Crows Form, Nurse, and Share Grudges Against People

[senona]

Alright, might as well throw Ravens in here too while we are at it


A study led by researchers at Lund University in Sweden shows that ravens are as clever as chimpanzees, despite having much smaller brains, indicating that rather than the size of the brain, the neuronal density and the structure of the birds’ brains play an important role in terms of their intelligence.


Ravens Are Just as Smart as Chimps

Avian admirers rejoice: ‘bird brain’ is no longer a scientifically valid insult–at least where ravens are concerned. A study by scientists at Lund University in Sweden has found that corvid birds are as clever as chimpanzees when challenged to perform rational problem solving tasks, proving that brain size is indeed not everything.

So how exactly does one measure intelligence when it comes to birds? For this particular study, scientists looked at the ability of ravens (and other birds) to override “animal” motor impulses and instead act rationally and efficiently. To do this, they replicated the well-established Cylinder Test.

In the Cylinder Test, a piece of food is placed within a transparent tube that has openings at either side. If the animal is following natural, non-rational impulses, it will head straight for the food, whacking its nose/beak/mouth onto the tube. If the animal is thinking rationally, it’ll head for one of the open sides of the tube and extract its tasty morsel.

In 2014, scientists at Duke University conducted a large-scale study of 36 different animal species, mainly primates and apes, using the Cylinder Test to measure inhibitory control. What Lund University did was then conduct the same tests but with a number of different birds.

In 100 percent of cases, ravens exhibited inhibitory control and intelligently, successfully extracted food from the tube–jackdaws and New Caledonian crows had about a 97 percent success rate. And by this measure, ravens are are clever as chimps and bonobos. So what does this mean?

According to Can Kabadayi, a doctoral student in Cognitive Science who conducted the study:





And that leaves a lot more to explore. Kabadayi continues: