Crow

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Shield Raven ( Corvus albus)

The Ravens and Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae ( Corvidae ). The major representatives are called " Ravens " refers to the smaller as " crows ". However, this is not about a taxonomic classification.

The genus includes 42 species. In Europe, the raven, the carrion crow ( carrion crow and crow), the rook and the jackdaw occur. As a naturalized neozoon also breeds the sheen Crow since the late 1990s in the Netherlands.

Etymology

The name Crow is in almost all Indo-European languages ​​a onomatopoeic name which imitates their typical vocalizations: Necktie OHG, MHG Kra, kraeje, Kreie or krowe, Kraja Slavonic.

Raven ( OHG Hraban, MHG raven ) is raaf with Dutch, English and raven related Old Icelandic Hrafn. The word comes from the onomatopoeic root ker that mimics scraping or scratching noises; also rake and croak hanging out together with it. The raven was so named as a " croaker ".

Intelligence

One scientific study, according to Ravens and Crows are the birds with the greatest intelligence. For example, they show in experiments, the ability to plan complex actions in advance. In Hiding of food they show both large shopping services as well as the ability to empathize with others. A raven seems to know that a food hiding is only safe if it is not observed in hiding.

They also put an amazing learning behavior on the day ( eg manufacture of tools, use of road traffic to crack nuts and fruits, where they pick up the run over by motorists nuts at red lights ). Shortly after the behavior had been found in an individual, it was also observed in a radius of several kilometers around the discovery site around. This is interpreted as evidence of a previously unimagined fast learning ability.

Often be seen as a companion to wolves or other predators, and then to participate in the plan, or to pilfer around.

The University Bochum conducted an experiment in the raven, a red dot was stuck. After she saw herself in the mirror, she tried to pick the item from the neck. So you understand that they just see an image of yourself - an achievement that many mammals in force as intelligent not to be in the situation.

2012 took out Alex Taylor of the University of Auckland in an experiment with Neukaledonienkrähen that the birds have the ability to close at an observed phenomenon to a hidden cause. The crows presented a connection between a stick, the seemingly moved by itself, and a man who shortly afterwards left a hiding place near the floor. Previously it was thought that only humans are able to draw such a conclusion.

Mythology and cultural reception

The eye-catching crows and ravens play a role in legends and fairy tales around the world. Thus, old gods and kings have used their wisdom, intelligence and ability to fly. In parallel, these birds also play a role in the folk and superstition. In many fairy tales, for example, is often the wise Wanderer " röiven " (old German ) speech, which got lost walking people has the right way (and often with a few tips are on the trip ). Well known are the Grimm 's fairy tale The Seven Ravens and The Raven.

In Norse mythology, the raven symbolizes the wisdom of the god Odin had ravens Hugin and always the two Munin with him, sitting on his shoulders, and told him what was going on in the world itself. King Arthur said to have been transformed into a raven. The Greek god Apollo were the ravens holy ( see Koronis ). In the story of the Flood, Noah can a raven fly (Gen 8.6 to 7 ELB ). The Prophet Elijah during a famine of ravens supplies (1 Kings 17.6 ELB ). After the Christianization of the raven was in Europe because of its mystical significance in previous cults but as an evil beast. In the Middle Ages, and later the bodies of hanged men were often not buried, so the raven was even to the gallows bird.

A role of the crow in North American Indian tales, unlike West African tale where she holds a positive role. In India, crows accompany the goddess Kali. In Christian legends is the one Crow the messenger of the Holy Oswald. Witches and wizards are able to transform into crows, a motif that is the children's book author Otfried Preußler has taken up in great detail in his book, Krabat, as the makers of the television fairy tale The Magic Raven Rumburak.

Up to the present time are ravens and crows popular symbols in poetry, fiction, movies, and life. Examples of this are several poems and films titled The Raven, the children's book The Little Raven, the comic book series The Crow and the band Corvus Corax.

Species

• Ravens and crows (Corvus ) Carrion Crow (Corvus corone )
• American Crow (C. brachyrhynchos )
• Antilles Crow (C. leucognaphalus )
• Banggaikrähe (C. unicolor)
• Bennett Crow (C. bennetti )
• Bristle Raven (C. rhipidurus )
• Bougainvillekrähe (C. meeki )
• Brown-headed Crow (C. fuscicapillus )
• Colorful Beak Crow (C. woodfordi )
• Celebeskrähe (C. typicus )
• Chathamrabe (C. moriorum ) †
• Thick-billed Crow (C. macrorhynchos )
• Jackdaw (C. monedula )
• Magpie Jackdaw (C. dauuricus )
• Erzrabe (C. crassirostris )
• Fish Crow (C. ossifragus )
• Flore Crow (C. florensis )
• White-necked Raven (C. albicollis )
• Caledonian crow (C. moneduloides )
• Company Crow (C. mellori )
• Gloss Crow (C. splendens)
• Greis Crow (C. tristis )
• Guamkrähe (C. kubaryi )
• Hawaiian Crow (C. hawaiiensis )
• Jamaica Crow (C. jamaicensis )
• Kapkrähe (C. capensis )
• Raven (Corvus corax)
• Cuba Crow (C. nasicus )
• Maori Crow (C. antipodum ) †
• Mexican Crow (C. imparatus )
• Moluccas Crow (C. validus )
• Neuhollandkrähe (C. coronoides )
• Palm Crow (C. palmarum )
• Puerto Rico Crow (C. pumilis ) †
• Rook ( C. frugilegus )
• Salvadorikrähe (C. orru )
• Shield Raven (C. albus)
• Sinaloakrähe (C. sinaloae )
• Sundakrähe (C. enca )
• Sundkrähe (C. caurinus )
• Tasmankrähe (C. tasmanicus )
• White -necked Raven (C. cryptoleucus )
• Desert Raven (C. ruficollis )
• Corvus impluviatus †
• Corvus viriosus †