Study Finds Crows To Be Capable of Recursion — A Cognitive Ability Thought To Be Unique To Humans And Other Primates

Crows are some of the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. According to a new study, crows possess the cognitive ability for one of the linguistic elements that make human language so complex. The insult 'birdbrain' probably stems from the misconception that birds possess little to no intelligence since they have very tiny, nut-sized brains. But this age-old analogy couldn't be further from the truth, considering how savvy these creatures have proven themselves to be.

How are crows similar to humans? Studies show that crows have a high number of tightly packed neurons that process information, allowing them to work out complex tasks. Crows are extremely intelligent. They can use tools to get what they want, like New Caledonian crows in a single South Pacific island of the same name, which shape twigs into hooks to catch grubs from rotting logs. And according to new research, crows are even smarter than we thought. Crows and other corvids (a family of birds that includes ravens and magpies) "know what they know and can ponder the content of their own minds," according to a 2020 study in Science. This is considered a cornerstone of self-awareness and shared by just a handful of animal species beside humans, such as monkeys and great apes. Crows can also use their complex brains to find creative solutions.