Birds Pack More Neurons into Smaller Brains

Being called a "bird brain" should be considered a compliment: An international team of scientists including Tecumseh Fitch of the University of Vienna has found out that birds have a more efficient neural architecture, allowing them to fit many more neurons into smaller brains than can mammals. More neurons means more computing power. Furthermore, the brains of particularly smart birds, like ravens and parrots, have disproportionately more forebrain neurons involved in complex cognition. These results are published in the renowned journal PNAS. Although the English phrase "bird brain" implies a lack of intelligence, research over the last decades has clearly shown that some birds are very clever, and can match or outsmart the smartest monkeys. Ravens and jays know when someone has seen them hide food, and re-hide it when they're gone, magpies recognize themselves in mirrors, and New Caledonian crows make and use sophisticated tools. Parrots are the only non-humans that can dance to a beat without training, and some parrots even drum on trees with sticks.