What does a Bird Think When it Looks at You?
- Thread starter woodsorrel
- Start date
"Johney come lately"
On average birds have the largest brains in comparison to body size. They are very very clever, but then again they had 50 million years head start on the mammals!
On average birds have the largest brains in comparison to body size. They are very very clever, but then again they had 50 million years head start on the mammals!
There is an "unkindness" of a dozen Ravens which appears at my end of the village
where there's extreme cold or deep snow. Those are the only circumstances when
I will put out something for them (dry dog food, dry bread crust.) They watch my body
motions, they seem to comprehend that my actions will result in food for them.
Particularly when I shovel a long space in the deep snow.
Then there's a whole bunch of whooping and hollering and jumping up and down to sort out the
peck-order dominance. Then they eat it all. The big bird goes first.
where there's extreme cold or deep snow. Those are the only circumstances when
I will put out something for them (dry dog food, dry bread crust.) They watch my body
motions, they seem to comprehend that my actions will result in food for them.
Particularly when I shovel a long space in the deep snow.
Then there's a whole bunch of whooping and hollering and jumping up and down to sort out the
peck-order dominance. Then they eat it all. The big bird goes first.
Really? Define clever? In the context of...for example....pheasants....as opposed to say...squirrels. I'm referring to birds who are so stupid they are confused by the concept of ...a fence...as opposed to the acrobatics a creature a fifth of their size goes through to raid bird feeders.
I would love to see a decent scientific paper that supports the theory that
.
Would you link to some sources please?
The reason I ask is that this graph
Published in this Harvard paper
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~ejchaisson/cosmic_evolution/docs/text/text_cult_3.html
Says that you are wrong. Specifically it states that
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Aah well on that basis, I don't speak rock. So lets not underestimate the cleverness of a good flint nodule 
Well they certainly have the benefit of experience.Aah well on that basis, I don't speak rock. So lets not underestimate the cleverness of a good flint nodule
Worth noting we are no "cleverer" Now than when we first left Africa. We have just benefited from accumulated knowledge.
Indeed - they also fail to enter a trap based on the motivation that another of their type has already decided to do so. Which makes them streets ahead of the average corvid who as the Larsen trap repeatedly proves, do so with a monotonous, stupid, regularity
Indeed. But they don't routinely make substances they know are bad for them, ingest said substances, then slowly kill themselves very painfully and expensively either.... but humans do.Indeed - they also fail to enter a trap based on the motivation that another of their type has already decided to do so. Which makes them streets ahead of the average corvid who as the Larsen trap repeatedly proves, do so with a monotonous, stupid, regularity
They don't exploit the planet to a degree that will impact there own species long term survival prospects... but humans do.
They don't work from dawn to dusk so they can buy things to take their minds off the fact they work from dawn to dusk
Humans do.
They don't create elaborate reasons for their existence to seperate themselves from the rest of the animal Kingdom...
Or do they?
Again I don't speak rock, or Crow.
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Thank you, British Red, for posting that interesting graph and the accompanying text. I enjoyed reading it.
We shouldn't risk belaboring the point.
Several animals express some level of "intelligence" when they solve problems in their environment. And we can certainly observe and learn from their behaviors. But I suspect that when discussing comparative intelligence, Humans will always come out on top.
After all, who is conducting the study?...
- Woodsorrel
We shouldn't risk belaboring the point.
Several animals express some level of "intelligence" when they solve problems in their environment. And we can certainly observe and learn from their behaviors. But I suspect that when discussing comparative intelligence, Humans will always come out on top.
After all, who is conducting the study?...
- Woodsorrel
Yes, they do. They breed up, feed like crazy and are only restricted by their ability to survive.
They are clever enough though to not feed those of their species too indolent to feed themselves - which may support your point.
No, they are too stupid to have time for social lives - theirs is simply a struggle to survive
I have extensive series of photos that show them attacking other bird species on sight, so yes, they do certainly separate themselves.
Define Stupid Red. Plenty of animals have social lives. And it's been proven even sea urchins have distinct personalities
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Well now, we have evolved sufficiently to establish an agricultural infrastructure. The industrialisation of that agricultural infrastructure has created, in the round, sufficient time for our species to have time for pursuits of both an intellectual and leisure nature.
I would define "stupid" as using the same number of millennia to spend time, as a species, eating carrion and dodging oncoming vehicles.
I would define "stupid" as using the same number of millennia to spend time, as a species, eating carrion and dodging oncoming vehicles.
We're entirety dependant on the infrastructure we've created. A dolphin doesn't need a road, or a house to survive. Stupid is entirely relative. As wood sorrel said it all comes down to who's doing the measuring. If we go on which species is the best at surviving then were a pretty stupid species compared to say a jelly fish.
Yeah we know a lot of stuff. But at the end of the day how useful is that stuff we know? Agriculture had been the death of many civilisations but we never learn from our mistakes 'long term'.
We're nothing special. We can just pass on our knowledge which gives us an edge over say, a Bonobo. But the Bonobo doesn't care it's to busy having. .... a social life.
Yeah we know a lot of stuff. But at the end of the day how useful is that stuff we know? Agriculture had been the death of many civilisations but we never learn from our mistakes 'long term'.
We're nothing special. We can just pass on our knowledge which gives us an edge over say, a Bonobo. But the Bonobo doesn't care it's to busy having. .... a social life.
Precisely. It an entirely philosophical argument. But we equate intelligence with humanity so we will always win. However perhaps as a species we're no more or less intelligent than any other based on observation of external success criteria.
Length of time on the planet
Ability to survive and thrive in a multitude of environments
Numbers of individuals
Ability to adapt
Say hello to Mr cockroach.
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