Crows, ravens, magpies, grey parrots, and keas are among the world’s smartest birds, demonstrating remarkable problem-solving skills, tool use, complex communication, and even self-awareness. Scientists measure avian intelligence through behavioral experiments, including problem-solving tasks, memory tests, and social interactions.
In this article, we’ll explore the remarkable cognitive abilities of these birds, along with other surprisingly intelligent species like woodpecker finches, jays, and pigeons. We’ll also examine how bird intelligence is assessed and how their feats in both the wild and captivity challenge the belief that advanced cognition is exclusive to mammals.
New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides)
- Key intelligence trait: Tool-making and problem-solving.
- Unique abilities: Meta-tool use and causal reasoning (e.g., using water displacement to access food).
The New Caledonian crow is perhaps the most famous tool-using bird in the world. Native to the forests of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, these crows have been observed crafting tools from sticks and leaves to extract insects from crevices – a behavior once thought exclusive to primates.
In captivity, they have demonstrated the ability to solve multi-step puzzles, showcasing advanced problem-solving skills and an understanding of cause and effect. A groundbreaking study in 2002 revealed that these crows could fashion hooks to retrieve food, a cognitive feat rarely seen in the animal kingdom. Their intelligence in the wild is equally remarkable. They not only select the right materials for tool-making but also improve their designs over time.
In more recent studies, New Caledonian crows have exhibited meta-tool use, using one tool to retrieve another, and have demonstrated causal reasoning in experiments like the Aesop’s Fable test, where they raised water levels with stones to access floating food. This adaptability in both natural and controlled environments places the New Caledonian crow at the pinnacle of avian intelligence.
Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
- Key intelligence trait: Advanced communication and concept understanding.
- Unique abilities: Vocal learning and comprehension of abstract concepts (e.g., numbers, colors, and shapes).
The grey parrot is renowned for its exceptional communication skills and cognitive abilities, making it one of the most intelligent bird species in the world. The most famous example is Alex, a parrot studied by Dr. Irene Pepperberg for over 30 years. Alex could identify objects, colors, shapes, and numbers, and demonstrated an understanding of abstract concepts like “same” and “different.” His vocabulary exceeded 100 words, and he could form simple sentences, challenging the notion that birds merely mimic human speech.
In the wild, African greys use their vocal abilities to communicate complex messages within their flocks. They also display problem-solving skills when foraging, showing that their intelligence is not limited to captive environments. Their ability to learn from and interact with humans, combined with their natural adaptability, places grey parrots among the most cognitively advanced avian species.
Common raven (Corvus corax)
- Key intelligence trait: Problem-solving and social intelligence.
- Unique abilities: Future planning and perspective-taking (understanding what others know or see).
The common raven is celebrated for its problem-solving abilities and complex social behaviors, often rivaling those of primates. Studies have shown that ravens can plan for future events, a trait once believed to be uniquely human. In one experiment, ravens were observed selecting tools they would need later, even when a more immediate reward was available. This demonstrated their ability to delay gratification and think ahead.
Ravens also exhibit perspective-taking, a foundational element of theory of mind – the understanding that others have their own thoughts and knowledge. For example, they hide food caches while ensuring they aren’t being watched, and if they suspect another raven has observed them, they will re-hide the food in a new location.
In the wild, common ravens use their intelligence to adapt to diverse environments, from dense forests to urban landscapes. They have been seen using tools, playing games, and even collaborating with other animals like wolves to find food.
Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
- Key intelligence trait: Self-awareness and complex social behavior.
- Unique abilities: Mirror self-recognition and deceptive problem-solving strategies.
The Eurasian magpie is one of the few non-mammalian species to demonstrate self-awareness, having passed the mirror test – an experiment designed to assess an animal’s ability to recognize itself in a reflection. In this test, magpies were marked with a colored spot visible only in a mirror. The birds attempted to remove the mark, indicating they recognized the reflection as themselves rather than another bird. This places them among a select group of animals, including great apes, dolphins, and elephants, capable of such self-recognition.
Beyond this, magpies exhibit complex social behaviors and problem-solving abilities. They are known to engage in deceptive tactics, such as pretending to hide food in one location while actually concealing it elsewhere to mislead potential thieves. Their curiosity, playfulness, and intricate social interactions showcase a high level of cognitive sophistication both in the wild and in captivity.
Kea (Nestor notabilis)
- Key intelligence trait: Problem-solving and social cooperation.
- Unique abilities: Collaborative puzzle-solving and playful exploration.
The kea, an alpine parrot native to New Zealand, is renowned for its playful behavior and remarkable problem-solving abilities. These birds are often referred to as the “clowns of the mountains” due to their curious nature and tendency to interact with human objects – unlocking latches, dismantling equipment, and even stealing items from tourists.
In captivity, keas have demonstrated an impressive ability to solve complex puzzles and work cooperatively to achieve shared goals. A 2017 study showed that keas could outperform some primates in cognitive tasks, such as using a sequence of actions to obtain a reward.
Their playful behavior isn’t just for fun, it serves as a critical part of their learning process, helping them adapt to new challenges in their rugged alpine environments. In the wild, their intelligence is evident in their ability to navigate harsh landscapes, forage for diverse food sources, and even use tools in certain contexts.
Woodpecker finch (Camarhynchus pallidus)
- Key intelligence trait: Tool use and environmental adaptability.
- Unique abilities: Crafting and using twigs or cactus spines to extract insects.
The woodpecker finch, a member of Darwin’s finches from the Galápagos Islands, is one of the few bird species known to use tools in the wild. This small bird has been observed selecting and modifying twigs or cactus spines to extract insects and larvae from tree bark and crevices – behaviors that highlight its adaptability in an environment with limited food resources.
