The ecological cultural and cognitive context of tool use in New Caledonian crows
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Zoology
Abstract
Humans are weird animals. We communicate with a sophisticated language, we make and use tools to transform and exploit the environment, we share knowledge and information with our peers, and we build societies of astonishing complexity. Defining 'intelligence' is a contentious topic, but most would agree that humans are equipped with unsurpassed brain powers -- an observation that only too often leads to an exaggerated perception of 'human uniqueness'. But, what exactly was it that sent us on our unusual evolutionary trajectory? Was it particular ecological circumstances that facilitated one or several key adaptations, like language or tool use, and what role did these traits play in the evolution of culture? It is reasonable to assume that, ceteris paribus, the use of tools and the accumulation of knowledge would have conferred advantages to individuals or groups in other species, yet these traits, and especially their joint presence, are exceedingly rare in the animal kingdom. There are only two species for which cultural transmission of tool technology has been suggested: chimpanzees and, my study subject, the New Caledonian crow. These crows live on a remote Pacific island, where they use tools for extracting grubs from holes and crevices. They use at least three distinct tool types, including the most sophisticated animal tool design yet discovered, and they may even culturally transmit, and progressively refine, aspects of their tool technology (some tools vary in shape). Humans are masters at accumulating cultural information over generations, as evidenced by everyday items like watches or bicycles, not to mention computers or space shuttles. No single person could design and manufacture any of these objects from scratch. We build on the technological heritage of our ancestors, and research suggests it may be this capacity that made our species such an evolutionary success story. In New Caledonia, I investigate how wild crow societies are organised, how juveniles learn their skills, and how much of these birds' daily diet is obtained with tools. I also explore whether there is anything special about these birds' home island that might explain their unusual adaptations. In fact, they may provide a unique window into our own evolutionary past, permitting rare glimpses of what factors may have driven the evolution of tool use and culture in our ancestors. But studying these crows in the wild is not easy, because they are shy and live in dense forest where visibility is limited. My team has developed tiny, animal-borne video cameras that broadcast TV-quality, colour video. These cameras are mounted on a crow's tail, and peek forward through the legs to produce a crow's-eye view of the world. As we recently reported in Science, this novel technology enabled us to hitch a ride with wild crows and obtain intimate insights into their daily lives. It has already changed our understanding of this species' foraging ecology, and it will play a key role in our future work. I complement my fieldwork with controlled experiments with captive crows: (1) to probe their cognitive capabilities (Do they understand basic physical principles? Are they smarter than other animals?); (2) to examine whether they can imitate tutors (the mechanism that would support the cultural transmission of tool technology); and (3) to explore the genetic, social and environmental contributions to the production of particular tool shapes (Do wild-caught adult crows faithfully produce certain tool shapes, and what shapes do cross-fostered juveniles produce?). In the end, I hope my research will produce a much clearer picture of how 'intelligent' these birds really are, and how their unusual behaviour evolved in the first place. It has recently been suggested that Homo floresiensis could not have been a tool user because of its small brain. New Caledonian crows disprove this, and my study of this species may shed further light on our evolutionary roots.
Technical Summary
The New Caledonian crow (NC crow; Corvus moneduloides) is endemic to a remote, tropical island in the South Pacific, where it habitually uses tools for extracting invertebrate prey from holes and crevices. NC crows are the most prolific avian tool users, and the sophistication of their tool technology rivals, and in some aspects outshines, even that observed in chimpanzees. NC crows manufacture their own tools, their tools have complex shapes, they use at least three different tool types, and they possess the ability to solve novel problems through innovation of new tool designs. Perhaps most intriguingly, one tool type (strips cut from the edges of serrated leaves) varies in shape and complexity across the island of New Caledonia; it has been suggested that the observed pattern may reflect a single technological invention that was followed by geographical spread, with progressive refinement of the original tool design. I propose a project with three major themes. THEME 1 explores the ecological relevance of tool use in wild NC crows. A suite of novel observation tools (animal-borne video cameras; stable-isotope profiling) will enable me to estimate individual-level tool-use dependence, and its ecological and social correlates. This work focuses on the adaptive significance of tool use and may help unravel this trait's evolutionary roots. THEME 2 examines the genetic, social and environmental contributions to the production of particular tool shapes with captive subjects (cross-fostering and social-learning experiments) and social-transmission dynamics in wild populations (use of vocal dialects to identify transmission modes; social-network analysis to study information flow). Finally, THEME 3 investigates whether the species' tool-use behaviour is associated with an unusual level of general intelligence ('folk physics' experiments) and/or with particular neurological adaptations (brain anatomy; interspecific cross-fostering).
