32 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Crows have a skill once thought to be uniquely human: recognizing geometrical shapes and spotting pattern differences.
A new study by researchers at the University of Tübingen reveals that carrion crows can identify geometric regularities without prior training. These findings were published in the journal Science Advances.
Researchers test shape recognition in crows
Led by Philipp Schmidbauer, Madita Hahn, and Andreas Nieder, the team tested whether crows could detect when one shape stood out.
This skill, known as recognizing geometric regularity, is being able to identify when something doesn’t follow a visual pattern—like spotting a plastic star among plastic moons.
Grecian Delight supports Greece
Scientists tested this ability in primates such as chimpanzees and bonobos in the past. Until now, no other creature besides humans has been known to possess this ability
Digital experiments used for simple pattern tests
Given how rare this skill is, the researchers cautiously approached this study. They designed a series of digital tests using computer screens.
The crows were shown sets of shapes and asked to peck the ones that looked different. A correct choice earned them a food reward.
The team picked carrion crows because earlier research indicates they are extremely intelligent. These birds have already demonstrated skills in problem-solving, memory, and even basic counting.
Crows succeed at both simple and subtle differences
The results were clear from the start. Each bird quickly learned to select the shape that didn’t match. For example, they could easily pick out a star placed among rectangles.
The researchers introduced more subtle differences to explore the limits of their perception. In one test, a single box tilted slightly among identical upright boxes. Even then, the crows picked out the odd shape more often than chance would allow.
Though accuracy dropped with difficult tasks, their performance stayed well above random guessing.
Advanced visual understanding shown by birds
Further testing revealed even more impressive results. The birds could recognize visual elements such as right angles, parallel lines, and symmetrical shapes. These are essential features of geometry that humans typically learn in early education.
Most strikingly, the crows completed these tasks without any prior training to understand shapes. This suggests that their ability to detect regularity might be instinctive rather than learned.
Study suggests intelligence in animals may be underestimated
According to the researchers, the findings offer strong evidence that this type of visual reasoning is not limited to humans. It may exist naturally in other intelligent species as well.
The study adds to a growing body of work showing that bird intelligence—particularly in species like crows and ravens—is more advanced than once believed.
Pigeons are lovely, but they aren’t the sharpest knives in the Bird Drawer...
“Can they learn the Pythagorean Theorem?”
This raven probably could:
Can they learn the Pythagorean Theorem?
Dr. Dolittle was in charge of explaining to the crows what to do
comical
A herder who hailed from Terre Haute
Fell in love with a young nanny goat.
The daughter he sired
Was greatly admired
For her beautiful angora coat.
:-)
Wonder how much taxpayer money was used for that study?
“This new learning is amazing! Tell me again how a sheep’s bladder can be used to prevent earthquakes.”
They also like the color bright blue. Although I rarely see them otherwise, when I put seed out for them on blue plastic plates, they swoop down and contend with the squirrels for the treats.
Japan did a study on crows memory.
They proved that crows can remember individual faces for years.
There’s a liberal throwing a tantrum joke in there somewhere.
😜
There are FB crow forums galore and you can’t imagine the things they brings as gifts to those who feed them.
People have gotten diamond jewelry even.
😳
A local eccentric who lived a couple of miles from here when I was a kid hand-tamed a crow (abandoned by its mommy, really sad) and taught it to talk. They make pretty good talkers.
Cheryl?....................
“Put out a rotisserie chicken carcass for the crows.”
Gonna do that right now. Got a pair of ‘pet crows’ my dog hates cuz I bring out a container of dry dog food for them every day. I’ve flipped them some chicken bones before which they dispatch well. If I leave out enough scraps they call in their murder. My pair comes and greets me everytime I sit outside.
Even when they are Accidentally in Love...
Since it was done at the University of Tübingen-in Germany-it isn’t our money-let the Germans spend theirs...
I like crows-they are smart, cool birds-one stole a couple of little prisms off a wind chime I have on the deck-I put the rest of the prisms on the deck along with some dry cat food, replacing them on the chime with some large metal nuts. The crow took the rest of the prisms away, ate the food and has come back to eat many times, but has not bothered that chime again-they like shiny things. There are people out here who still keep tame crows in fenced, sheltered outdoor areas, but this is a rural area with a small population...
That’s something.
It’s amazing how they recognize and remember faces of people they’ve encountered, too. There was a crow I fed once or twice, and months later I was near the same place and that crow flew by, apparently recognized me, and immediately changed direction and came down in front of my feet.
You should have a bunch of crows angry at you from 1989 until 2017 because you once tried to climb a jack pine to look at their babies.
Talk about unforgiving.
Every time they saw me, they (and their descendants) screamed crow profanities.
😁
In 2017 they watched my Dobe pup playing with sticks in the yard and took a shine to him.
( his name was Hrafn which is ON for raven)
They’d bring him sticks and poke them through the fence to him and then sit and watch him play.
Somehow their affection for him translated to forgiveness for me and now they like me.
One crow comes and sits in the walnut tree where my dying dog would bask in the shade.
I think they understand he’s gone now.
Along with an angel statue, there’s a crow figurine on his grave.
Yesterday would’ve been his 8th birthday.
I miss him so terribly.
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