Are Crows Really Smart? I Spotted one at the Basai Wetland!

I have been visiting the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon for quite some time now and though it is more often than not to photograph some of the more exotic variety of birds, I have, however, noticed crows behaving rather strangely. First and foremost I have observed crows deliberately crowding me, chasing the other birds away and deliberately staring me in the 'lens'. At first, I dismissed this behaviour as some kind of a coincidence but then later one day I observed a crow pick up a rounded pebble-like object in its beak and then perch on a fence-post. Now that was really strange! I followed it right up to the fence post and photographed it with the pebble-like object in its beak and that made me wonder what it was up to!

The next I saw what was probably the same crow was that it had a piece of wood in its beak. This was a square piece of wood like the ones that fishermen use to wind a bit of nylon line on. I was curious at first about what the crow had in its beak, thinking that it was probably a fish, but when I got closer, I noticed what it was. 

I had in all probability spotted a very intelligent crow that was using round pebble-like objects and a piece of wood for something or the other. Of course, we have down the ages heard tales about crows that have suggested that they are exceptionally intelligent (like a tale about the thirsty crow that put pebbles into a jar of water so that the level would rise and it could drink from it), but then what I had seen both times was simply amazing. You can judge for yourself by looking at the photographs that I am sharing on this post.

I am curious to know what the crow was doing with a pebble and a piece of wood in its beak! I believe that would require another visit to the Basai Wetland where I get to meet the same crow. The next time I hope to get something interesting to share with you.