Crows are smart with 7-year-old children

Crows are a far more intelligent creature than our guess, with the ability to deduce the equivalent of a 7-year-old.

>>>Crows are tough, long-lasting species

Scientists came to the conclusion after giving six wild New Caledonian crowds to participate in a series of tests to understand causes - consequences. The tasks are all variations of Aesop's fable, in which a thirsty crow has released gravel to raise the water level in a narrow ancient vase to drink.

In the water level shift test, the crow also found a way to get the floating food by dropping heavy objects into the water pipes. They have shown the ability to choose sinking objects instead of floating objects, solid objects instead of hollow objects as well as selecting pipes with higher water levels instead of tubes containing low water levels, and water pipes instead of sand tubes.

However, the raven failed to complete two more difficult missions. A task requires understanding the width of the canister and the remaining task involved in moving water in a U-shaped tube.

Still, according to scientists, crows recognize the results of changes in water levels relative to the cognitive abilities of children aged 5 to 7. Expert Sarah Jelbert from the University of Auckland ( New Zealand, the head of the study, said: "The results of the tests are very impressive, because they highlight the strength and limitations of crow's understanding."

New Caledonian crow (named after the islands they inhabit the Pacific Ocean) has long been famous for its intelligence and creativity. They are the only non-primate species capable of creating tools, such as using sticks or hooks to poke larvae from logs or twigs.

Another recent study also provides further evidence of the ability to solve crows' problems. Dr. Alex Taylor, a professor of evolutionary psychology, has also successfully trained a wild crow using personal props for 3 months of captivity.