March 6, 2025, 9:45 am | Read time: 5 minutes

Corvids are often associated with myths and prejudices. However, anyone who observes them more closely quickly recognizes their extraordinary intelligence and social skills. For example, crows can make tools or recognize human faces. PETBOOK presents seven exciting facts about these fascinating birds.

1. Carrion Crows Are Particularly Common in Germany

According to Dr. Gill, the most common corvids in Germany are carrion crows, a collective term for crows (e.g., in Munich) and hooded crows (e.g., in Berlin). Magpies, rooks, jackdaws, and jays are also common.

2. Corvids Can Sing

Corvids possess a variety of communication forms. “They have different calls that they can use to warn or coordinate with each other,” explains the bird expert. These calls are so individual that the birds can even recognize each other over long distances.

What many people also don’t know is that corvids actually belong to the songbird family. Dr. Gill confirms this: “Corvids can actually sing, even if the ubiquitous loud calls don’t necessarily suggest this.” However, their song is quiet and is usually only used in a pair context. In addition to vocalizations, body language also plays a major role. For example, pairs of ravens dance together in flight, and females signal their readiness to mate through their body posture.

3. Intelligent Problem Solvers

Corvids are known for their impressive cognitive abilities. Dr. Gill mentions, for example, “the story of the traffic light crows that let moving cars crack their nuts and then pick them up again when the light turns green for pedestrians.”

According to the LBV expert, research has also confirmed that they have many abilities that were previously only attributed to higher primates. They are born with an immature brain and stay with their parents for a long time in order to learn. They can act with foresight and empathize with other creatures.

Some species, such as the straight-billed crow, not only use tools but even make them themselves. “In cognitive research, they have passed many tests, such as recognizing themselves in a mirror or the water displacement test,” explains Dr. Gill. In this physical experiment, crows performed even better than six-year-old children. The experiment, based on a fable by the Greek poet Aesop, involves raising the water level in a jug by throwing stones into it so that you can drink from it¹

Crows also observe human behavior very closely. “If a car is used several times to hunt crows in the same area, you can assume that the crows will leave within a very short time.” They are even able to memorize human faces and warn of them for years.

4. Corvids Have Adapted to Different Habitats

The corvid family includes a diverse range of species that inhabit nearly all types of environments, from high alpine regions (e.g., Alpine choughs) to tropical rainforests (e.g., straight-billed crows), with the exception of South America and Antarctica. Many are “generalists,” as Dr. Gill emphasizes, and are not dependent on specific food sources. This enables them to live in the “otherwise rather unnatural ecosystems that humans have created.” Dr. Gill cites agricultural areas and settlement areas as examples.

5. An Important Ecological Role

Corvids make a valuable contribution to the ecosystem. For instance, Eurasian jays play a role in the propagation of oak trees by caching acorns. Scavenging species such as crows and ravens “recycle dead animals after they have been ‘opened,'” as Dr. Gill explains — for example, by a wolf, but nowadays more likely by a car.

“If there are enough insects and worms available, they prefer them to seeds, especially in spring when they are rearing their young,” says the ornithologist. This practice would make them useful pest controllers. But: “In pesticide-contaminated agricultural landscapes, this often leads to problems, as they are forced to switch to plant seeds and can thus contribute to reduced crop yields,” adds Dr. Gill.

6. Corvids Are Neither “Killer Crows” nor “Thieving magpies”

A persistent preconception is that of “killer crows,” which supposedly make entire cities unsafe in winter, “like in Hitchcock.” In fact, these are rooks and carrion crows from the north and east that migrate to Central Europe in winter. “This migratory behavior is completely normal, and the animals are neither dangerous nor aggressive,” clarifies the bird expert.

The myth of the “thieving magpie” is also scientifically untenable. According to Dr. Gill, contrary to popular belief, it has not been scientifically proven that magpies prefer shiny objects. From a biological perspective, this myth is not so far-fetched: “They have shiny, iridescent plumage, sometimes in colors that are not visible to us – and are therefore designed to perceive these signals more strongly in the environment,” says Dr. Gill. It can happen that a magpie takes a conspicuous object and hides it, but the systematic stealing of silverware or jewelry is a legend.

More on the topic

Native black birds Raven or crow? How to recognize the difference

Deliberate deception Can animals lie? A behavioral biologist gives answers

Native bird of prey The reason why buzzards attack people who are jogging

7. Corvids Give People Gifts

People frequently report instances of corvids bringing them “gifts.” “There are countless reports of jackdaws, crows, or ravens that have grown up with humans, who regard ‘their’ humans as partners, bring them gifts, and even become very jealous,” explains Dr. Gill. Even wild crows can build up a bond over the years with people who feed them regularly.

Whether the items they bring are actually intended as gifts or are simply safe hiding places remains to be seen. But it is always a great honor when an otherwise cautious corvid trusts a human so much that it brings its young close to them.