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of León (Collaboration)
- Rockefeller University (Collaboration)
- Smithsonian Institution (Collaboration)
- Humboldt University of Berlin (Collaboration)
- University of Vienna (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Collaboration)
- Natural History Museum, Los Angeles County (Collaboration)
- Washington State University (Collaboration)
- University of Bath (Collaboration)
- Zoological Society of San Diego (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- University of Washington (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Christian Rutz (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Bettaney E
(2015)
Processing and visualising association data from animal-borne proximity loggers
in Animal Biotelemetry
Biro D
(2013)
Tool use as adaptation
in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
BLUFF L
(2010)
Vocal culture in New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides VOCAL CULTURE IN NEW CALEDONIAN CROWS
in Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Bluff LA
(2010)
Tool use by wild New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides at natural foraging sites.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Brakes P
(2019)
Animal cultures matter for conservation
in Science
Kempton JA
(2022)
Optimization of dynamic soaring in a flap-gliding seabird affects its large-scale distribution at sea.
in Science advances
Kenward B
(2011)
On the evolutionary and ontogenetic origins of tool-oriented behaviour in New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides).
in Biological journal of the Linnean Society. Linnean Society of London
Kenward RE
(2011)
Identifying governance strategies that effectively support ecosystem services, resource sustainability, and biodiversity.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Klump B
(2021)
New Caledonian crows keep 'valuable' hooked tools safer than basic non-hooked tools
in eLife
Klump BC
(2015)
Hook tool manufacture in New Caledonian crows: behavioural variation and the influence of raw materials.
in BMC biology
Klump BC
(2019)
Of crows and tools.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Krause J
(2013)
Reality mining of animal social systems.
in Trends in ecology & evolution
Nehring V
(2012)
Wingless virgin queens assume helper roles in Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants
in Current Biology
Penteriani V
(2013)
Hunting behaviour and breeding performance of northern goshawks Accipiter gentilis, in relation to resource availability, sex, age and morphology.
in Die Naturwissenschaften
Rutz C
(2020)
New Caledonian crows afford invaluable comparative insights into human cumulative technological culture
in Behavioural and Brain Sciences
Rutz C
(2012)
Automated mapping of social networks in wild birds.
in Current biology : CB
Rutz C
(2018)
Corvid Technologies: How Do New Caledonian Crows Get Their Tool Designs?
in Current biology : CB
Rutz C
(2012)
Restricted gene flow and fine-scale population structuring in tool using New Caledonian crows.
in Die Naturwissenschaften
RUTZ C
(2012)
Brood sex ratio varies with diet composition in a generalist raptor DIET AND SEX RATIOS IN URBAN GOSHAWKS
in Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Rutz C
(2010)
The ecological significance of tool use in New Caledonian crows.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Rutz C
(2012)
The evolutionary origins and ecological context of tool use in New Caledonian crows.
in Behavioural processes
Rutz C
(2012)
Predator fitness increases with selectivity for odd prey.
in Current biology : CB
Rutz C
(2012)
Programmable, miniature video-loggers for deployment on wild birds and other wildlife
in Methods in Ecology and Evolution
Rutz C
(2016)
Tool bending in New Caledonian crows.
in Royal Society open science
Rutz C
(2015)
Calibrating animal-borne proximity loggers.
in Methods in ecology and evolution
St Clair JJ
(2016)
Strong between-site variation in New Caledonian crows' use of hook-tool-making materials.
in Biological journal of the Linnean Society. Linnean Society of London
St Clair JJH
(2015)
Experimental resource pulses influence social-network dynamics and the potential for information flow in tool-using crows.
in Nature communications
Steele MP
(2021)
DNA barcoding identifies cryptic animal tool materials.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Troscianko J
(2015)
Activity profiles and hook-tool use of New Caledonian crows recorded by bird-borne video cameras.
in Biology letters
Troscianko J
(2012)
Extreme binocular vision and a straight bill facilitate tool use in New Caledonian crows.
in Nature communications
Von Bayern AM
(2009)
The role of experience in problem solving and innovative tool use in crows.
