Avian Einsteins

The uncanny intelligence and emotion of smart birds—and how they're like humans

John M. Marzluff Ph.D., Tony Angell

Crows and Ravens Will Work For Cheese

Corvids like this Scottish jackdaw often feed in our backyards. Here they visit our bird feeders. And occasionally they leave gifts in apparent exchange for the seeds and crumbs we offer. A new study demonstrates that crows and ravens learn to exchange rocks for food and adjust their work effort to the quality of the rewards their flock mates receive.

Small Birds Use Their Brains to Live Among Us

While many birds fade into extinction, others adapt to our changing ways. Brewer's blackbirds, a small songbird, live in busy and dangerous places--parking lots--where they feed on and among our cars. They also time their arrivals to coincide with shop hours, wait among the gathering shoppers, and rush through the doors as soon as they open to feed and remain dry inside.

Some Birds Use Their Brains to Survive Winter

As you try to stay warm this winter, think about the small birds all around you. How do they battle winter's cold? Some form flocks. Others store food and remember its whereabouts. A few even cooperate to share information.

Here's Looking at You, Bird

Birds that live among us, like crows, pay close attention to people. They recognize our faces, and new research suggests that they also watch our eyes. Crows react to a staring person as a threat, likely because other crows also threaten each other with a fixed stare.

Crows Have Opinions

New research shows that we are not alone in thinking about the unseen and forming beliefs. New Caledonian crows also believe. The adaptive value of crows' opinions suggests to me that our propensity to believe what we cannot see is part of our ancient heritage.

Geese Use Their Brains To Survive In Cities

Think crows are smart? Well, geese also use their brains to survive in our urban environments. The ability of wild geese to become extraordinarily tame is an example of learning that shows how cognitive ability matches an animal's lifestyle.

Brain Scanning Enables an Objective Look at Animal Emotions

Ever wonder what’s going on inside the brain of a bird? A recent study reveals it’s not all that different from what is going on inside your own brain!

Body Language in Crows

Much can learned about crows by carefully observing their posture and movements.

The Alluring Language of Crows and Ravens

Some crows and ravens can talk. The one pictured here used human words to assemble dogs on the U. of Montana campus. By flying ahead of the dogs calling "Here Boy!" the crow drove the dogs through students, possibly dislodging a sandwich or chips which the crow could eat. Read on to learn more about the language of birds.

Crow Playmates

Could Wild Birds Reciprocate Our Kind Actions?

Have you ever been gifted by a wild animal? Many who feed birds have!

Corvid Tool Use, Play and More

First Flight

Ravens, crows, magpies, and jays share not only the wilderness, suburban, and urban environments with us, but also have in common many human characteristics.