The Science

Crows are among the most intelligent animals on the planet.

They recognize faces. They use tools. They solve multi-step problems. And they've demonstrated a remarkable ability to collect and exchange objects for rewards.

Which got us thinking... as we tend to do here at Spark:

Could they help fund science education?

The Concept

Crowfunding is a TELUS Spark pilot initiative exploring whether trained crows could collect coins and small objects and return them as donations in support of our programs and community access initiatives.

Pilot cohort:

• 12 crows showing strong engagement and excellent taste in shiny objects 
• 3 pigeons (dismissed early for lack of focus)  

Early observations show promising collection behaviours. The primary challenge remains contingency planning around seasonal migration. Though we are exploring whether our local deer population might serve as fund-grazers through the winter months.

We remain optimistic. We are a science centre, after all.

The Reality

While the science is real, a crow-based funding model is not a viable long-term strategy for sustaining science education in Calgary.

(We checked.)

The Impact

As a registered educational charity, TELUS Spark relies on our community to:

• Expand access to science learning for individuals and families across the region 
• Remove barriers so everyone can experience the joy of science 
• Keep delivering the kind of innovative, curiosity-driven programming that make this Blue Sky City a little more extraordinary  

The most effective way to support this work isn't feathers and spare change — it's you.