Subject: Tool use
Date: Jul 1 10:35:35 1999
From: Rick Romea - rromea at stioptronics.com


Hi Tweets

This discussion of tool use by birds reminds me of an experience I had in
Venezuela where we watched a community of large woodcreepers (at the moment
I can't remember which species) using small sticks held in their bills to
pry insects from cracks in the tree bark. It seemed clear to me that
several of the birds had favorite sticks; several times I observed them
putting their sick down to grab the insect, then later retrieving the same
stick. Many of the birds were using sticks, as if the skill had been passed
around.

Rick Romea
Seattle, WA
rromea at stioptronics.com

206-523-5831 (Home)
425-827-0460 X 316 (Work)
___________________________________

Flying isn't the hard part; Landing in the net is.
- Mario Zacchini, sensational human cannonball.