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Quoth the [Crow], "I'm Fucking Awesome."

Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
edited August 2009 in Debate and/or Discourse
Behold, the Crow, inventor of soccer.

CrowSoccer3.jpg

Crows, the subtle lords and masters of humanity, have long been recognised for their intelligence. In Aesop's Fable, The Crow and the Pitcher, the virtue of ingenuity is portrayed when a crow comes across a water pitcher that is too narrow and deep for the crow to get water from, so the crow proceeds to drop pebbles one-by-one until the water is high enough for it to drink. In Norse mythology, there are two notable crows Hugin and Munin, which represented thought and memory respectively. In the timeless poem, "The Raven", a crow (a raven is a crow) torments the narrator.

The Amazing Intelligence of Crows

Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.

So, in conclusion, crows are fucking awesome. But don't take my word for it. Go forth and discover for yourself and share your learnings, people!

Premier kakos on
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Posts

  • Salvation122Salvation122 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    Salvation122 on
  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.!
    So what beastie will Australia import to get rid of the crows when they inevitably escape and start to take up a population niche?

    Fencingsax on
  • RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    So when crows develop phosphorescent cells and learn to change colour, they'll team up with the dolphins and then we'll really be screwed.

    Anyway. I've always thought crows were awesome.

    I have a related question:

    Crows.
    Ravens.
    Rooks.

    Are they all the same thing, and just synonyms? My understanding is that a "rook" is just the british word for crow. But are ravens the same as crows and rooks?

    Rikushix on
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  • ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    How the hell do you learn the toad thing? It's not like you can figure out the thing's poisonous in the first place without trial and error, and I have no idea how one would break the where's the poison" code (I haven't watched the video yet because my internet's a little sluggish right now.

    As a point of comparison, the ALEx lab decided to try that wire experiment with ALEx (or was it tying something to a string and watching him pull it up by said string?). Unfortunately, they were working with ALEx, who not only knew how to ask for things, but was accustomed to demanding them from on high (which was reinforced by the fact that his early training was based on him asking for stuff). Needless to say, all he did was yell at them until they gave him the fucking nut.

    If I remember correctly, they had more success with their later parrots, who aren't fucking douchebags.

    Scalfin on
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    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
  • MedopineMedopine __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    crow and ravens are different, related, species, I think

    Medopine on
  • ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    Rikushix wrote: »
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    So when crows develop phosphorescent cells and learn to change colour, they'll team up with the dolphins and then we'll really be screwed.

    Anyway. I've always thought crows were awesome.

    I have a related question:

    Crows.
    Ravens.
    Rooks.

    Are they all the same thing, and just synonyms? My understanding is that a "rook" is just the british word for crow. But are ravens the same as crows and rooks?

    Ravens are larger and only gather into groups when there's food (and in cemeteries, indicating that six feet and a huge granite box aren't quite enough).

    Scalfin on
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    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Of course, this tells us nothing about how a raven is like a writing desk. Still...

    I do want to thank kakos about the awesomeness of the noble crow. I seriously have a newfound respect for the awesomeness of these birds.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • UnarmedOracleUnarmedOracle Evolution's Finest Hour Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Oh good, we built them the Tycho Monolith.

    UnarmedOracle on
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  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    That is fucking awesome. Crows are the coolest animals. Maybe next to Elephants.

    Certainly the coolest birds.

    PolloDiablo on
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    In Vancouver, basically all the crows in the city roost in one area. Last year, it was right on my drive home from work, and it was sort of freaky seeing thousands of them sitting on buildings just chilling. Think about their brain power, and then, when you see something like this,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QuEjaG4Ghs&feature=related

    Its a little freaky.

    Corvus on
    :so_raven:
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Medopine wrote: »
    crow and ravens are different, related, species, I think

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvus_(genus)

    Ravens are larger, as has been said, and have a different call.

    Corvus on
    :so_raven:
  • Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    There are many types of crows. There are many types of raven. They all belong to the same genus. They are all considered True Crows.

    Premier kakos on
  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    Of course, this tells us nothing about how a raven is like a writing desk. Still...
    .
    The answer I most commonly hear is that Poe wrote on both.

    Fencingsax on
  • Beren39Beren39 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I just hate when their raucous cackling wakes me up in the morning. They are amazing birds though.

    Beren39 on
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  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Corvus wrote: »
    In Vancouver, basically all the crows in the city roost in one area. Last year, it was right on my drive home from work, and it was sort of freaky seeing thousands of them sitting on buildings just chilling. Think about their brain power, and then, when you see something like this,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QuEjaG4Ghs&feature=related

    Its a little freaky.

    This is what run-away/orphan children see, right before they go missing.

    Archonex on
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    The super-roost has been estimated at being as many as 20,000 crows.

