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Careful crows watch their tools

Researchers at the University of St Andrews have discovered that crows store their tools when they don’t need them – just like people.

New Caledonian crows are famous for using stick tools to get insects out of tree holes and other hiding places. Crows hold the tools in their bill when foraging but need to put them down to eat.

In the first study to look at how animals (non-human) avoid misplacing their tools, researchers discovered that crows carefully place them under their feet to use again later. If foraging at a height rather than on the ground, crows look after their tools more carefully and even seem to get really upset when they accidentally drop them. 

Tool ‘safekeeping’ may be very important as crows can spend more time on the critical business of finding food, rather than wasting time making replacements.

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Image credit: Jessica van der Wal