Crows know familiar human voices

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18025926



The researchers noted when crows turned their heads towards the sound of a familiar voice


Crows recognise familiar human voices and the calls of familiar birds from other species, say researchers.

The ability could help the intelligent birds to thrive in urban environments; using vocal cues from their human and avian neighbours to find food or be alerted to potential threats.

The team used recordings of human voices and jackdaw calls to test the birds' responses.

Lead researcher Claudia Wascher from the University of Vienna said that, although it was widely known that crows were "very intelligent", most studies had focused on their ability to recognise and communicate with their own species.

[CanonRay]

1. I would say Grackels and Magpies are every bit as smart.

We had a Magpie that used to torment our cat. The bird would fly to where the cat was looking out a window and prance around in front of it. When the cat got fed up and went to another part of the house, the bird would invariably find her and land in front of the nearest window. How in the hell the bird knew where the cat was going is beyone me.

[Frustratedlady]

2. My husband was once attacked for nearly a week, each time he walked out the door.

He had been mowing and they apparently blamed him for harming their babies or some such nasty deed, which he had not done. Each time he would walk out the back door, they would dive bomb him. He even put on a hat, thinking it might be his shiny dome that upset them, but as soon as he walked out any of the doors, they attacked.

I walked out the door and they didn't even pay attention to me, but when he followed, down they came enmasse.