Avian Intelligence

Recent discussions of Grey's talking ability and general intelligence has got me thinking...

Many parrots learn to communicate quite well in human language. Alex and N'kisi may be exceptional examples, but they are not all that far above what any african grey could learn in the right environment.

Despite their abilities there are obvious shortcomings. They make many grammatical mistakes and only use simple syntax.

However consider this in light of the fact that they lack the inborn universal grammar that humans have. It was quite a debate among Skinner and Chomsky about how humans learn language. It seemed that simple conditioning and learning were not sufficient to explain language acquisition, and they aren't. Humans are born with a pre-wired tendency to acquire language, a universal grammar, or what Chomsky called X-bar theory. We are born with an understanding of syntax and grammar, we just learn the words or symbols used to express particular things.

Birds are not born with this universal grammar, yet not only do they learn many words and symbols, but they also learn to use some syntax and grammatically correct forms.

I'd argue, in fact, that parrots grasp of human language is better than our grasp of human language and certainly far better than our grasp of avian language.

I'm currently in a lab that focuses primarily on song bird vocal communication. Many of humanities best and brightest devote their lives to figuring out what birds are 'saying' with their vocalizations. We have learned much, but it is a difficult process. We can understand much of their signaling, but much is still unknown, and we are no where near capable of entering into a dialog with them.

So, parrots, even average african grey parrots, seem to accomplish in a matter of years in a decent environment the analog of what humanities best and brightest only dream of accomplishing in a life-time. Don't even get me started on the 'average' human - being able to feed their kids and stay off drugs would be an accomplishment for many.

How is it then that so many wish to think that we are 'smarter' than birds? If we were to be objective and unbiased about it I suspect most parrots would be deserving of a PhD in Human Studies for their understanding of and ability to communicate with us.

Nice posting AD. Especially the last paragraph. Are you working in avain research? If you are how interesting. If I could do it over again I would be a wildlife biologist. I have done so much for Rosie in creating a stimulating environment. I know she understands what I say but she shows no indications of speaking yet. I think it is so interesting to listen to the parrots over the world who acquire another language or accent. We as humans do not give most animals the credit they deserve for brain power. I saw a show on the animal channel about the 10 most intelligent animals: the first was the african grey, second was the dolphin and the third was the chimp.

Spiritbird said:

I saw a show on the animal channel about the 10 most intelligent animals: the first was the african grey, second was the dolphin and the third was the chimp.

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I bet humans weren't even on the list. That just ticks me off. I don't know how one would define or quantify intelligence in any meaningful way - I'd say we can't. But either that show is implying that humans are not smart enough to even be on the list (which I may joke about, but do not think would be the case) or it is just so natural for them to assume that we are at the top that there is no reason to even bother.

The only thing humans have done better than any other animal is to spread throughout the world, change (damage) our environment for our own benefit, destroy all our competitors, and abuse every resource we need. The only other forms of life to do this are pathogenic bacteria and viruses. I'm not so sure these are things we should be proud of.

Spiritbird said:

Are you working in avain research?

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My lab mates work on vocal signaling in passerine birds. One is studying song learning and female preference formation in swamp sparrows. Another is working on soft-song and threat signals in black-throated blue warblers. Yet another is beginning a project to address the effects of urbanization of bird song and how birds adapt to urban noise. One wrote a software package to analyze bird songs and is using it to answer questions that we were previously unable to address. My advisor has collaborative projects in Brazil looking at mating displays of blue-black grassquits and in the Galapagos studying the effects of food availability on beak morphology, song, and speciation of Darwin's Finches. My interests are less on communication and more on foraging behavior - I'll be studying decision-making in foraging behavior in House Sparrows and how it is impacted by early development.

So... we've got our fingers in a lot of pies. Lab Members

My research page: http://mccluresk9.com/UMass/Research.html

Thank you for sharing part of your professional life with the forum. When you think about it, perhaps we humans are foraging when we go to the grocery store and pick out what we want to eat. I just purchased a rather intricate foraging cage insert for birdie. It is a large plastic circle with pockets in to and a door that has a few holes in it for getting the food out. It has a handle and the bird would need to learn to turn it in order for the open places to be where the food is. Rosie was afraid of it yesterday but she is trying it out today. I am wondering if she will learn to turn the cover in order to get the treats.

There is a lot of overlap in foraging theory and microeconomics. One studies how animals choose between resource options, the other studies how consumers choose between product options. Turns out consumers evaluating products (food or otherwise) behave the same as animals evaluating food sources.