Picture: Crows in the Wheatfields
Vincent van Gogh
I have no idea how many of you know that, ravens and crows, are very clever, cognitive birds. I remember that when I was in Primary one or two, there was a chapter for my Chinese class at school talking about a witty crow using a smart method to get the water inside a bottle by dropping small stones inside a bottle. In reality, real crows are really capable of doing that. I suppose many of you might have learnt that chapter too since that is such a classic story.
Bernd Heinrich conducted a research in ravens, his favourite animal. He set up different problems for the ravens to solve and see how well they will perform. From his study, it is well understood that cognition is not soley a human trait. Once one raven learnt how to solve one problem , other ravens soon learnt it. Although there are alwyas left overs from the group who never get to the solution, there are always pioneers who amazed even the researcher himself.
My mom had always talked to me about her experiences with the crows when she was young. When she was younger she thought crows are sacred creatures and should not be distrubed. Her description of the crows' "crying" makes me feel 'cold' too, and I still remember how funny she was once when I was in Bejing when her: " Hey, did you heard the birds' crying? When I was a child and my dad is not home, those cries really scared me a lot!" For Chinese, seeing a crow in the morning indicates that one may have bad luck the whole day afterwards. Well, superstitious people ... crows can be so nice! During my graduation trip to China's capital, Beijing, I saw many many crows everywhere. There are many many crows here at my college too. Every morning I am seeing them. So everyday is a bad day?
Ravens and crows are opportunists. They are both scavengers and omnivores and my personal comment on them: Good stuff.
Problem solving is another means of creativity also. Let me challenge you guys a little:
What is the name of the president of United States in 1996?
Thanks to Douglas, who asked me this question. I am SO glad that I've solved that at last, after failures and failures....hehe
P.S. A good song recommended to my loved ones:
First Love, by Utada Hikaru (宇多田光)
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