in Current biology : CB
Description | IMPORTANT NOTE: In 2012, I transferred my group from Oxford to St Andrews; as a result of this move, my grant (BB/G023913/1) was assigned a new reference number (BB/G023913/2). For an answer to this question (covering the entire grant period: 2009 to 2015, including a 1-year no-cost extension), please see my ResearchFish return for BB/G023913/2. |
Exploitation Route | IMPORTANT NOTE: In 2012, I transferred my group from Oxford to St Andrews; as a result of this move, my grant (BB/G023913/1) was assigned a new reference number (BB/G023913/2). For an answer to this question (covering the entire grant period: 2009 to 2015, including a 1-year no-cost extension), please see my ResearchFish return for BB/G023913/2. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Education Electronics Environment Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
Description | IMPORTANT NOTE: In 2012, I transferred my group from Oxford to St Andrews; as a result of this move, my grant (BB/G023913/1) was assigned a new reference number (BB/G023913/2). For an answer to this question (covering the entire grant period: 2009 to 2015, including a 1-year no-cost extension), please see my ResearchFish return for BB/G023913/2. |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Electronics,Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
Description | STRANGE framework for animal behaviour research, to improve experimental designs, reporting standards and reproducibility |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
URL | https://www.ukrn.org/initiatives/ |
Description | Exploration Grant |
Amount | $29,947 (USD) |
Funding ID | NGS-61945R-20 |
Organisation | National Geographic |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 04/2020 |
End | 04/2021 |
Description | Knowledge Exchange and Impact Fund Award (to showcase fellowship research at the 2017 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition) |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of St Andrews |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 03/2018 |
Description | PhD studentship |
Amount | £69,960 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of St Andrews |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2017 |
End | 08/2021 |
Description | Radcliffe Fellowship |
Amount | $82,500 (USD) |
Organisation | Harvard University |
Department | Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United States |
Start | 08/2019 |
End | 05/2020 |
Title | Supplementary Data accompanying: "Optimization of dynamic soaring in a flap-gliding seabird impacts its large-scale distribution at sea" |
Description | This archive contains the data associated with the paper "Optimization of dynamic soaring in a flap-gliding seabird impacts its large-scale distribution at sea". It contains: (i) a zipped folder (OnboardVideos.zip) containing the raw video data of n=9 flight trajectories flown by 6 individual Manx Shearwaters on 6 different days; (ii) the horizon end point coordinates output by the semi-automatic horizon detection algorithm, and the parameters needed to process these coordinates (dataAndProcessingParameters.mat) to generate the data set on which the analyses presented in the Results section can be conducted in Matlab; (iii) the processed video data needed to conduct the analyses presented in the Results section (processedVideoData.csv); and (iv) the processed GPS logger data from n=349 two-leg trajectories, and n=38 one-leg trajectories, needed to conduct the analyses presented in the Results section (trackSummaries2016To2019.csv); (v) a README file giving further details on content. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Supplementary_Data_accompanying_Optimization_of_dynamic_soarin... |
Description | Mariana crow foraging ecology |
Organisation | San Diego Zoo Global |
Country | United States |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | help with designing experimental and observation protocols, informed by long-term research on New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | in charge of the Mariana crow species recovery programme |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Mariana crow foraging ecology |
Organisation | Washington State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | help with designing experimental and observation protocols, informed by long-term research on New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | in charge of the Mariana crow species recovery programme |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | animal social networks |
Organisation | Humboldt University of Berlin |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | collaborated on the writing of a major review article |
Collaborator Contribution | collaborated on the writing of a major review article |
Impact | - Krause J, Krause S, Arlinghaus R, Psorakis I, Roberts S, and Rutz C (2013). Reality mining of animal social systems. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 28: 541-551. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | animal-borne proximity loggers |
Organisation | University of Washington |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | conducted field study on social-network dynamics in New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | developed proximity-logging technology (Encounternet), which was subsequently adapted in collaboration for our field study |
Impact | - Rutz C, Burns ZT, James R, Ismar S, Burt J, Otis B, Bowen J, and St Clair JJH (2012). Automated mapping of social networks in wild birds. Current Biology 22: R669-R671. - Rutz C, Morrissey MB, Burns ZT, Burt J, Otis B, St Clair JJH, and James R (2015). Calibrating animal-borne proximity loggers. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 6: 656-667. - St Clair JJH, Burns ZT, Bettaney EM, Morrissey MB, Otis B, Ryder TB, Fleischer RC, James R, and Rutz C (2015). Experimental resource pulses influence social-network dynamics and the potential for information flow in tool-using crows. Nature Communications 6: 7197. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | animal-borne video cameras |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Department | College of Life and Environmental Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | co-developed and used novel animal-borne video cameras to study the behaviour of wild New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | co-developed and used novel animal-borne video cameras to study the behaviour of wild New Caledonian crows |
