Re: Interesting crow behavior!

[<gejd@concentric.net>]

It may not be primarily insectivory. This type of behavior is used to get
the formic acid that the ants emit as a delousing agent.
-Gus Derkits

John Bois wrote:

> At this very instant, outside my window, a crow is wallowing in the short
> grass, dragging its body across the lawn so that its breast is contacting
> the ground.  At first I thought it was trying to cool itself off after a
> sprinkle of rain that just fell.  But this is what it is doing: there is
> an ant's nest just there.  It is dragging its body over the nest so that
> ants will crawl or get stuck in its feathers.  Then it stands up straight
> and pecks the ants off its belly!!  Tool use, indeed.  Inventiveness.
> Insectivory.  Stone the crows!