Crows Recognise Individual Human Faces
A crow is a large black bird. Research has shown they identify and remember particular people.
A crow is a large black bird of the genus *Corvus*, and *to crow* is to boast or to make a cock's cry. Crows recognise individual human faces and hold grudges: in experiments at the University of Washington, researchers wearing a particular mask while trapping crows were scolded by birds for years afterwards, including by birds that had never been trapped and had only learned the face socially. *As the crow flies* means in a straight line, recorded from the 1700s.
- A large black bird. *A crow on the fence.*
- To boast. *Stop crowing.*
- A cock's cry. *The cock crowed.*
- As the crow flies — in a straight line. *As the crow flies.*
- Old English — *crawe*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | crow | A crow. |
| Plural | crows | Crows. |
| Verb | crow | Crowing. |
| Compound | crowbar | A crowbar. |
| Latin | corvus | A crow. |
- A crow watched from the wire.Bird.
- He crowed about the win.Boasting.
- Ten miles as the crow flies.Distance.
What crows can do
- Recognise individual human faces and remember them for years
- Pass that knowledge socially to birds that never met the person
- Make and use tools, bending wire into hooks in captivity
- Drop nuts onto roads for cars to crack open
- Solve multi-step puzzles requiring a plan several moves ahead
Old English *crawe*, imitative of the bird's call, of Germanic origin.
Do crows really remember faces?
Yes. In experiments researchers wearing a particular mask while trapping crows were scolded for years, including by birds that had never been trapped.
Where does eat crow come from?
American English of the 1850s, meaning to be forced to admit an error, from the idea of eating something distasteful.