I think it is no different than learning to place cards in a machine to get treats. i think it may be learned behavior to get more food/treats. If they have learned that if they leave a gift they get food, it would fall within the lines of the other learned behavior they have exhibited in studies.
Here is an old post where I explained the origins of my user name: https://steemit.com/life/@papacrusher/steemit-name-challenge-papa-crusher Thanks for asking. In special meaning associated with your username?
papacrusher! you are so correct in the assertion of the crows behavior.
as far as my username, no I wish I would have thought up a clever one like so many on here or a cool sounding one like you have but I didn't even know if I was going to stay or work this steemit thing, it was so unlike me and I'd never been on a social media site before.
so mine is just the first initial of my first name and then my last name.
so I see it as j anton but everyone else sees it as janton! lol.
I read your post, I admire Hemingway a great deal also.