New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Introduced Lantana camara used as tools by New Caledonian
crows (Corvus moneduloides)
G. R. Hunt
Department of Psychology
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142, New Zealand
grhunt10@hotmail.com
Abstract New Caledonian crows commonly use
sticks and similar
plant material as hooked and non-hooked tools to extract prey. They are
known to target certain tree species that produce twigs of the right
natural shape for easy conversion into tools. All previously identified
species supplying tool materials have been native or endemic to New
Caledonia. Here I report that crows living in disturbed habitats also
use the barbed twigs of an introduced climbing plant, Lantana camara,
as tools. Over an 8-year period I collected 12 L. camara
tools used by NC crows at three locations: Bourail and Sarraméa,
on mainland Grande Terre, and on the island of Maré. I found
these tools left in natural probe sites (Bourail and Sarraméa)
or at artificial feeding sites (Maré), but I do not know if the
crows targeted L. camara or simply used the closest suitable
material. Nevertheless, the use of L. camara indicates that the
behaviour of certain free-living NC crows is sufficiently flexible to
enable them to evaluate and use exotic plants for tool material.
Keywords Lantana camara; New
Caledonian crow; hook
tools
Z07059; Online publication date 9 May 2008; Received 10 December
2007; accepted 15 February 2008
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2008, Vol. 35: 115–118
0301–4223/08/3502–115 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2008
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