November 13, 2026, 1:30 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Crows have an impressive memory and are known for their clever problem-solving skills. But apparently, they also excel in quick thinking: A new study shows that the birds even outperform humans in a specific task. What is behind their remarkable reaction speed?
Crows Decide Faster Than Humans
Crows are not only known for their intelligence but also for their exceptionally fast information processing. A study from the University of Tübingen, published in the journal “Science,” shows that the birds can process visual information remarkably quickly.1
For the study, researchers trained two carrion crows (Corvus corone) to recognize the direction of movement of dots on a screen. They were then to communicate their decision by pecking at one of two displayed targets. The result: On average, the birds took just 235 milliseconds (0.235 seconds) to do so.
In this task, they were about twice as fast as humans and monkeys, without losing accuracy. However, this does not mean that crows generally think faster than humans. The results pertain to a very specific visual decision-making task. Additionally, only two carrion crows participated in the study, so the results cannot be easily generalized to all crows or other corvids.
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How Crows Process Information So Quickly
To explain the impressive speed, researchers examined the activity of nerve cells in a specific brain region, the so-called nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL). This area plays important roles in information processing and is functionally comparable to the prefrontal cortex of primates.
The measurements showed that certain nerve cells provided clues about the later decision as early as about 70 milliseconds after the onset of the visual stimulus. As a possible explanation for the high speed, researchers cite the performance of the birds’ visual system. Evolutionary factors could also play a role: Quick decisions are advantageous, for example, in recognizing predators, in flight maneuvers, and in precise pecking movements.
Some Corvids Can Remember Over 100,000 Hiding Places
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Crows Have an Impressive Memory
The quick decision-making ability is not the only cognitive peculiarity of corvids. Their memory also demonstrates high performance. Some species hide thousands of food caches and can remember weeks or months later where they stored them.
Particularly impressive among corvids is the Clark’s nutcracker: It stores between 20,000 and more than 100,000 seeds annually at various locations and later finds a large portion of them. Specialized cache gatherers not only remember the hiding places themselves but also what food is stored there and how long it is viable.
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Crows Are Also Clever in Social Interactions
In addition to their impressive memory, crows also exhibit pronounced social behavior. They can build stable relationships, form alliances, and coordinate within their groups. This is particularly evident when they gather in larger flocks: Together, the birds are better protected from predators and can exchange information about abundant food sources. Their social life shows how important social contacts are for these intelligent birds.