http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/ Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:00:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4483 Weekend Birdery: The Rook and the Pitcher : Organon Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:48:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4483 [...] Bird brains, indeed. Via Ed Yong. [...] [...] Bird brains, indeed. Via Ed Yong. [...]

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4482 Weekend Birdery/Wordery: “Birdbrain” : Organon Mon, 24 May 2010 04:00:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4482 [...] the water level therein, so that they could reach a worm floating on the surface. (Watch it. Via Ed Yong, [...] [...] the water level therein, so that they could reach a worm floating on the surface. (Watch it. Via Ed Yong, [...]

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4481 Phill Marston Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:19:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4481 How about crows showing altruism too? Across the road from my house is a walnut tree next to a lampost. When the walnuts are ripe the crows pick them off the ground, fly up to the top of the lampost and drop the nuts to crack on the roadway. Also living nearby is a pair of magpies, who don't seem to get the trick, but who hop around below trying to pinch the walnuts. The crows are wise to this and keep the magpies at bay. However, on many occasions I have seen crows who have chased the magpies away many times in succession, fly up with one last nut, drop it, then sit there and watch as the magpie picks it up. How about crows showing altruism too? Across the road from my house is a walnut tree next to a lampost. When the walnuts are ripe the crows pick them off the ground, fly up to the top of the lampost and drop the nuts to crack on the roadway. Also living nearby is a pair of magpies, who don’t seem to get the trick, but who hop around below trying to pinch the walnuts. The crows are wise to this and keep the magpies at bay. However, on many occasions I have seen crows who have chased the magpies away many times in succession, fly up with one last nut, drop it, then sit there and watch as the magpie picks it up.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4480 Adrian Morgan Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:39:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4480 One thing that puzzles me is why the experimenter provides the water first and then waits for some time before coming back to provide the stones. What's the point of that? One speculation is that the bird might have learned to associate "things provided by humans" with "useful things", in which case the point might be to ensure that the bird realises that the stones are meant to be part of the puzzle. But it would be more satisfying (and more Aesopian) to see the bird use stones that are just lying around, not stones that have the metaphorical equivalent of a neon sign saying, "Use These". One thing that puzzles me is why the experimenter provides the water first and then waits for some time before coming back to provide the stones. What’s the point of that?
One speculation is that the bird might have learned to associate “things provided by humans” with “useful things”, in which case the point might be to ensure that the bird realises that the stones are meant to be part of the puzzle. But it would be more satisfying (and more Aesopian) to see the bird use stones that are just lying around, not stones that have the metaphorical equivalent of a neon sign saying, “Use These”.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4479 Samantha Vimes Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:50:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4479 Today I saw a crow with a game leg land in a parking lot. He looked back at me, I think, because he seemed not to notice a car coming up behind him. So I gave a quick gesture for him to get out of its path, and he took off quickly. I don't *know* that I communicated with him. He may have been distracted by something else, and may have heard the car at last just after I gestured. But corvids are so clever, it was worth trying. Today I saw a crow with a game leg land in a parking lot. He looked back at me, I think, because he seemed not to notice a car coming up behind him. So I gave a quick gesture for him to get out of its path, and he took off quickly.
I don’t *know* that I communicated with him. He may have been distracted by something else, and may have heard the car at last just after I gestured. But corvids are so clever, it was worth trying.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4478 Owlmirror Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:22:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4478 This is the earlier experiment done with these same rooks, by Bird and Emery ("Insightful problem solving and creative tool modification by captive nontool-using rooks", PNAS, 2009):   <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10370.abstract" rel="nofollow">http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10370.abstract</a> The article itself is not open access, but videos of the experiments can be downloaded with no paywall, and they are pretty nifty. There are more obvious controls, too: sometimes a stick is necessary to get the morsel; sometimes a pebble; sometimes a pebble of a particular weight and shape -- and the rooks choose the appropriate one from a selection.   <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10370/suppl/DCSupplemental" rel="nofollow">http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10370/suppl/DCSupplemental</a> This is the earlier experiment done with these same rooks, by Bird and Emery (“Insightful problem solving and creative tool modification by captive nontool-using rooks”, PNAS, 2009):
  http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10370.abstract
The article itself is not open access, but videos of the experiments can be downloaded with no paywall, and they are pretty nifty. There are more obvious controls, too: sometimes a stick is necessary to get the morsel; sometimes a pebble; sometimes a pebble of a particular weight and shape — and the rooks choose the appropriate one from a selection.
  http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10370/suppl/DCSupplemental

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4477 debt reduction Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:35:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4477 that was really cool to watch that was really cool to watch

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4476 piratebrido Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:50:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4476 It's only a matter of time before the animals outsmart us and kill us all. I'm going vegitarian now to see if that will buy me a quick death when it happens. It’s only a matter of time before the animals outsmart us and kill us all. I’m going vegitarian now to see if that will buy me a quick death when it happens.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4475 Ken Kzak Fri, 07 Aug 2009 05:43:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4475 Clever birds! That should make a short on NOVA. I have to wonder if the pebbles were the only tools provided? Would they have tried wood chips or some other detritus. And no, I can't view the vid. My PC is too ancient for most YouTubes. I never knew that was where the "Neccessity is the mother of invention." quote came from. Obviously I'm lacking in the classics. Clever birds!
That should make a short on NOVA.
I have to wonder if the pebbles were the only tools provided?
Would they have tried wood chips or some other detritus.
And no, I can’t view the vid. My PC is too ancient for most YouTubes.
I never knew that was where the “Neccessity is the mother of invention.” quote came from. Obviously I’m lacking in the classics.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4474 The Ridger Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:07:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/08/06/confirming-aesop-rooks-use-stones-to-raise-the-level-of-water-in-a-pitcher/#comment-4474 At the Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove there are signs accusing Steller's Jays of being (along with other corvids) "intelligent, opportunistic, and always looking out for an easy meal." It's a fair cop, I suppose, but who among us looks out for a hard meal?.. At the Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove there are signs accusing Steller’s Jays of being (along with other corvids) “intelligent, opportunistic, and always looking out for an easy meal.” It’s a fair cop, I suppose, but who among us looks out for a hard meal?..

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