Chapter 1
The ultimate birdbrain upgrade
Chapter 2
The neighborhood watch
Chapter 3
The bartering birds
Chapter 4
Crows in human culture
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret life of the neighborhood crow
Ch 3 · The bartering birds
artiteacher The Bartering Birds
Save a blue bottle cap to get a little treat— / Oh yeah, they make a sweet deal!
artiteacher In Sendai, Japan, carrion crows drop hard walnuts onto streets for cars to crack, then wait for green
artiteacher A colorful painting of two green pine sprigs threaded with silver soda tabs.
Fun Fact
The crow jar: A Virginia woman collected over a hundred buttons, marbles, and soda tabs gifted by her local crows.
Glossary
barter (verb)
To trade goods or services directly for other goods or services without using money. In 2013, Seattle resident Gabi Mann received trinkets from local crows in exchange for daily food.
To trade goods or services directly for other goods or services without using money. In 2013, Seattle resident Gabi Mann received trinkets from local crows in exchange for daily food.
Quiz
In which Japanese city did scientists first document crows using pedestrian traffic lights to crack walnuts safely?
Quiz
What highly specific, handmade gift did Stuart Dahlquist receive from crows in 2019?
Quiz
Why don't crows crack walnuts by dropping them from great heights on soft grass?
Quiz
Why do crows sometimes leave objects behind for humans who feed them, according to some scientists?
Quiz
Who was the young girl in Seattle who famously collected over 70 tiny gifts from crows in plastic bead boxes?
Quiz
What did a Virginia woman named Tango Steinke receive as her very first gift from a crow couple named Doc and Dottie?
Quiz
What kind of necklace piece did Gabi Mann find in her backyard, left by her crow friends?