Impact | - Rutz C, and Troscianko J (2013). Programmable, miniature video-loggers for deployment on wild birds and other wildlife. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 4: 114-122. - Troscianko J, and Rutz C (2015). Activity profiles and hook-tool use of New Caledonian crows recorded by bird-borne video cameras. Biology Letters 11: 20150777. |
Description | carrion crow vocalisations |
Organisation | University of León |
Country | Mexico |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | help with project design; contribution of tracking expertise |
Collaborator Contribution | in charge of running the field project |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | contribution to Vertebrate Genomes Project |
Organisation | Rockefeller University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | contributed high-quality blood samples of wild New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | Vertebrate Genomes Project |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | craniofacial morphology of extinct birds |
Organisation | Natural History Museum, Los Angeles County |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | expertise gained during long-term research on New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | expertise on extinct birds |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | population genetics |
Organisation | Smithsonian Institution |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | collected blood samples from wild New Caledonian crows for genetic analyses |
Collaborator Contribution | conducted lab-analyses of these samples |
Impact | - Rutz C, Ryder TB, and Fleischer RC (2012). Restricted gene flow and fine-scale population structuring in tool using New Caledonian crows. Naturwissenschaften 99: 313-320. - St Clair JJH, Burns ZT, Bettaney EM, Morrissey MB, Otis B, Ryder TB, Fleischer RC, James R, and Rutz C (2015). Experimental resource pulses influence social-network dynamics and the potential for information flow in tool-using crows. Nature Communications 6: 7197. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | raven social networks |
Organisation | University of Vienna |
Country | Austria |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | help with project design; contribution of tracking expertise |
Collaborator Contribution | in charge of running the field project |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | social-network analyses |
Organisation | University of Bath |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | collection of empirical data on social-network dynamics of New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | contributions to the analysis of these data |
Impact | - Bettaney E, James R, St Clair JJH, and Rutz C (2015). Processing and visualising association data from animal-borne proximity loggers. Animal Biotelemetry 3: 27. - Rutz C, Burns ZT, James R, Ismar S, Burt J, Otis B, Bowen J, and St Clair JJH (2012). Automated mapping of social networks in wild birds. Current Biology 22: R669-R671. - Rutz C, Morrissey MB, Burns ZT, Burt J, Otis B, St Clair JJH, and James R (2015). Calibrating animal-borne proximity loggers. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 6: 656-667. - St Clair JJH, Burns ZT, Bettaney EM, Morrissey MB, Otis B, Ryder TB, Fleischer RC, James R, and Rutz C (2015). Experimental resource pulses influence social-network dynamics and the potential for information flow in tool-using crows. Nature Communications 6: 7197. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | stable-isotope profiling |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Department | College of Life and Environmental Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | collected field data to estimate the diet composition of New Caledonian crows |
Collaborator Contribution | analysis of tissue samples using stable-isotope profiling techniques |
Impact | - Rutz C, Bluff LA, Reed N, Troscianko J, Newton J, Inger R, Kacelnik A, and Bearhop S (2010). The ecological significance of tool use in New Caledonian crows. Science 329: 1523-1526. |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | visual field analysis |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | measurement and analysis of visual fields in several corvid species |
Collaborator Contribution | assistance with the measurement and analysis of visual fields in several corvid species |
Impact | - Troscianko J, von Bayern AMP, Chappell J, Rutz C*, and Martin G (2012). Extreme binocular vision and a straight bill facilitate tool use in New Caledonian crows. Nature Communications 3: 1110. [*joint senior author] |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | weaver social networks |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | contribution of tracking equipment (Encounternet), and proximity-logging expertise |
Collaborator Contribution | in charge of running the field project |
Impact | work in progress |
Start Year | 2016 |
Title | development of novel bio-logging device (miniature video cameras) |
Description | my team has developed video cameras that are so small (ca. 12 g) that they can be attached to wild birds, to obtain a bird's-eye view of the world; this enables unprecedented insights into avian behaviour, ecology, physiology and conservation threats |
Type Of Technology | Systems, Materials & Instrumental Engineering |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Impact | our camera technology has revolutionised the way field biologists are studying birds (and other animals) in their natural habitats; following publication of our breakthrough in SCIENCE (2007), and of a subsequent methods paper in METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION (2013), research groups around the world have started emulating our techniques, building similar camera systems to study a wide range of bird species; my pioneering work in this field has been recognised with a string of national and international awards (see separate entries); I have recently been nominated (unsolicited) for a BBSRC Innovator of the Year Award |
Title | pioneering use of novel bio-logging device (miniature proximity loggers) |
