One of the clearest indicators of higher intelligence is the ability to not just use a tool, but to modify one. The New Caledonian crow is the poster child for this behavior. In controlled experiments, these crows were presented with a stick too short to reach a piece of food and a piece of wire. Without any training, the crows bent the wire into a hook to retrieve the food. This spontaneous manufacture of a novel tool demonstrates —the ability to understand that modifying an object changes its physical effect on the environment.

How are corvids' intelligence often compared to that of other animals? Answer: Primates.

The text details various scientific experiments and observations that challenge the "bird brain" stereotype: Tool Creation: A famous example is