When a friend jokingly suggested hanging “do not enter” signs to keep crows away, Professor Katsufumi Sato thought it was a gag. But after three years of this absurd strategy, those crows are steering clear, baffling everyone!
In a tale straight out of a bird-brained comedy, Sato, a professor of ethology, took the advice seriously. He pinned up simple paper signs in 2015, aiming to deter thieving crows from snatching insulation material. Lo and behold, the birds—apparently no jokesters themselves—stopped raiding!
Now, with new signs up for the third time, these clever corvids continue to avoid a severely damaged research center. But can they actually read Japanese? Nope! According to crow expert Tsutomu Takeda, it’s all about the pointing fingers and vigilant gazes of visitors and staff.
While these crafty crows might not decipher the signs, they’ve figured out the connection between the paper and people aiming fingers skyward. Takeda cheekily invites more visitors to up the ‘scarecrow’ effect.
Japanese Professor Claims That Crows Respect Written “Do Not Enter” Signs