    Corvus on
    :so_raven:
  • Beren39Beren39 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Archonex wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    In Vancouver, basically all the crows in the city roost in one area. Last year, it was right on my drive home from work, and it was sort of freaky seeing thousands of them sitting on buildings just chilling. Think about their brain power, and then, when you see something like this,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QuEjaG4Ghs&feature=related

    Its a little freaky.

    This is what run-away/orphan children see, right before they go missing.

    If that was a Walmart and not a Costco I would laugh so hard.

    Beren39 on
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  • PodlyPodly you unzipped me! it's all coming back! i don't like it!Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    One time I came home from school, and there were literally thousands of crows in the forest that enveloped my house. It was fucking frightening.

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  • Element BrianElement Brian Peanut Butter Shill Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Crows will drop seeds onto the road so that cars will crack them open. Thats why you see them standing in the middle of the street.

    They also ressurect people who have been wronged.

    One of these facts may be incorrect.

    Element Brian on
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  • Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    Caledonian crows are likely smarter than cephelopods. There is a good case to be made for those buggers being the second smartest animal on the planet.

    Premier kakos on
  • Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Crows will drop seeds onto the road so that cars will crack them open. Thats why you see them standing in the middle of the street.

    They also ressurect people who have been wronged.

    One of these facts may be incorrect.

    Well, everyone knows the second one is true, so obviously the first.

    Premier kakos on
  • ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    Beren39 wrote: »
    Archonex wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    In Vancouver, basically all the crows in the city roost in one area. Last year, it was right on my drive home from work, and it was sort of freaky seeing thousands of them sitting on buildings just chilling. Think about their brain power, and then, when you see something like this,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QuEjaG4Ghs&feature=related

    Its a little freaky.

    This is what run-away/orphan children see, right before they go missing.

    If that was a Walmart and not a Costco I would laugh so hard.

    I call bullshit. Nothing can lift people that fat.

    Scalfin on
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    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
  • LurkLurk Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Crows are awesome and anyone who does not see that, need their eyes pecked out.

    Lurk on
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  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    Of course, this tells us nothing about how a raven is like a writing desk. Still...
    .
    The answer I most commonly hear is that Poe wrote on both.

    indeed. there actually is no answer, but I think that one is the best.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    Of course, this tells us nothing about how a raven is like a writing desk. Still...
    .
    The answer I most commonly hear is that Poe wrote on both.

    indeed. there actually is no answer, but I think that one is the best.

    No, the correct answer is "they both raped someone very close to me."

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
  • Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    Of course, this tells us nothing about how a raven is like a writing desk. Still...

    I do want to thank kakos about the awesomeness of the noble crow. I seriously have a newfound respect for the awesomeness of these birds.

    Oh, you'll thank me more when the crows reveal themselves to be the true masters of humanity and enslave us for their own aims, but let the humans that showed them the most respect some measure of freedom.

    But you're welcome.

    Premier kakos on
  • MedopineMedopine __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    Caledonian crows are likely smarter than cephelopods. There is a good case to be made for those buggers being the second smartest animal on the planet.

    dolphins!

    Medopine on
  • Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Medopine wrote: »
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    Caledonian crows are likely smarter than cephelopods. There is a good case to be made for those buggers being the second smartest animal on the planet.

    dolphins!

    Dolphins don't show the ability to transform an object never before seen into another object with different properties from the first.

    Also, dolphins have to be trained to use their little machines. Crows learn how to use vending machines all on their own.

    Premier kakos on
  • Beren39Beren39 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.!
    So what beastie will Australia import to get rid of the crows when they inevitably escape and start to take up a population niche?

    Bees.

    Beren39 on
    Go, Go, EXCALIBUR! - Trent Varsity Swim Team 2009, better watch out for me Phelps!
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  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Medopine wrote: »
    Okay those videos are seriously creepy as hell

    I mean, I knew crows were smart, but that's like almost cephelopod-level smart. Maybe moreso; I don't know if there are recorded instances of cephelopod tool use, although in fairness it's not like squid really need tools.

    Caledonian crows are likely smarter than cephelopods. There is a good case to be made for those buggers being the second smartest animal on the planet.

    dolphins!

    Dolphins don't show the ability to transform an object never before seen into another object with different properties from the first.

    Also, dolphins have to be trained to use their little machines. Crows learn how to use vending machines all on their own.

    Sounds like they make their own demise to me. I don't what would happen to a crow that got a can of mountain dew out of a vending machine, and managed to drink it, but I don't think it'd be good.

    Archonex on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Beren39 wrote: »
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.!
    So what beastie will Australia import to get rid of the crows when they inevitably escape and start to take up a population niche?

    Bees.

    Look, I don't think we need an attack plan here. I'm sure the crows will be benevolent overlords.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • Beren39Beren39 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    Beren39 wrote: »
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.!
    So what beastie will Australia import to get rid of the crows when they inevitably escape and start to take up a population niche?

    Bees.

    Look, I don't think we need an attack plan here. I'm sure the crows will be benevolent overlords.

