[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f someone asked me to name the most intelligent bird in the world, until recently, I would have said the chicken.  However, I now have a new candidate to offer – the New Caledonian crow. 

This dull black bird from the southwest Pacific is an unlikely avian genius.  Scientists were surprised to learn it has mastered the use of tools to help it obtain food.

This crow not only uses twigs to impale grubs hidden in small holes, it is able to design tools to help it do a bet...