birdsoup

Compared to the size of the human brain, a bird’s brain is very, very small.  Yet we often observe bird activities that seem to reflect some ability to think, to solve problems, and to logically overcome obstacles.  Scientists report that birds in the crow family are the smartest of all birds.  It has been shown that not only do they use “tools” but that they can make the tools they need.  The classic experiment involved captive crows.  Their favorite food was placed at the bottom of a tall drink glass.  The crows could not reach the bottom of the glass or tip it over to spill out the food.  They quickly learned to take a twig, remove the leaves and holding it in their bill shove the twig into the glass to pry out the food at the bottom.

That requires some reasoning ability.  But I have often wondered if birds ever do anything just for fun, for the sheer joy of doing it.

Last week’s Science Times section of the New York Times reported a crow activity that seems to have no purpose other that the fact that like doing it.  Jungle crows on Kinkazan Island in northern Japan pick up deer feces – dry pellets of dung – and deftly wedge them in the deer’s ears. 

Now that does not sound like fun to me.  But scientists who could not think of any logical explanation for this activity feel that the birds do it just because they enjoy doing it.

 I have also heard that in winter Ravens sometimes find an icy slope and ski or sled down the slope.  Now that sounds more like play to me.