Crow verses Grackles

[Hawk12237]

I was sitting on the porch this morning after getting up, having my morning Joe and having grey grey on shoulder.
Was watching this crow that comes by everyday
And sits in the yard. These grackles ( 4) began chasing it out of yard.
Crows are a bit slower than a grackle flying wise. But a crow is far more wiser and acrobatic.
I was proven that this morning.
As I was watching the grackles on the crowd tail, the poor crow couldn't fight well being airborne.... But!!! He did a manuvere that was awesome!!
As they were chasing the crow, the crow suddenly dived, did this loop to loop and came right behind the grackles! Just a few feet off ground and landed perfectly on ground after that loop. I thought... " Whoa, clever move dude!! "
The grackles came down to ground, but kept their distance. The crow crouched down as if sitting on its belly, the grackles slowly inched forward, then the crow sprung up about 2 feet in air wings spread, feet out, and scared the crap out of the grackles. And they left!!!
What a clever strategy this crow came up with..
God..so impressive!

 

[Hankmacaw]

Crows are intelligent and they full extent of their intelligence has not been discovered yet. They have so many of the same emotions and ability to plan the future that we humans do. They and Ravens may just take over the world some day - naw, we provide them with too many freebees and too much amusement for that

 

[Hawk12237]

Crows are intelligent and they full extent of their intelligence has not been discovered yet. They have so many of the same emotions and ability to plan the future that we humans do. They and Ravens may just take over the world some day - naw, we provide them with too many freebees and too much amusement for that

I've always read just how intelligent they are, but its the first time I actually seen first hand a crow using creative strategic thinking abilities! I mean it's like a mid air/ on ground chess game. The crow thought each move with precision. I was blown away by it. Now I definitely want that book you mention on crows!
Oh by The way... I wouldn't be surprised if crows took over...lol. I do wish I could have filmed that...
I still can't get over that.

 

[Greylady1966]

I'm still looking for the video I saw of two crows watching girls jump roping and than found a old French fry and two of them started using it as a rope. I watched that video so many times.

 

[Hawk12237]

I'm still looking for the video I saw of two crows watching girls jump roping and than found a old French fry and two of them started using it as a rope. I watched that video so many times.

Wow!! Your kidding! I have got to see that. Please post if you find it... I'll have a look around see if maybe I can find it as well. That's just awesome.

 

[OK Mike]

@Hawk12237 Here's an interesting article and video for you.

Like chess players, these crows can plan several steps ahead

New Caledonian crows can use tools like sticks and stones, in a pre-planned fashion, to accomplish a goal.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[Hankmacaw]

Yes, the research on New Caledonina crows was ground breaking and mentioned in all of the crow/raven literature now. More and more research is being done on both crows and raven and the indications are that they are far closer to our intelligence than ever believed possible. They even have many of our bad qualities - rage, murderous, cruel. Then they also have intellectual qualities that we have always reserved for ourselves - affection, grief, crossing species lines for friendships, playing, loyalty.

I've never cared for chimpanzees (still don't), but crows and Ravens have given them competition for intelligence.

 

[Hawk12237]

@Hawk12237 Here's an interesting article and video for you.

Like chess players, these crows can plan several steps ahead

New Caledonian crows can use tools like sticks and stones, in a pre-planned fashion, to accomplish a goal.

www.nationalgeographic.com

Thanks mike, wow that was good. Unbelievable how well their brain works. Like I was saying in above post it was like watching chess, they think that well and in advance.
I would also love to view African greys in their natural wild. They too are amazing thinkers. Most parrots are. The things you learn in observing animals in the wild when they are put up in situations where they have to think it out.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Both Bern Heinrich (Mind of the Raven) and John Marzluff (Gifts of the Crow) give parrots, especially the large parrots a lot of credit for intelligence - quasi greater than Ravens/Crows, but without comment on how they are smarter.

 

[Greylady1966]

I've seen some documentaries on testing Crows/Ravens. It is amazing how fast they understand how to solve problems and complex puzzles to get to the food. I have a huge soft spot for them.

 

[MnGuy]

The other day I saw two crows taking turns swooping at a young raccoon in a big tree (I didn’t see a nest) while a blue jay harassed the crow that took a “break” in a tree across the street.

I watched for awhile and couldn’t figure out what was going on. Maybe the crows had a nest and I just didn’t see it.

 

[Hankmacaw]

@MnGuy The crows were almost surely attempting to chase off a predator - the raccoon. They do this with any predator that enters their territory (and they do have a territory).

The jay was probably doing the same thing as crows are a major predator of jays.