J. D. Porter

The May-June issue of Audubon Magazine has an article entitled Brains Over Brawn, that looks at the fascinating behavior of crows, ravens, and their kin.  “Evolution,” according to the article, “has endowed the species with a big brain that empowers it to readily exploit and adapt to whatever [life] throws its way.” The crow, we learn, is “very social, rarely found alone, and can be mischievous.

That intelligent, cooperative, and mischievous behavior was on display at Chehaw Park last week as three crows surrounded a turtle that was attempting to create a nest and lay her eggs. The birds took turns looking into the hole, awaiting the eggs that would be their mid-afternoon snack. The standoff went on for more than an hour before the turtle trudged off to find a new location, leaving the crows to ponder the empty hole.