A corvid, usually a crow or magpie is held captive in a small cage, which attracts other corvids who are then killed. The bird's most vital instincts are denied, and neglect is rife. No one knows where the traps are and The Animal Welfare Act cannot be enforced.
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Even smarter than humans!
The crows were able to carry out both tasks and to switch between them as appropriate. That demonstrates a high level of concentration and mental flexibility which few animal species can manage — and which is an effort even for humans.
The new findings were just published in the Journal Nature Communications.
Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen
Corvids are on a par with the great Apes in terms of intelligence.
Regardless of any comparisons of various brain measurements, one can conclude that the similarities between corvids and great apes in complex cognitive skills also hold for at least one less taxing skill: motor self-regulation.
Royal Society Open Science, 2016; 3 (4): 160104 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160104