America’s Smartest Birds

When it comes to the smartest birds, we humans still have a lot to learn! Bird intelligence comes in many forms, and scientists are finding that many species exhibit intelligence similar to that of marine mammals, apes and even humans.

You might be thinking of those chatty parrots, but corvids – which include crows, ravens, jays and magpies – are renowned for their intelligence, as well. Read about ravens’ incredible facial recognition and memorization ability (you don’t want to make an enemy out of these birds!). Many other backyard birds are no slouches. Let’s take a look at the smart birds that get bragging rights for their amazingly brainy behavior.

Smartest Birds: Planning and Memorizing
Some birds, especially woodpeckers and jays, hoard nuts for later feeding. The birds’ ability to find their tasty hidden treasure later on demonstrates impressive long-term memory.

“Dinner Time” by Bob Wombacher

Smartest Birds: Working Together
Smart birds work cooperatively and understand the concepts of mutual benefit and the greater good. Wild turkeys line up wing to wing and walk across fields, knowing they can flush more insects in that formation than if they scattered or walked single file.

“Blue Men Group” by Corey Best

Smartest Birds: Recognizing Faces
Many birds bravely defend their nests, attacking potential predators to drive them away, but this defensive behavior is typically indiscriminate. A recent study of northern mocking birds documented that they not only recognize individuals of a potentially dangerous species but remember an individual’s past behavior and single him or her out for attack. This behavior has been reported anecdotally in other species as well, including robins.

Photo by Bob Wombacher

Smartest Birds: Solving Problems
Some smart birds are savvy enough to use trial and error to adapt to new situations. Bald eagles have been seen swimming across the surface of the water, dragging prey behind them, after attempts at holding on to the prize while in flight proved ineffectual. (See fishermen rescue a bald eagle after it became waterlogged while attempting such an act.) They’ll also crack ice with their strong beaks and then jump up and down on it, breaking through to expose open water for fishing.

Photo by Debbie Day

Smartest Birds: Using Tools
We take for granted that nest-building birds use twigs, plant fibers, hair, spider webs, mud and even plastic to build nests – definite tool use. Other birds use tools for hunting. Green herons have been observed fishing with bits of bread that people have tossed out for ducks, learning that they can use the bait to lure small fish to the surface, where they are easily caught.

“Heron Hunting” by Cindy Bowers

It appears we should start taking the term “bird brain” as a compliment! See if you can observe any of these brainy behaviors the next time you spot one of these birds at Innsbrook.

Adapted from “Birds and Blooms” article by David Mizejewski