Crows can remember human faces for 17 years  
Society

The smartest birds hold the longest grudges! Crows can remember human faces for 17 years

Crows are among the most intelligent birds on the planet, which means they remember when they’re mistreated. Upset one, and they might just come back to haunt you forever

Bristi Dey

As the year comes to an end, we’re all about letting go of grudges, right? Holding on to the past sometimes just seems silly. But not if you’re a crow! These clever black birds are the ultimate grudge-holders and not just for themselves. Research shows they remember faces for up to 17 years! So that crow giving you the side-eye? Yeah, it probably is waiting for his revenge for what you did back in 2008.

Did you know crows can remember human faces and can come back for revenge if you hurt them?

Crows are among the most clever birds on the planet. They scavenge through garbage but hold the IQ of a 7-year old human kid. Back in 2006, a simple experiment turned into a lesson on why you should never upset a crow. According to an article, at the University of Washington, researchers led by Professor John Marzluff captured and released just seven crows, all while wearing a particularly creepy mask that scared them a bit. Harmless, right? The birds didn’t think so.

Over the years, the researchers kept walking around campus wearing the same mask. And the crows? They remembered. Loudly. What started with seven birds slowly turned into a full-blown aerial protest. At its peak, they were scolding, swooping, and dive-bombing the masked humans, even though most of them had never been trapped themselves.

That’s when scientists realised something remarkable: crows weren’t just holding grudges, they were sharing them. The original birds taught others, including younger generations, exactly who the ‘bad humans’ were. And it went on for around two decades. 

Crows will remember everytime you hurt them and will come back for revenge

Around the world, there have been countless reports of people being repeatedly targeted by crows. Even in crowded spaces, these sharp-eyed birds can single out the person who once upset them, and strike again.

But their intelligence isn’t all about revenge. In Sweden, where innovative waste control is taken seriously, researchers are training crows to clean the streets by picking up cigarette butts. Each good deed earns them a tasty reward.

So, what’s the takeaway? Crows are incredibly smart, and they remember everything. The best way to stay out of trouble? Mind your business and be nice to crows!

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