Crows are among the most intelligent animals on the planet. However, research by student Kaeli Swift at the University of Washington revealed something terrifying. In 2015, she observed a crow attempting to copulate with a dead member of its species, in broad daylight.
What followed were three years of work alongside professor John Marzluff. They analyzed 309 pairs of crows in front of carcasses of different species and discovered that this behavior occurs in only 4 % of encounters, almost always at the beginning of the breeding season, and is usually accompanied by pecking, attacks, and even the destruction of the carcass.
This brutal action could be explained by the particular way crows react to death. Fear, aggression, or desire: these are the three responses researchers have observed in the presence of a carcass. And although it may seem impossible for all three to appear together, during the breeding season, elevated hormone levels play a key role.
Researchers believe it is an “accidental” and “mistaken” response, caused by the combination of the birds’ hormonal state and a stimulus they perceive as conflicting.
A baffling reaction for anyone, especially coming from one of the most intelligent birds on the planet, capable of identifying threats, communicating them to their group, and learning from previous experiences.