Want to do crow field research? Try Oxford’s miniature camera.

The Behavioral Ecology Research Group, University of Oxford, blog not only shares their lab experiments and knowledge, but also shares research tools.

First, they identify a need to perform field work:

There are certain questions, however, that can only be addressed by studying wild, free-ranging individuals. For example, any attempt to understand why the unusual tool-oriented behaviour evolved in the first place, and how it is maintained under present conditions, depends on data from wild crows in their natural habitat. Likewise, only careful monitoring of wild populations across the island can reveal whether these crows indeed possess a ‘culture’ of tool technology.

Source: Oxford field research objectives.

Of special interest to those wishing to conduct their own research is the specific instruction on how to perform research using an avian-mounted camera.

We have developed miniature video cameras weighing only 14g (just a bit heavier than a £1 coin!) that we can fit to wild crows to record their natural foraging behaviour. These cameras are attached to two central tail feathers, with the lens bent forward peeking through the subjects’ legs to provide a “crow’s-eye view” of the world (see photos). The camera transmits live footage for 70 minutes, and is safely shed with natural moult.

For camera information and training, click Oxford avian-mounted camera instructions.

Before we leave the New Caledonia studies, click next page to see what researches at the University of Aukland, in New Zealand, found out when researching whether there was a culture of tool-making among New Caledonian crows.