When we think of intelligent animals, dogs are generally at the top of the list because they are loyal, highly trainable, and emotionally attuned to humans. But what if crows, animals that tend to be overlooked and underestimated, are the real geniuses?

Crows can solve puzzles, use tools and navigate two or three combinations of steps to reach the end goal, recognize faces, and plan ahead — all of which indicate higher level intelligence.

So, how do crows compare to dogs? Here we will consider how they are strong in different ways and see who ends up being the biggest winner in this animal intelligence battle.

Are Crows Smart?

Yes, and not just for birds. Crows are part of the corvid family of birds, which includes other birds recognized for their intelligence. Studies have shown that crows can use tools, solve puzzles, and plan ahead. Crows can even recognize individual human faces. Some scientists even argue that the intelligence of crows can at times be compared to the intelligence of great apes.

Their brain to body ratio compares that of chimpanzees, even though the relative sizes of both categories are infinitely different!

Can crows show better problem solving abilities than dogs?

In many cases, yes. Crows have displayed complex abilities to problem solve. For example, in a recent experiment, a crow was able to complete an eight-step puzzle with tools and a sequence to retrieve a treat without being shown. This demonstrates presence of logical thinking and memory.

Although dogs are capable problem-solvers, they tend to depend on their own social cues (or their humans) to solve things. Their insight is more emotional than analytical independence.

Do Crows Use Tools?

Yes, and they even make them. New Caledonian crows can, for example, use twigs or leaves to make hooks or spears to fish insects out of holes. Spontaneously making and using a tool is extremely rare in the animal world.

Dogs don’t use or make tools, either in the wild or in captivity.

Can Crows Recognize and Remember Human Faces?

They can, and it appears they can’t forget. Crows have a long memory and can even recognize human faces, particularly those they associate with danger or kindness. Crows have been observed vocalizing and scolding specific individuals for years after a bad experience with those individuals.

Dogs are capable of identifying people and connecting them with emotions, but they do not share that communication with other animals the way crows can darned – vocally or with the group behaviors above.

Are Dogs Emotionally Smarter than Crows?

Yes, dogs have evolved with humans for many thousands of years. They are very adept at recognizing human emotional states, emotional gestures, and vocal tones. Dogs can sense stress, provide comfort, and even forge deep emotional bonds.

Crows create intricate social organizations amongst themselves, but in humans, they don’t build the same kind of social connection.

Which One is Better at Communicating?

It depends on your definition of communication.

• Crows communicate using a variety of vocalizations, several of which involve signaling danger, food, or threats. Some will even make sounds that mimic human speech and words.
• Dogs communicate more with bodily expressions and vocal tonalities and can understand human gestures and voice commands better than anything.

Finding: Crows have a more complex language; dogs are better at interpreting our language.

Which is easier to train?

Dogs, hands down.

• Dogs love structure, praise, and interacting with humans. That’s why they can be trained as assistance animals, seizure animals, police canines, etc.
• Crows can be trained as well, but they are more independent spirited and less inclined to comply.

Who Wins in the Intelligence Race?

Let’s compare:

Trait	Crows	Dogs
Tool Use	Advanced	None
Problem Solving	Logical	Social
Memory	Long-term & complex	Strong
Emotional Intelligence	Limited	High
Communication	Varied & complex	Human-friendly
Trainability	Challenging	Excellent

• Crows have the intelligence of logic smartness, inventiveness and independent thinkers.
• Dogs have emotional intelligence (passionate), social intelligence and loyalty as learners.

So who is the winner? Depends on what type of “intelligent” you prefer.

Interesting Facts About Crows

• They hold grudges – Crows can remember human faces, especially if you have done them wrong. They tell other crows about you.
• They have funerals – When a crow dies, other crows will silently swarm around the body. Scientists believe this is how crows learn about threats in the area.
• They can use traffic – Some crows will drop nuts on busy roads and wait for it to be cracked open by the car, and will wait until the traffic light turns red to retrieve them!
• They can count – Studies show that crows can count relativity well. They can even think about a zero.

Interesting facts about dogs

• They can learn over 1000 words – Border collie dogs, for example, are able to find and retrieve hundreds of objects that have names.
• They can smell your emotions – Dogs are often able to smell fear, sadness and illness.
• They dream likely similarly as we do – Dogs go through REM sleep, and twitch, bark and move their feet when they are probably dreaming through their daily activities.
• They are able to figure out earthquakes – Some dogs react and are able to pick up the vibrations of earthly activities, sometimes even before the event occurs. It is thought crows and other animals may be able to do this by smelling pressure or sound changes.

Conclusion

Ultimately, whether crows or dogs emerge superior isn’t trivial to grapple. It’s about two types of intelligence. Crows excel in logic, memory, and creativity; dogs excel in emotional intelligence, communication, and human bond. Both are intelligent, evolving to dominate different worlds.

Some might love a crow for its impressive tricks; some may feel comforted by a dog for its loyalty, and I’m sure most would feel both (even if you prefer one over the other). Intelligence appears differently in species, and both are awe-inspiring in their own ways. Both should be celebrated!

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