Description | I have led the team that deployed -- for the first time worldwide -- miniature proximity loggers (ca. 10 g) on wild birds, to study their social-network dynamics; while the basic hard- and software had been developed by US-based collaborators, my input into the final design of tags and receiver stations, and my team's extensive work on system calibration, refinement and field deployment, were key to establishing this groundbreaking new methodology |
Type Of Technology | Systems, Materials & Instrumental Engineering |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Impact | our innovative use of this technology is changing the way biologists are studying interactions between animals in the wild, inlcuding social-network and predator-prey dynamics; my papers in CURRENT BIOLOGY (2012) and NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2015) have attracted considerable attention; my pioneering work in this field has been recognised with a string of national and international awards (see separate entries); I have recently been nominated (unsolicited) for a BBSRC Innovator of the Year Award |
Description | article on BBC News (online) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | coverage of my 2012 paper in CURRENT BIOLOGY public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | brief talk at a public birdwatching event (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Brief talk at a public birdwatching event (Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.eagletribune.com/news/merrimack_valley/visit-of-crows-to-lawrence-fascinates-researchers... |
Description | coverage of paper in SCIENCE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | coverage of our 2019 paper in SCIENCE; the paper was covered by several news stories, viewed by almost 15,000 readers in 2 weeks, and reached >1.8 million Twitter users |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.altmetric.com/details/56070372 |
Description | crow tools exhibited in major museum exhibition; Berlin, Germany |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | public engagement; stimulating discussion with members of the audience |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.kulturtechnik.hu-berlin.de/en/bwg/clusterausstellung/ |
Description | extensive media coverage of paper in BIOLOGY LETTERS |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | coverage of our 2015 paper in BIOLOGY LETTERS; the paper had significant international media impact, achieving an Altmetric Score of 355, which makes it one of the journal's highest-ranking papers of all time |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.altmetric.com/details/4916110 |
Description | extensive media coverage of paper in ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | coverage of our 2016 paper in ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE; the paper had significant international media impact, achieving an Altmetric Score of 442 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.altmetric.com/details/10368014 |
Description | in-depth interview with NEW SCIENTIST |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | the NEW SCIENTIST is planning to cover my BBSRC-funded research on New Caledonian crows in a forthcoming feature article |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | interview for ST ANDREWS IN FOCUS |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | interview with a local magazine, to explain my BBSRC-funded research to local non-academic audiences; I have received enthusiastic feedback about this |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | interview for feature in RADCLIFFE MAGAZINE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Article about my research career to date, and my work at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, USA (2019-2020). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/news-and-ideas/some-crows-are-birds-others-are-artists |
Description | interview for feature in SCIENCE SCOTLAND |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | feature-length article that resulted from an interview; published in a Special Issue of SCIENCE SCOTLAND, to highlight outstanding work by Members of the Young Academy of Scotland |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | interview on Ray Brown's "Talkin' Birds" radio show (forthcoming) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | forthcoming interview on Ray Brown's "Talkin' Birds" -- a radio show and podcast about birds, bird watching and conservation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | http://www.talkinbirds.com/ |
Description | invited evening lecture (Botanical Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | invited evening lecture, Botanical Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland (15.12.2018) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | invited participant, Workshop "Technology for Conservation: Protecting Animals in the Wild", London, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | invited participant, Workshop "Technology for Conservation: Protecting Animals in the Wild", London, UK (27.-28.09.2018) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | invited participant; workshop to discuss the conservation of the near-extinct Mariana crow; US Fish and Wildlife Services, USA (online) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | expert discusssion about the conservation management of the near-extinct Mariana crow, leading to follow-on investigations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | invited speaker and panel member, WILDLABS webinar on "Next-Gen Wildlife Tracking" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | invited speaker and panel member, WILDLABS webinar on "Next-Gen Wildlife Tracking" (20.11.2018) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | invited talk, Rota Avian Behavioral Ecology Program, Rota, Northern Mariana Islands |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | invited talk, Rota Avian Behavioral Ecology Program, Rota, Northern Mariana Islands (08.03.2019) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | live interview on BBC (ONE) BREAKFAST |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | interview related to our exhibit at the 2017 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition (see separate entry) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | live radio interview; Ray Brown's Talkin' Birds, USA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | radio interview about my group's long-term research on tool-using crows |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | news