Research Agenda
This page is here to present annotated bibliographies I will be using in my research. They are my BIG 3 sources which focus on intelligence and tool usage of New Caledonian crows.
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Sources for Literature Review of Flexibility in Problem Solving and Tool Use of Kea and New Caledonian Crows in a Multi Access Box Paradigm:
Alice M. I. Auersperg et al. "Flexibility in Problem Solving and Tool Use of Kea and New Caledonian Crows in a Multi Access Box Paradigm." Plos One, 2011.
The authors, Alice M. I. Auersperg, from Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, et al., published the article Flexibility in Problem Solving and Tool Use of Kea and New Caledonian Crows in a Multi Access Box Paradigm on Plos One. The study conducted an experiment on both kea and new Caledonian crows to compare their ability to solve problem and adapt the way of solving it. A clear box with food in it is provided with 4 possible ways to get to it. New Caledonian crows are more gentle to the box and more used to using strings as that is one of their familiar tools in the wild. This study is often cited online, and the comparison is to show the common actions and different actions crows take from other birds to solve the same problem.
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Sources for Literature Review of Tool Selectivity in a Non-primate, the New Caledonian Crow (Corvus Moneduloides):
Chappell, Jackie. Kacelnik, Alex. "Tool Selectivity in a Non-primate, the New Caledonian Crow (Corvus Moneduloides)." Springer-Verlag, 2002.
Jackie Chappell, animal behavioral scientist from University of Birmingham, and Alex Kacelnik, zoologist from University of Oxford, published the article Tool Selectivity in a Non-primate, the New Caledonian Crow (Corvus Moneduloides) on Springer Verlag. The article conducted 2 experiments on New Caledonian crows, which the first one placed tools with different length in sight for them to use to extract food from a tube, and the other placed tools away from sight with same procedures. New Caledonian crows were able to mostly figure out a tool with suitable length for the first experiment, but sometimes fail but try to correct their mistakes by replacing the tool with the more accurate one in the second. The tool with the longest length is not often used because its downside of hard to manipulate. It shows that crows are able to learn about finding the correct solution by sight. This study is one of the earlier ones. It was published when we still believed that high intelligence is rare between animals, mostly only occur on primates.
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Sources for Literature Review of The Role of Experience in Problem Solving and Innovative Tool Use in Crows:
Auguste M. P. von Bayern et al. "The Role of Experience in Problem Solving and Innovative Tool Use in Crows." Current Biology 19, 2009.
Animal behavioral scientist Auguste M. P. von Bayern from University of Oxford, et al., published the article The Role of Experience in Problem Solving and Innovative Tool Use in Crows on Current Biology. The article conducted an experiment and studied about crows learning from their experience. There are two groups of crows, one has seen a stone opening a trap door before and the other hasn't. The first group was able to perform the task of dropping a stone to open a trap door for food themselves while the second can't. It suggests that crows can learn from their observation and perform similar tasks based on their experience. Besides, a crow dropped a feather on the trap door as experiment, which suggests that it is trying to figure out the exact theory how the device works. It was able to think complicatedly. This article provides this interesting result so different than the other two sources, that it can be a proof that some individuals of crows have higher intelligence and can develop "thoughts" and guessing of how things work.
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Problems
The following sources indicate the problems I found that crows are facing.​
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Sources for Literature Review of Status of the Mariana Crow Population on Rota, Mariana Islands:
Steven Fancy et al. "Status of the Mariana Crow Population on Rota, Mariana Islands". Micronesica, Vol. 31, 1999.
Steven G. Fancy, from Biological Resources Division of Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, published the article Status of the Mariana Crow Population on Rota, Mariana Islands on Micronesica. The article is about a research survey on the population of Mariana Crows on Rota, Mariana Islands. They used a method called variable circular-plot (VCP) to count the population of the crows on the island and recorded data every 8 minutes. Their previous data collected in 1982 showed that the total population of Mariana Crows were about 1348. The new data collected showed that there are only 592 crows left. The comparison indicated a 56% decrease of Mariana Crow population, suggesting to be the result of habitat loss due to human development, typhoon, and persecution.
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Sources for Literature Review of Habitat Selection and Management of the Hawaiian Crow:
Jon G. Giffin et al. "Habitat Selection and Management of the Hawaiian Crow". The Journal of Wildlife Management, Apr., 1987, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 385-494.
Jon G. Giffin from Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Kamuela, published the aritcle Habitat Selection and Management of the Hawaiian Crow in 1987. The article studies on habitat selection of the endangered species Hawaiian Crow (now extinct in the wild) and the cause of their decreasing population. They made a survey of both their habitats in breeding seasons and non-breeding seasons. The result shows that Hawaiian crows nest in high-elevation areas in Moist Koa-Ohia during mating seasons, which are spring and summer, and in lower-elevation areas during non-mating seasons, which are fall and winter. The reason of decreasing population is believed to be reduced food levels due to habitat disturbance. Some minor causes are predation on fledglings, avian disease, and human hunting.
