Can birds be trained for rescue purpose?

[SueC]

I have a disabled crow as a companion. His name is BoBo.

The other day I was playing with him when I suddenly faked 'dead' and dropped to the floor. I was expecting him to pull my hair. Instead, he came over instantly and gave several alarm caws. The last time he cawed like that was when he witnessed a poisoned pigeon falling to the ground. After calling, he tugged at my fingers and pulled my arm. It was not biting or nipping. Just pulling. He only relaxed when he saw that I have 'regained' my consciousness. I was very surprised with his reactions.

I'm wondering if I can take one step (ok, maybe a few steps) further and get him to alert others if such a situation arise.

Not sure if I can or how do I train him to look for the others in the house or get him to call a no. via voice dialling. By the way, BoBo can manage a couple of words. So voice dialling is one option to get a no. dialled.

My family thinks that I'm nuts. LOL! But I'm really keen to find out more if birds can be trained for such purpose.

[Charis]

Sue...Crows will do the same thing as Bobo, when a mate or family member is injured or dies. At dawn one morning, I was waiting for a ride and witnessed a Crow land on an active transformer. The Crow was electrocuted, fell to the ground and died. Another Crow, which I assumed was the mate, did a similar thing as you have just described.
It was the saddest thing to watch.

[TAWhatley]

Well, there was that parrot in China or Japan that recited his name and phone # to everyone until the vet office finally called the number the bird was saying and found the owner.

I, too, have seen some amazing things with crows. A couple of years ago I was called to come get a very ill crow from a condo complex in Irvine. When I got there the ill crow was surrounded by family and friends, and I literally had a battle on my hands to pick up and take the ill crow with me. The cawing was ear splitting, and I was being bombarded with near miss aerial attacks when I approached the ill bird. The degree of loyalty and defense was amazing. Sadly, the ill crow died within minutes of my picking it up, but I've never seen such an organized and diligent defense mounted by birds before.

Given the intellect of crows, I'll bet that one could be taught to dial 911 or the equivalent if needed.

Terry

[SueC]

When I retrieved BoBo from the drain some 4 years ago, I was lucky not to be bombarded by his friends and family although I could hear them above my head at that time. They even followed me all the way to my flat. I was so happy that they were intelligent enough to distinguish the difference between help and harm.

[pattersonk2002]

I watched a tv program that showed crows placing wallnuts in the roadway where cars would hit them, then they would look both ways and retrieve there lunch. They also showed them taking clams way up in the air and dropping them to the rocks below to open them. I think in time they could dial 911 but I would be afraid that they would AWWK just want to talk AWWk just talk. I also hear thet they like shiny objects like watches and rings, I can see it now, crow dials 911 and turns himself in AWWK I got the ring AWWK >Kevin

[SueC]

Haha, Kevin, you're so funny!

[george simon]

THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD , has used pigeons to rescue people lost at sea. http://www.uscg.mil/history/articles...SARProject.asp The birds were better at finding those lost at sea than the humans GEORGE