Question to any crow experts out there. I recently spotted these two standing together, and noticed that they seemed never to blink at the same time – as if consciously taking it in turns. It’s easy to tell when a crow blinks by the opaque whiteness of the inner eyelid. This went on for a minute or two.
Nudge, nudge...
Wink, wink...
Say no more...
So, is this some kind of coordinated look-out tactic crows and/or other birds follow to maximise safety? They were long leisurely blinks, so that might make sense. Or was this a one off behaviour - and I’m making up my own stories?
The things that preoccupy one on these warm summer evenings…..
Update September 2010
I found this pic going through my archives; taken in Windsor, UK. Look at the eyes. Still a small sample of two.
Blinking crows in Windsor
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Since the mid 1980s, I've worked in university and industrial research, as a manager and editor in technology and environment for an international industry association, and held senior business development, strategy, and procurement posts in industry. I hold a PhD in chemical engineering from Birmingham University, an MBA from Warwick University Business School, and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College. In 2008, I left industry to focus full-time on my passion for science and technology, and to share that enthusiasm with others as a freelance science communicator. I live in London with my wife Erin.
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