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Sources for Literature Review of Attitudes, Knowledge and Practices Affecting the Critically Endangered Mariana Crow Corvus Kubaryi and Its Conservation on Rota, Mariana Islands:
Sussman, Adrienne F., et al. “Attitudes, Knowledge and Practices Affecting the Critically Endangered Mariana Crow Corvus Kubaryi and Its Conservation on Rota, Mariana Islands: Oryx.” Cambridge Core, Cambridge University Press, 22 Jan. 2015.
Adrienne F. Sussman, Ph.D. from Department of Psychology, University of Washington Seattle, published the article Attitudes, Knowledge and Practices Affecting the Critically Endangered Mariana Crow Corvus Kubaryi and Its Conservation on Rota, Mariana Islands on Cambridge University Press with her fellow researchers. The article is about surveys she has done on residents of Rota in order to show their attitudes toward Mariana Crows. Same as Fancy's research in 1999, Mariana Crows are still critically endangered species in 2015. Sussman made surveys and collected opinions of local citizens on the crow species. 72% thought environment issues were critical and 76% knew about the endangered situation of Mariana Crows. However, only 55% are concerned about the possible extinction of the bird, 17% thought it is okay to hunt birds, and 52% thought it is fine to chase crows. Chamorro landowners of the island are more likely to oppose Mariana Crows. Data shows that the decreasing number of Mariana Crow population can be a result of people's attitudes toward the species. In other words, when more people do not care about these birds, it's more likely to accelerate their speed of disappearing in the wild.
Solutions
The following sources indicate the potential solutions to problems I found that crows are facing.​
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Sources for Literature Review of Efficacy of Electrical Barriers Used to Protect Mariana Crow Nests:
Celestino F. Aguon et al. "Efficacy of Electrical Barriers Used to Protect Mariana Crow Nests". Wildlife Society Bulletin, Autumn, 2002, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 703-708.
Division chief of the Guam Department of Agriculture's Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, Celestino F. Aguon, together with his fellow researchers, published the research article Efficacy of Electrical Barriers Used to Protect Mariana Crow Nests on Wildlife Society Bulletin. The article introduced one of the major cause of Mariana Crows to be endangered is the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis), which is an invasive species who prey on crows' eggs. The test is conducted at Mariana Crow habitat at Guam. A platform wrapped with electric wires is placed on each test tree which are trees with Mariana Crow nests on them. Number of brown treesnakes is recorded on each test tree along with control trees without the device mounted. The result shows that zero brown treesnakes were caught on trees with electrical barriers, while 49 were caught on control trees. It is proven that electrical barriers can be effective on protecting the ecosystem from being destroyed by invasive species, and at the same time protect the population of endangered wild Marian Crows.
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Sources for Literature Review of The Influence of Captive Breeding Management on Founder Representation and Inbreeding in the 'Alala, the Hawaiian Crow:
Philip W. Hedrick et al. "The Influence of Captive Breeding Management on Founder Representation and Inbreeding in the 'Alala, the Hawaiian Crow". Springer Science, Oct. 31, 2015.
Philip W. Hedrick is a population geneticist and conservation biologist from School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University. He published the article The Influence of Captive Breeding Management on Founder Representation and Inbreeding in the 'Alala, the Hawaiian Crow with other researchers in 2015. The article talks about the captive breeding strategy to prepare for the reintroduction of the already-extinct Hawaiian Crow to the wild. Wild Hawaiian Crows are believed to be extinct since 2002. The only individuals left are the offspring of captured pairs in the 1970s. Originally, 9 individuals were captured in the wild and placed in an artificial habitat environment. Offspring of one pair from the 9 founders show high desire of breeding which the 76% of existing Hawaiian Crow population in 2014 are descendants of that pair. The total population of Hawaiian Crows increased from 9 to the current 113 in 40 years, showing a possibility to develop a larger population and introduce back to the wild in the future.
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Sources for Literature Review of Measuring and Developing Ecological Literacy to Conserve the Critically Endangered Mariana Crow:
Cook, Emily. Ormsby, Alison. "Measuring and Developing Ecological Literacy to Conserve the Critically Endangered Mariana Crow". Applied Environmental Education & Communication, Jan. 4, 2021.
Emily L. Cook and Alison A. Ormsby, both being Environmental Studies researcher from Prescott College, published the article Measuring and Developing Ecological Literacy to Conserve the Critically Endangered Mariana Crow on Applied Environmental Education & Communication in 2021. The research is about students at Mariana Island of Rota's attitudes toward and ability to identify Mariana Crow after being educated about them. Lack of knowledge about endangered species and hatred towards crows cause people to harm Mariana Crows and make their already-endangered situation even more critical. Fifth and Sixth grade students are tested on. A part of them received education about Mariana Crows and the rest of them did not. The group that received education on Mariana Crows show better understanding of how to identify a Mariana Crow and what they need to survive. Their attitudes toward Mariana Crows are also improved. The study result shows the possibility of protecting wild Mariana Crow population by educating students about the species. A longer-term education program is recommended.