New Caledonian Crow
Corvus moneduloides
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Passeriformes · Corvidae
About
The New Caledonian crow is a medium-sized member of the family Corvidae, native to New Caledonia. The bird is often referred to as the 'qua-qua' due to its distinctive call. It eats a wide range of food, including many types of invertebrates, eggs, nestlings, small mammals, snails, nuts and seeds. The New Caledonian crow sometimes captures grubs in nooks or crevices by poking a twig at the grub to agitate it into biting the twig, which the crow then withdraws with the grub still attached. This method of feeding indicates the New Caledonian crow is capable of tool use. They are also able to make hooks. This species is also capable of solving a number of sophisticated cognitive tests which suggest that it is particularly intelligent. As a result of these findings, the New Caledonian crow has become a model species for scientists trying to understand the impact of tool use and manufacture on the evolution of intelligence.
Fun Fact
New Caledonian crows manufacture and use tools in the wild — crafting hooked sticks and barbed leaf stems to extract insect larvae — and they pass improved tool designs to their offspring.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Tropical forests
Diet
Omnivore
Lifespan
8-12 years
Threats
- Habitat Fragmentation
- Wildfire