A Dutch Life

Everyday I marvel at the world. I’m constantly and consistently in awe of the solutions nature has created to some of the most difficult and complex problems imaginable. I feel embarrassed by the elegance and simplicity of those solutions, and by the way each and every one of them compliments the broader fabric of life into which it is woven. I’m humbled by even the smallest of earths life forms, each of which demonstrates a depth of wisdom and intelligence that I cannot even begin to comprehend.

I see it all for what it really is, and what it really is, is beauty. Life, this planet, this universe, this galaxy, all of it, a complete wonder, and it gets ever more wondrous with every secret we manage to unlock.

With that introduction I bring you a series of blog posts titled “Great moments in evolution”. Each will be a quick look at one of natures simple solutions to the worlds most complex problems, and a tribute to Darwin’s engine of infinite innovation.

Bird Brains

I have to say that I was surprised to learn how little we know about the Crow. Apart from being the mascot for one of the worlds great football teams, and the title of a superb movie, it seemed to me to be one of the worlds most common species of bird. In my mind following closely the Pigeon and the Sparrow. It turns out though that the Crow is an uncommonly private bird, preferring to go about their day-to-day business beyond the gaze of humans.

As smart as these birds are, it seems they haven’t quite got to the point of being able to read the sign that says “CCTV”, and some crafty scientist have exploited this by fitting incredibly small cameras to their tails. The result has been a never before seen, reality TV style look at their incredible use of tools. They are the only non-primate animal known to have been able to connect A) Hunger to C) Food via B) Tool. In fact they are able to use different tools, for different jobs, based on the type of habitat and food they are looking for. The BBC reports:

We found them using grass stems – and that is interesting because these stems have very different physical properties from the sticks and leaves that we knew they use.

“They are using the grass stems on the forest floor, probing the leaf litter, possibly fishing for ants.”

So, here’s to the amazing New Caledonian crow, whose brain belies its reputation.