Crow can remember faces, seek revenge for up to 17 years, study finds
By Deepu Mohan | First Published Nov 4, 2024, 6:42 PM ISTResearchers found that crows can hold grudges for up to 17 years, recognizing and retaliating against specific individuals who harmed them, and even communicating this animosity to other crows, showcasing their advanced emotional intelligence and memory.
Revenge is not solely a human trait, according to a new study that suggests crows also have the ability to remember and retaliate against those who have harmed them. Research led by Professor John Marzluff, an environmental scientist at the University of Washington, indicates that crows can hold a grudge and seek revenge for up to 17 years.
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The study began in 2006 when Professor Marzluff sought to determine whether crows would retaliate. He conducted an experiment wearing a ogre mask while capturing seven crows with a net. After marking their wings for identification, he released them unharmed. Remarkably, the crows later sought out the individual who had captured them. Whenever Professor Marzluff appeared on campus wearing the mask, the crows would circle above and attack him.
"john marzluff,
a professor...
in an ogre mask,
for science"
th science regards
crows + their grudgeshttps://t.co/My4C36vT5p pic.twitter.com/VwfpJulS0V
To his surprise, other crows joined in the attacks, displaying aggression that lasted for about seven years. After 2013, the frequency of these attacks began to wane. Last September, 17 years after the initial experiment, Professor Marzluff donned the mask again, only to find that for the first time, the crows did not attack him.
Professor Marzluff is preparing to publish a research paper detailing the findings from his long-term study. His research revealed that crows possess a brain region similar to the amygdala in mammals, which is involved in processing emotions. He claims that crows are adept at observing human behaviour and can recognize individual human faces, enabling them to identify and remember perceived threats. Furthermore, Marzluff noted that crows can communicate this animosity to others in their flock, allowing for coordinated attacks against individuals they view as adversaries.
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