Decoding crow language
In particular, we will investigate the role of acoustic communication in facilitating a complex behaviour such as cooperative breeding in birds, where more than two individuals collaborate in raising the young.
Our study model is the carrion crow Corvus corone corone, which shows one of the most complex bird societies, where extended family groups that include parents, offspring and other close relatives share the care of new young.
In collaboration with the Earth Species Project (https://www.earthspecies.org), a no-profit organization that pursues the ambitious goal of decoding animal language, we are conducting a groundbreaking study using AI to investigate vocal communication in carrion crows, uncovering the complexity of animal language. Combining cutting-edge technology, like animal-borne biologgers and Artificial Intelligence, we aim to reveal how crows communicate and coordinate socially. The use of AI to analyze bird calls could revolutionize bioacoustics by identifying patterns and meanings behind the sounds animals make, offering insights into the evolution of communication itself. This innovative research merges biology, linguistics, and computer science, with the potential to transform our understanding of animal behavior, conservation, and ethical human-animal interactions.
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