A Murder of Crows

The “murder” in the provocative title of this PBS NATURE documentary refers not to a crime, but to the collective noun used for a flock of crows, long considered to be among the most intelligent of birds, and present on every continent except Antarctica. Canadian broadcaster and writer Nora Young narrates, while ornithologists and others provide fascinating tidbits to accompany footage capturing the highly sociable creatures' lives and habits. Far from being just schemers and scavengers, crows have a complex communication process, are easily adaptable, and are capable of facial recognition—as well as possibly even passing information down from one generation to another (most spend up to five years with their families). Crows also exhibit various signs of sensitivity, such as massing and marking the site of the death of one of their own. Director Susan Fleming follows scientists who don masks to demonstrate how the birds “remember” intruders, and warn others of danger with their harsh “caws”—just one of approximately 250 distinct crow calls. Perhaps most surprising is the fact that crows not only utilize but also can create simple tools, as evidenced in Japan, where wire hangers were plucked from the trash and used to build nests. The birds regularly change migratory routes to avoid human “crow patrols” meant to keep them out of farmers' fields, and display problem-solving behavior by, for example, storing their food to prevent pilfering. As a revelatory portrait of a common—and often maligned—winged wonder, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)