item in SCIENCE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | coverage of our 2016 paper in ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | on-screen expert for movie about crows |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | hosted a film crew for 10 days in 2019 at my long-term field site in New Caledonia, so they could document my team's research for a forthcoming movie on the age-old relationship between crows and humans (for international cinema release in 2021) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | podcast interview with journal SCIENCE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | my 2010 SCIENCE paper (title: The ecological significance of tool use in New Caledonian crows) was selected by the Editors of SCIENCE for special coverage in a podcast interview; the paper was also covered widely by the national and international press multiple follow-up enquiries from the media, members of the public and fellow scientists |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | podcast interview; Crow Patrol Podcast with Craig Gibson, USA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | podcast interview about my group's long-term crow research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | public award lecture (British Science Festival) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Isambard Kingdom Brunel Award, British Science Association; title of the award lecture, which was delivered at the 2014 British Science Festival in Birmingham: Of crafty crows and space shuttles: Animal tool use as a window into human technological evolution; 10.09.2014; lecture sparked questions and discussion afterwards; received extremely positive written feedback that demonstrated a positive impact on the audience (44 survey respondents; data collected and held by the British Science Association) 44 members of the audience filled-in feedback forms provided by the BSA; in response to the question "Overall how would you rate this event?", 42 replied 'excellent', 1 replied 'good', and one did not reply; in response to the statement "I feel I have learnt something new", 41 stated 'strongly agree', 2 stated 'agree', and one did not reply |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | public engagement event in New Caledonia, to explain crow research to local communities (posters and hands-on activities for children) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | public engagement event in New Caledonia, to explain crow research to local communities (posters and hands-on activities for children); received excellent feedback |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | public engagement event in New Caledonia, to explain crow research to local communities (posters and hands-on activities for children) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | public engagement event in New Caledonia, to explain crow research to local communities (posters and hands-on activities for children) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | public lecture (Christmas Lecture, Curious Minds Series, 150th Anniversary of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, Perth, UK) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.psns.org.uk/programme/ |
Description | public lecture (MIT, USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A public lecture that sparked significant interest from diverse audiences and led to new collaboration opportunities (hosted by Dr Alberto Rodriguez). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGsUf67zfmo |
Description | public lecture (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public lecture, hosted by Dr Luis Chiappe, at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, USA (27.01.2020). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | public lecture (Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public award lecture at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, USA (30.10.2019). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/video/crafty-crows-christian-rutz |
Description | public lecture (Scotland's Bird Club, St Andrews, UK) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | public lecture as part of a major museum exhibition; Berlin, Germany |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.kulturtechnik.hu-berlin.de/en/bwg/clusterausstellung/ |
Description | public lecture in New Caledonia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I gave a public lecture in Bourail, New Caledonia, to tell local communities about our BBSRC-funded research on New Caledonian crows; the lecture was very well received, led to great discussions on the night, and resulted in productive long-term engagement of a wide range of local interest groups; two attendees told me about their crow observations, which led to a small citizen-science project that was recently published: - St Clair JJH, Klump BC, van der Wal JEM, Sugasawa S, and Rutz C (2016). Strong between-site variation in New Caledonian crows' use of hook-tool-making materials. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 118: 226-232. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | public science exhibition (2017 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | showcased fellowship research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2017/summer-science-exhibition/exhibits/crafty-... |
Description | public science exhibition (BBSRC Great British Bioscience Festival, London) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | exhibition at the Great British Bioscience Festival (GBBF), to celebrate BBSRC's 20-year anniversary; 14.-16.11.2014, London (exhibit subsequently shown at Edinburgh Zoo) public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | public science exhibition (Edinburgh Zoo) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | re-use of the 'Animal Cultures' exhibit for BBSRC's Great British Bioscience Festival public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | talk, Culture Conference, Stirling, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | knowledge exchange; research dissemination; building of collaborative links |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | top-story of research highlights in journal NATURE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | coverage of our 2012 paper in NATURE COMMUNICATIONS multiple follow-up enquiries |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |