When my husband, Bob and I began going to Thermopolis, Wyoming each year for our wedding anniversary, the one thing I noticed about the place, that always reminded me of Thermopolis, were the crows that hung out there. Crows can be annoying birds, and most people don’t like them, but they don’t bother me really. They always make me think of our anniversary trips. Now, crows that had migrated to the Casper area. They settled near our house, as well as other areas around town. I don’t recall seeing them around before, but now that they are here, they remind me of the lovely times we had in Thermopolis.
The reality is that crows are incredibly smart birds, showing off problem-solving skills, social smarts, and cognitive abilities similar to those of young kids. Their intelligence is often compared to that of a 7-year-old, as they can tackle tricky problems, use tools, and grasp abstract ideas. Research has found that crows are capable of tasks involving planning and foresight, like figuring out how to get food through a series of obstacles. They’ve been seen using sticks to pull insects from tree bark. Their problem-solving abilities have been 
showcased in various experiments, including the well-known Aesop’s fable test, where they dropped stones into a pitcher to raise the water level and reach the food…clearly demonstrating their understanding of cause and effect, and their willingness to stay with a task until the problem is solved.
Crows are highly social animals that live in complex family groups and engage in cooperative behaviors. They can recognize individual human faces and remember those who pose threats, passing this information down to their offspring. This ability to hold grudges and teach their young about dangerous humans showcases their advanced social intelligence. They have even been known to observe a person who lost something, followed them, and returned the item…provided the person was not one they disliked. I’ve seen them swoop down and “dive-bomb” a person they didn’t like, however.
Even though crows have relatively small brains, they pack “a high density of neurons, especially in the pallium, which is similar to the human cerebral cortex.” This helps them process information quickly and engage in complex behaviors. With a brain-to-body ratio comparable to primates, crows show just how intelligent they 
really are. They’re not only clever but a true example of the depth of avian smarts. From solving problems and adapting to new situations to keeping complex social bonds, they rank among the smartest animals in the world. Recognizing their intelligence challenges old ideas about animal minds and showcases the impressive abilities of these remarkable birds. No wonder they have held a fascination for me for so many years now.
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