They gathered as quickly as the assembly calls were shouted out. Flying in from all directions, they settled on their favourite tree. Wrapping their delicate feet around the tree's arms, the crows soon resembled tiny pieces of onyx sprinkled on a veil of branches. Once settled in, the debate broke out. Cawing. Soft and loud, sharp voices as well as mellow ones, shy bits and outrageous accusations. I closed my eyes. As shadows of a few stragglers passed over my tilted head, I indulged and imagined what they were discussing.
Was the dialogue human-like?
"Where did you go? I was waiting for you!", an anxious inquiry.
"I'm sorry - I got distracted by the river.", a sheepish reply.
I suppose it was not human-like at all. My best guess is something not just more animalistic, but more importantly, more instinctual. Removed from reactionary exchanges and rather of the moment.
SOLD
Perhaps it was more human-like than we think. My son insists that crows are the most intelligent of birds, and that they actually possess memory. Scary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with him. Not only have I witnessed their intelligence personally, it has been documented in an episode of David Suzuki's "The Nature of Things":
ReplyDeletewww.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2009/murderofcrows/
I just started doing some (very simple) video. Stay tuned.