A Murder of Crows
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A Murder of Crows
Premiering: Sunday October 11, 2009 at 9 pm on CBC-TV
Repeating: Thursday October 15, 2009 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC News Network
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A Murder of Crows is a visually stunning one-hour documentary that offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the inner life of one of the most intelligent, playful and mischievous species on the planet - the common crow. It is also a film that explores a unique pairing of science and cinema as world-renowned scientists, including crow expert Professor John Marzluff, joins forces with an award-winning camera team to explore the secret world of crows. A scientific exploration with a compelling twist, the film is a visually stunning HD documentary that reveals new insights and understanding into this haunting and elusive species.
The average crow knows a tremendous amount about us, from our eating habits to our traffic patterns, but the average human knows relatively little about the intimate life of crows. And there is so much worth knowing. Crows are one of the most common birds on the planet. They have more brain mass per unit than any other bird group except the macaw and as result they often behave more like primates or even humans than they do birds. Crows have a proven ability to reason and problem-solve and have long and dependable memories. They engage in complex social interactions that range from group play and hunting to gang-style killings and funerals.
Many of us have heard that crows are smart but most people have no idea just how intelligent these birds are or how much we, as humans, can learn from them. With exclusive access to a series of fascinating new research experiments being conducted into the cognitive abilities of crows around the world, A Murder of Crows will shock and amaze viewers and change how people look at the common crow.
Join us on an amazing journey as we meet crow experts from around the world to expand our knowledge of these pint sized beasts by taking our arsenal of cameras to places the camera has never been before - high up into the treetops with baby crows, deep inside a boisterous roost site jam packed with birds jockeying for position, or way out on a limb as a young female crow prepares to launch herself on her maiden flight. Using tiny, state-of-the-art radio tracking devices, creative camera techniques and pioneering field research including new studies into how crows recognize human faces, A Murder of Crows will lead to fresh insights and captivating never-before-seen footage of the secret life of crows. We see them everyday and yet as we'll come to realize, until now we've never really seen them at all.
A Murder of Crows is produced and directed by Susan Fleming.
