Saurasapiens

[john-schneiderman@cox.net]

Recently watched an episode of Nature: Murder of Crows.
Crow behavior, social structure, tool manufacturing, tool use, and 
complex problem solving makes it a wonderful candidate for intelligent 
avian-dinosaurs.
Crows are omnivores, have complex [2 dialect] communication, 
opportunistic, and function within a close extended family.
It doesn't have the largest brain to body size, compared to Parrots and 
other robust seed eaters. They do not mimic, but instead learn and pass 
their experiences to other crows [including their offspring].
The pattern must have been repeated within the extinct avians and other 
theropods, especially the dromaeosaurs and troodontids.
Russell's "Dinosauroid" seems to anthro-morph for dinosaur evolution to 
be a valid.

Your thoughts.

References:

Russell, D. A.; Séguin, R. (1982). "Reconstruction of the small 
Cretaceous theropod Stenonychosaurus inequalis and a hypothetical 
dinosauroid". Syllogeus 37: 1–43.
September 2008, Simon Roy of RobotBlood invented yet another smart 
big-brained theropod. It's a corvid, inspired by the tool-using 
abilities of New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides.
Hecht, J. 2007. Smartasaurus. Cosmos 15, 40-41.
Naish, D. 2008. Intelligent dinosaurs. Fortean Times 239, 52-53.
Socha, V. 2008. Dinosauři: hlupáci, nebo géniové? Svĕt 3/2008, 14-16.