Crocs go fishing with sticks

The are the ultimate ambush predators - capable of lying perfectly still on the bottom of a river until the right moment to strike.

But it seems crocodiles are even sneakier than had been previously believed - they use twigs to lure nesting birds into their jaws.

Researchers noticed that both mugger crocodiles, which are found in India, and American alligators in Louisiana used small sticks to "fish" for the birds.

It is thought to be the first time reptiles have been found to use tools - something that was thought to be restricted to apes and intelligent birds such as crows.

The findings suggest that crocodiles and alligators are far more intelligent than has been previously thought.

Dr Vladimir Dinets, a researcher at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, who led the research, said: "This study changes the way crocodiles have historically been viewed.

"They are typically seen as lethargic, stupid and boring but now they are known to exhibit flexible multimodal signalling, advanced parental care and highly coordinated group hunting tactics."

Crocodiles are among the last remaining predators from the time of the dinosaurs and have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years.

The findings we re published in the journal Ethology, Ecology and Evolution.

Dinets said: "Up north, where birds have a short breeding season, gators mostly do it in early spring, when egrets are busy building nests.

"At that time, around egret colonies, small sticks are in short supply, and egrets are desperately looking for them."

Dinets believes the use of tools might be more widespread in reptiles than previously recognised, and the results could also help shed some light on dinosaurs .