Raven species, specifically the Corvus corax principalis, captured at the Los Angeles Zoo. Despite their shared characteristics, ravens and crows display distinct differences in physical traits and social conduct.
In the avian world, intelligence is not a trait limited to humans alone. From the humble crow to the vibrant parrot, birds have been found to possess remarkable cognitive abilities that rival those of some mammals.
In 2015, a study published in the journal Animal Behaviour revealed that crows have an exceptional memory for human faces. They can remember if a person poses a threat, and even hold grudges against those they perceive as such. Interestingly, crows living near the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, recognize expert Kevin McGowan and respond differently to him based on their past interactions.
Crows are not the only birds demonstrating impressive cognitive skills. Common ravens, for instance, are particularly skilled at solving complex problems. A study published in the same journal in 2015 found that ravens are warier of new people than crows are. In a groundbreaking study published in Science in 2017, ravens were observed pre-planning tasks, a behavior previously thought to be unique to humans.
Parrots, such as African grey parrots like Alex and Griffin, have been trained to understand and use English words in context. Alex, trained by Irene Pepperberg, mastered roughly a hundred words, including the concepts of same, different, and zero. His successor, Griffin, is currently being trained at Harvard University, and is working on the concept of zero as well as labeling shapes and colors.
Great-tailed grackles, belonging to the same family as blackbirds and orioles, have shown intelligence comparable to corvids and parrots. A study published in the journal PeerJ in 2016 found that great-tailed grackles not only learned to solve puzzles for food, but also adapted their strategies when the rules changed, demonstrating individual styles of thinking.
Remarkably, birds have also been observed exhibiting cultural behaviours. In Australia, male palm cockatoos use twigs and seed pods to create drumsticks for courtship, each having a unique musical style. This makes cockatoos the first animal observed making musical instruments.
The recognition of the intelligence of birds has led to significant conservation efforts. In 1918, Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to protect birds from wanton killing. In 2018, the centennial of this act was celebrated as the Year of the Bird. While it was not officially designated as such in Germany, the celebration aimed to raise awareness about the importance of preserving these intelligent creatures and their habitats.
From dancing to the Backstreet Boys to solving complex problems, birds continue to surprise us with their cognitive abilities. As we continue to study and understand these remarkable creatures, we are not only deepening our appreciation for them, but also learning more about our own intelligence and its origins.
