Some Birds Are Just As Smart As Apes

[FLPanhandle]

http://neurosciencenews.com/bird-ape-intelligence-3801/

Complex cognition is possible without a cortex. Researchers figure out similarities in brain architecture.

At first glance, the brains of birds and mammals show many significant differences. In spite of that, the cognitive skills of some groups of birds match those of apes.

Research results gathered in the recent decades have suggested that birds have sophisticated cognitive skills. According to one theory, they are able to apply those only in specific situations, for example when hoarding food. In a review article in the journal “Trends in Cognitive Sciences”, Dr. Onur Güntürkün from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Dr. Thomas Bugnyar at the University of Vienna demonstrate that this is not the case.

Together, both researchers compiled studies which had revealed diverse cognitive skills in birds. “The mental abilities of corvids and parrots are as sophisticated and diverse as those of apes,” says Onur Güntürkün, Head of the Department for Biopsychology in Bochum. Among other things, they are capable of thinking logically, of recognising themselves in the mirror and of empathy.

“What is clear is that the multi-layered mammalian cortex is not required for complex cognition,” concludes Güntürkün. “The absolute brain weight is not relevant for mental abilities, either.” While ape brains weigh 275 to 500 gram on average, birds, who are just as skilful despite lacking a cortex, only manage 5 to 20 gram.

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We have a couple of parrots and they amaze me sometimes with what they remember and learn.

[Mnpaul]

1. Have you seen "A Murder of Crows" on PBS

It is really interesting.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/a-murder-of-crows-full-episode/5977/

[justiceischeap]

7. Amazing documentary.

I learned a lot about raccoons from PBS' "Raccoon Nation."

[Volaris]

11. That one was pretty amazing.

The fact that corvids can verbally communicate complex information patterns across generations is just about terrifying.

[Baobab]

12. Yes, I totally agree..

Now when I see crows, I always wonder if in some future world, people and animals might forge something more like friendship (Perhaps we are gradually having more respect for the needs of animals, but its not rapid enough to prevent a disaster for so many of them.)

Did you read about the huge male elephant who was smashing down a house in India that some idiot had built smack in the middle of a parcel that the elephants needed to get to the river to drink, when he heard a baby crying in the house somewhere. Evidently, he suddenly stopped, and went looking for the baby, found it and carefully lifted it up and put it in safety, then returned to smashing down the offending house.

Kind of makes me see all elephants, even angry elephants, in a different light.

I found myself getting quite sad when the last crow in the family died in that show.

[Orrex]

2. And measurably smarter than those humans who would vote for Trump.

[TuxedoKat]

3. I love crows

They recognize me when they see me out in the yard because I feed them peanuts.

[Zorra]

4. Ravens are incredibly intelligent and amazing. Every year a pair

of ravens, I call them mama and papa raven, nest in the cliff behind my home. Ravens mate for life. They are family, and when they see me they call to me, and I call back. During nesting season, I call for them to come over, and feed them on my back deck, to supplement their food supply, so that they don't have to travel as often to find food while mama is sitting, and while the babies are in the nest. When the babies begin to leave the nest I name them, and it is a blast to watch them as they first wander out of the nest and sit up on the cliff, and then begin to learn to fly, as mama and papa teach them how to be ravens. I have a tribe of ravens spread around the greater surrounding area now, and sometimes they fly low over me and call when I'm out hiking. Sometimes after I call back they'll do what I call the happy dance, a way of flying up and down which signifies to me that they are glad to see me. I don't think scientists have any idea how smart and perceptive ravens are yet.

I've seen some stunning aerial shows from my back deck.

[boguspotus]

5. And they also don't take crap from anyone either.

This clip is pretty funny!

[meow2u3]

6. Quoth the Raven: waka waka waka wa

[Solly Mack]

8. K&R

[Yo_Mama]

9. The phrase "bird brain" could not be more wrong.

This has been known but not really integrated into the great brain debate.

It is not so much the quantity of the material but the way the material can interact.

[Baobab]

10. Artistic skills are displayed by Bowerbirds

Male bowerbirds are very interesting. They are the artists of the animal kingdom, making elaborate structures made out of laboriously gathered colorful materials that must be exactly right to entice a female bowerbird into mating with them.

Parrots are extremely smart too. Native to subtropical areas, nonetheless many parrots and parakeets have become adept at living in temperate areas for example, Brooklyn. I don't know how they manage to pull it off. Probably they find some place where they can take advantage of human's heating.

Another extremely smart bird is the crow. Crows will remember humans who are mean to them as well as humans who are nice to them, for years and pass the information on to other crows somehow.

A few years back, somebody figured out how to enlist crows in recycling efforts, setting up a vending machine that paid crows in nuts for aluminum cans which were deposited into a hole on top.

And of course, almost everybody knows about Alex, the African Grey parrot who learned how to speak intelligently with animal behaviorist Irene Pepperberg and was eulogized by the New York Times.

RIP Alex.