Clever Crows
Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain discover that crows are exceptionally clever.
Curious Cases · BBC Radio 4
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Show Notes
The term 'bird brain' might suggest our feathered friends are stupid, but Hannah and Dara learn it's completely untrue. They play hide and seek with a raven called Bran, and hear how his behaviour changes depending on his mood. Corvid expert Nicola Clayton explains these creatures are actually cleverer than the average 8-year-old, and can learn how to choose specific tools for different scenarios. And neurobiologist Andreas Nieder tells them that while crows evolved totally different brains from humans - 300,000 years apart - they might just be capable of the same type of intelligence.
Contributors:
Bran the raven Lloyd Buck, bird handler Professor Nicky Clayton, University of Cambridge Professor Andreas Nieder, University of Tubingen
Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Audio Production