Crows And Pigeons Are More Intelligent Than We Ever Imagined, Prove Studies

Long conducted research on birds have hinted of a higher form of intelligence than previously thought by humans. Now studies conducted more recently add on to that belief for species like pigeons, barn owls, crows, ravens, and other corvids - birds in the crow family.

(Representative Image: Reuters)

A comparatively recent research on journal Science sheds light on the ¡°amazing cognitive abilities¡± of pigeons and barn owls. The research mentions that even though the birds lack a cerebral cortex like many intelligent mammals including humans, they do possess pallium, which is considered to be ¡°analogous, if not homologous,¡± to the cerebral cortex.

The research finds that these birds exhibit ¡°extraordinary cognitive skills that are comparable to those of mammals.¡± It states that such birds possess the structural basis of neuronal computation. In layman terms, it means that both the type of birds can process information, i.e. they can think upon the content within their minds and take action accordingly. In contrast, many animal species are believed to act on instincts.

To come to the conclusion, the scientists analyzed the fiber architecture of the avian pallium, layers of grey and white matter on the upper surface of the cerebrum, with three-dimensional polarized light imaging. Subsequently, they reconstructed the local and associative pallial circuits with tracing techniques.

They discovered repeated, column-like neuronal circuitry ¡°across the nuclear boundaries of the hyperpallium and the sensory dorsal ventricular ridge.¡± These findings indicate that this avian canonical circuitry is similar to its mammalian counterpart.

(Representative Image)

The findings are backed by another study published in the same journal on the same date. This one, however, focuses on the corvid bird group. The research mentions that carrion crows show a ¡°neuronal response in the palliative end brain¡± while performing a task that they can perceive as a stimulus. ¡°Such activity might be a broad marker for consciousness,¡± the study points out.

Both the studies have one important takeaway - sensory consciousness might not be dependent on the cerebral cortex as much as humans believed it to be. With this understanding, further studies on other animals might expand this list of self conscious organisms that humans are aware of.