First time I've seen this

[carrier]

So I was just outside taking a break from work, and as I walked by some bushes outside I heard what I thought was a squirrel or chipmunk making quite a racket.

I tried to peek in at the ground at what it was doing, but couldn't make out what it was. So I stood off to the side for a bit and kept my eyes on the ground underneath the shrub in question, and lo and behold! It was a robin! Using a tool! :omg:

He was extremely busy using a small stick to brush aside the dead leaves/ dirt to dig around and find food! I have read about this but never seen it with my own eyes. He was so busy! It was like he was using a birdie-broom!
I could have stayed out there and kept watching him for at least a good 20 minutes if I didn't have to get back to work! I got closer and closer to him, and when he finally realized he had an audience he promptly took his stick and went further into the bush. Very cool. :)

[linda040899]

Fascinating! Crows and Ravens are well known for this but this is the first time I've heard of a Robin using something as a tool to hunt for food! Where's a camera when ya really want one!!!

[Chickobee]

This is neat. We have lots of robins but I've never seen one do anything that interesting before. They just hunt for worms and bugs in the grass. They must hear really well because I always see them turning their heads sideways to the ground to listen.

[carrier]

Fascinating! Crows and Ravens are well known for this but this is the first time I've heard of a Robin using something as a tool to hunt for food!

I had no idea Robins used tools either, Linda! I just googled tool use and found this:


Green jays in Texas have been observed using twigs to extract food from crevices, and an American Robin is recorded as having used a twig to sweep aside leaves, but the only North American bird to habitually use tools is the Brown-headed Nuthatch.

That is exactly what he was doing!

And indeed, I wish I had a video camera.

[Z28Taxman]

I've seen Robins do that.

I saw a video on the discovery channel I think, where crows were taking walnuts or some other hard shelled nut and dropping them in the street right in front of cars. Then they'd sit on a utility pole/wire or on the curb and wait for the car to run over it and swoop down or run into the street to retrieve the goodies. :rofl: