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"On the other hand, though, sponging suggests a level of cognitive sophistication that we'd previously reserved only for ourselves and our closest cousins." Th
by bootload 11y ago
"On the other hand, though, sponging suggests a level of cognitive sophistication that we'd previously reserved only for ourselves and our closest cousins."
There's a certain arrogance to this. Only this week I watched a small bird throwing snails onto the ground to break and eat them. Why it was throwing was puzzling, as Black birds have sharp pointed beaks and could easily peck at the shell.
- deepnet 11y agoYou only get 1 beak, best to let the ground do the work. I, too, have a blackbird visitor, that does this, it has a favourite stone anvil which is just right to break the snail shells integrity - so it is a tool user.
- bootload 11y ago"You only get 1 beak, best to let the ground do the work." Great observation. This must be a cheap adaption, same technique, different continent. I've seen Crows do similar things. Magpies and Kookaburras also use branches to kill what they catch. Instinctively they smash what they have in their beak on a branch. Have yet to see one use a stick though.