Oso - 6-18-2005 at 10:16 AM
I don't have a "story" about this, just an observation of the same kind of "intelligent?" adaptation as Matt's pelican demonstrated.
There was this crane at a small park in Raleigh, NC. People would throw bread crumbs to the ducks and other birds there. The crane would not eat the
bread, but would pick it up and carry several pieces to a favorite point on the edge of the pond. There he would scatter the crumbs on the water and
wait. When his "chum" attracted small fish... Zap! Now that's fishing!
Bird intelligence
Gypsy Jan - 6-18-2005 at 09:45 PM
well, they do know how to use gravity.
Ravens, gulls, whatever, they drop and we find all kinds of litter outside our door; urchin mussel, clam shells, etc.
Household rule #44, don't go outside barefoot!
elgatoloco - 6-20-2005 at 10:30 AM
Have you seen this video?
http://pharyngula.org/images/crowtoolsmovie.mov
bufeo - 6-20-2005 at 11:19 AM
gato,
That's a fascinating video. We've seen crows drop walnuts on the pavement so that vehicles will crush them. We even had a crow "swear" at us for NOT
running over one.
At Punta Bufeo there's a lesser blue heron that regularly fishes on the beach in front of us where the shallow reefs off the beach form a nice "flat"
(one in which I've caught rooster fish on flies before). The heron stretches its wings and herd small fish into the shallows in order to pick them
up. We've also seen it stand motionless with its wings out-stretched and casting a large shadow. Apparently the sardine-types swim into the "shadow"
where they become sashimi.
When we're in residence at PB we put water in a shallow ceramic container for birds. The ravens have a difficult time drinking from this dish and we
watched the two adults work together to raise one side of the container, which must weigh 10 or 12 oz, so that the water would be deeper on one side.
Meanwhile, the two young ones stood off to one side cheering them on. I photographed this event, but the still shots don't do justice to the task
they performed. Guess I need to acquire a digital video camera.
Eli - 6-20-2005 at 06:11 PM
Thanks Ya All, I was due a little lighten up.