    Whoever tames the bee menace will become master of the crows.

    homer-lying-in-hammock-crows-c8683.jpg

    Beren39 on
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  • Premier kakosPremier kakos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Beren39 wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    Beren39 wrote: »
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.!
    So what beastie will Australia import to get rid of the crows when they inevitably escape and start to take up a population niche?

    Bees.

    Look, I don't think we need an attack plan here. I'm sure the crows will be benevolent overlords.

    Whoever tames the bee menace will become master of the crows.

    homer-lying-in-hammock-crows-c8683.jpg

    Poor deluded human, thinking you can ever become the master of the crows. Honestly, if things got out of control, I'm sure the crows will scrap the hole experiment and activate the orbital bombardment lasers and just wipe us out and then use their FTL drives to move to another star to begin anew their experiment after tweaking parameters.

    Premier kakos on
  • RikushixRikushix VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Corvus wrote: »
    In Vancouver, basically all the crows in the city roost in one area. Last year, it was right on my drive home from work, and it was sort of freaky seeing thousands of them sitting on buildings just chilling. Think about their brain power, and then, when you see something like this,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QuEjaG4Ghs&feature=related

    Its a little freaky.

    Holy crap. You know where that video was taken? I'm from Delta so it's less crows and more great blue herons, falcons, bald eagles, starlings, etc...

    On the topic of birds for a sec, it's funny how many tourists show up and are like OMG A BALD EAGLE! All I can think is "yeah...that's a bald eagle. 20 of them were circling over the thermals above my house yesterday afternoon. big deal"

    Also I thought it was rather funny: over winter break I was in my room, and I heard a huge screech and looked outside my window (I back onto farmland) only to see an adult bald eagle chasing a great blue heron, about two feet away from snapping at its tailfeathers. Both of them are wheeling around my backyard, the heron is in hysterics and making a hell of a racket and the eagle has a very hungry look in its eyes. The craziest thing was, they were both being tailed (rather unenthusiastically) by a hawk, as if he hoped they would kill each other and he would get the scraps of both of them.

    It was surreal.

    Rikushix on
    StKbT.jpg
  • SondervalSonderval Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Any of you guys ever witness a Crow's funeral?

    I have.

    Years ago, one morning when I was walking from my home to my old school, I would cross a large park area. On this day, as I was walking along, I could see some crows on the ground in the distance. They were kinda in my path, but I just ignored them, expecting them to fly off when I got closer, as birds are want to do.

    When I was about 20ft away, they weren't budging. They were also very quiet. I also noted that they had formed a circle around another crow - ok, I thought, thats weird. So I started to veer towards this assembly. I then realized that the bird in the middle wasn't moving. At all. He/she was dead. The other crows were standing around, just watching or holding some sort of vigil. I was within 10ft of them by now, utterly fascinated. None of them stirred at my approach, so I stopped at this distance and just watched. A few crows regarded me, but none of them seemed wary of me. It seemed like they were hanging around the dead crow for some purpose.

    So I stood there for a good 5 minutes before I had to make a move to get to school on time. I still remember the whole experience vividly. When I was walking home that evening, the crows body was there, but the vigil had ended. I wasn't freaked out by seeing this, rather as I have become older I realize I was witness to something pretty special in nature. I've had a deep respect for crows ever since - they are definitely brighter then you'd think.

    Sonderval on
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  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Apparently, a species of crow is one of the few species that has learned how to feed on the toxic cane toad. The cane toad apparently has a very poisonous skin along its back, but not on its belly. Crows apparently learned to flip the toads on their back and then eat them from the underside.!
    So what beastie will Australia import to get rid of the crows when they inevitably escape and start to take up a population niche?
    What do you mean 'escape', they're pretty common in urban areas.

    Walking through my old high school after hours was pretty damn creepy. They'd just sit there and watch you pass by D:

    The Cat on
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  • reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    This thread has elevated my apprection for crows from "yup, it's a bird, so what" to "that's pretty awesome, crows are the coolest".

    Also, I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on those youtube videos. Goddamn.

    reVerse on
  • GimGim a tall glass of water Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    reVerse wrote: »
    Also, I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on those youtube videos. Goddamn.

    I refuse to look, but how do people fuck up the comments on crow videos?

    Gim on
  • reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Gim wrote: »
    reVerse wrote: »
    Also, I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on those youtube videos. Goddamn.

    I refuse to look, but how do people fuck up the comments on crow videos?

    Well... what color are the crows?

    Yeah. That's how.

    reVerse on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Gim wrote: »
    reVerse wrote: »
    Also, I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on those youtube videos. Goddamn.

    I refuse to look, but how do people fuck up the comments on crow videos?

    I knew exactly what the comments would be like, and a quick glance confirmed it.

    People talking about crows being the "n----r bird" and then other people saying "No, they're smarter than n----rs".

    DarkPrimus on
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