The more I learn about crows, the more interesting they become. Joshua Crane is training crows to use coin-operated machines:

The goal of this project is to create a device that will autonomously train crows. Initially we’re training them to deposit dropped coins they find on the ground in exchange for peanuts, but eventually we hope to be able to train them to search and rescue, or to collect garbage, or who knows! For now it’s patent pending and we’re working with a bunch of scientists, artists, and researchers to see how much it can do.

- Joshua Crane: Link.

Joshua Crane: training crows to collect coins

“Crow vending machine maker Joshua Klein”

Via Boing Boing:

Crows are smart and adaptable. For example, they drop nuts on streets so cars run over them, then wait for the traffic signal to change so they can pick up the food. Other crows who see this happen quickly learn how to do this for themselves.

His machine uses Skinnerian training. He put coins and peanuts around the machine. The crows eat the peanut on the feeder tray. Then Joshua took away the nuts and left coins in the feeder tray. It pisses off the crows. They sweep the coins around with their beaks, looking for food. When a coin accidentally drops into the slot, it dispenses a peanut. Next, Joshua took away the coins. The crows learned to find coins elsewhere and deposit them.

So now he wants to train crows for search and rescue, picking up trash, and other mutually beneficial tasks.

Mark Frauenfelder @ Boing Boing: Link.