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Biology

The Ecology and Evolution of Animal Tool Use in New Caledonian Crows

Quick fact

New Caledonian crows are one of only a few non-human animals that habitually manufacture tools in the wild, and their hooked 'leaf tools' and stepped 'twig tools' are so sophisticated that they rival the craftsmanship of early human tools.

Why this is interesting

A crow on a Pacific island carefully trims a twig into a hooked tool, then uses it to fish a grub out of a log. How did such a small-brained bird come to outperform many primates at tool manufacture?