Are Crows As Smart As 7 Years Olds Children?

The limit of bird intelligence can now be measured. A recent study showed that the crow is almost equivalent to the ability of children aged 7 years. This conclusion is based on the trial Aesop fable.

A study has shown that young children and crows can both solve a similar task, but only the children were able to retrieve the reward when it was made more complicated. (Picture from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)

This experiment requires a thirsty crow to drop a pebble into a pitcher of water. The amount of gravel being dropped will cause the water in the jug up to the limit which can reach half of the crow to drink.

In this study, the scientists compared the ability of children of all ages with a crow to conduct experiments Aesop fable. "The experiment requires that children and crows to move the water in the tube to get a gift or reward of food," said Lucy Cheke, researchers from Cambridge University, England, Thursday (July 26, 2012).

The experimental results show that the ability of children aged 5-7 years are no better than a crow. Just like the crow, the children's fable Aesop completed after five tries. Unlike the 8-year-olds who can complete the trial in a single occasion.

But there is one experiment that can be solved consistently the children but can not be carried out by crows. A U-shaped tube filled with water buried in the ground until leaving two holes that look like two separate tubes. One size too small hole so it is difficult to drop the object through it. This tube also contains a gift.

When confronted with this tube, the children are not disturbed at all. Children can easily improve the watershed in the tube by dropping objects into a bigger hole. But the crow can not solve this puzzle, and always failed to win the prize.

Crows operate on a trial and error basis while children weren't put off by setbacks. (Picture from: http://www.standard.co.uk/)

The study, published in the online journal PLoS ONE, shows that children and crows solve the problem in different ways. *** [TELEGRAPH | MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | KORAN TEMPO 3955]

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