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Are crows the most intelligent yet vengeful birds on Earth?

Candace Savage, a longtime birdwatcher and nature writer, once said: crows are highly intelligent creatures, even capable of playing tricks on each other.

Crows possess survival skills that are almost unique in the animal kingdom. Many people don’t know this, but crows are among the smartest birds in the world. They can mimic human speech, and in some tests, they’ve even outperformed parrots and starlings.

👉 The incredible intelligence of crows – like a 5 to 7-year-old child

In one study at the University of Auckland, scientists tested six New Caledonian crows. The birds were given tubes with food floating inside, out of reach. What did they do? They picked up stones and dropped them in, one by one, until the food floated up high enough to grab.

Not only that — when given a choice, they always chose heavy objects over light ones, and water-filled tubes over empty ones. This showed clear reasoning ability. Sarah Jelbert, one of the researchers, said their intelligence was on the same level as a young child.

And that’s not all. New Caledonian crows are famous for making tools. They break off twigs, shape them into hooks, and use them to pull insects out of holes in trees. They also never forget human faces. If someone threatens them, they will remember — and they will hold a grudge.

👉 Holding grudges

In fact, scientists have confirmed: crows can recognize people who wronged them, and pass that knowledge to their children and to their flock. They have excellent memories, storing details for months, even years.

One researcher from Cornell University shared that crows he had once captured would follow him later — some begging for peanuts he had given before, others mobbing him in anger. In the wild, crows have even been seen holding what looks like “trials,” gathering around an offender who broke the rules, like stealing food from young chicks.

👉 And sometimes… compassion

But not everything about crows is dark. In Cornwall, England, two male red-billed crows fought fiercely in the sky. One of them died, leaving behind a nest of eggs. The survivor did something extraordinary: he sat on the eggs, waited for them to hatch, fed the chicks, and even taught them to fly. Scientists believe this was the first time such selfless behavior was seen in this species.

So — are crows the most intelligent, and the most vengeful birds on Earth? Maybe they are. They solve puzzles, use tools, remember faces, and yes, they hold grudges. But sometimes, even the cleverest of crows can surprise us with kindness.