In studies, woodpecker finches have demonstrated the ability to choose the appropriate tool for specific tasks, indicating an understanding of functional properties and problem-solving skills. Unlike many species whose tool use is learned in captivity, these finches exhibit natural tool use in their native habitats. Their behavior is a prime example of how intelligence can evolve in response to environmental challenges, supporting the broader findings of adaptive radiation that made Darwin’s finches famous.
Tanimbar corella (Cacatua goffiniana)
- Key intelligence trait: Problem-solving and tool innovation.
- Unique abilities: Spontaneous tool-making and multi-step puzzle-solving.
The Tanimbar corella, also known as Goffin’s cockatoo, is a small white parrot native to the Tanimbar Islands in Indonesia. Despite lacking a natural history of tool use in the wild, these cockatoos have displayed remarkable problem-solving abilities and spontaneous tool-making in captivity. In groundbreaking experiments, they were observed crafting tools from materials like cardboard to retrieve food from hard-to-reach places.
One famous study demonstrated that Goffin’s cockatoos could unlock a series of five locks in sequence to access a reward, showing an understanding of multi-step problem-solving. Their cognitive flexibility is further highlighted by their ability to adapt and innovate when faced with new challenges, a trait more commonly associated with primates. While their tool use in the wild remains less documented, their captivity-based intelligence firmly establishes them among the most cognitively advanced bird species.
American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
- Key intelligence trait: Problem-solving and memory.
- Unique abilities: Facial recognition and tool use (e.g., using traffic to crack nuts).
The American crow is widely recognized for its impressive problem-solving skills and remarkable memory. One of the most famous studies from the University of Washington demonstrated that American crows can recognize human faces, remembering individuals who have posed a threat and even passing this information on to other crows. This ability highlights their sophisticated social learning and long-term memory.
In urban environments, American crows have adapted to use human tools and infrastructure to their advantage. They’ve been observed dropping nuts onto roads for cars to crack open, then retrieving the food once the traffic clears. Their use of tools, strategic planning, and social cooperation showcase a high level of cognitive flexibility, allowing them to thrive in both natural and human-dominated landscapes.
Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
- Key intelligence trait: Cooperative hunting and social learning.
- Unique abilities: Team-based hunting strategies and complex communication within groups.
The Harris’s hawk is unique among raptors for its highly cooperative hunting behavior, a rare trait in birds of prey. Unlike most raptors, which are solitary hunters, Harris’s hawks hunt in family groups, using coordinated strategies similar to those of pack-hunting mammals like wolves. They take turns flushing out prey, blocking escape routes, and ambushing from different angles, demonstrating sophisticated teamwork and strategic planning.
Their social structure is equally remarkable. Harris’s hawks live in groups where younger birds learn from more experienced hunters, highlighting the role of social learning in their development. In captivity, they are highly trainable, making them popular in falconry due to their responsiveness and ability to learn complex commands. Their cooperative intelligence and adaptability set them apart in the avian world.
Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius)
- Key intelligence trait: Memory and future planning.
- Unique abilities: Caching food with future needs in mind and understanding the perspectives of other birds.
The Eurasian jay is celebrated for its exceptional memory and ability to plan for the future, cognitive traits that were once thought to be unique to humans and a few primates. These jays can cache thousands of acorns in various hidden locations and retrieve them months later with remarkable accuracy. More impressively, they don’t just store food indiscriminately – they select high-quality food and remember the specific perishability of different items, retrieving them based on how long they’ve been stored.
Eurasian jays also demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of perspective-taking. They are known to re-hide food if they believe they’ve been watched while caching, suggesting they can anticipate the intentions of potential thieves (an ability linked to what scientists call theory of mind). These cognitive skills highlight not only their problem-solving abilities but also their complex social intelligence, making them one of the most intelligent members of the corvid family.
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
- Key intelligence trait: Vocal mimicry and memory.
- Unique abilities: Mimicking a wide range of sounds and recognizing individual humans.
The northern mockingbird is famous for its extraordinary vocal mimicry abilities, capable of imitating the songs of other bird species, mechanical noises, and even human sounds. A single mockingbird can learn and reproduce up to 200 different songs throughout its lifetime, showcasing advanced auditory learning and memory. Their complex song repertoire plays a vital role in attracting mates and defending territory.
Beyond their vocal skills, northern mockingbirds have demonstrated impressive memory and recognition abilities. In urban environments, studies have shown that they can recognize individual humans, particularly those who pose a threat to their nests. Remarkably, mockingbirds can remember these individuals even after extended periods, altering their behavior in response. This combination of vocal intelligence and observational learning highlights the mockingbird’s adaptability and cognitive sophistication in both natural and urban landscapes.
Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)
- Key intelligence trait: Exceptional spatial memory.
- Unique abilities: Remembering thousands of hidden seed caches over vast distances and long periods.
Clark’s nutcracker is renowned for its extraordinary spatial memory, which allows it to survive in harsh mountainous environments across North America. These birds can hide up to 30,000 seeds in thousands of separate locations over large areas, and they can recall these cache sites with remarkable precision months later, even under snow. This ability is critical for their survival during winter when food is scarce.
Studies have shown that Clark’s nutcrackers use landmarks and mental mapping techniques to navigate back to their caches, demonstrating cognitive skills comparable to those of mammals known for their spatial abilities, like squirrels and even some primates. This bird’s memory isn’t just remarkable for navigation, it also plays a role in forest ecology, as uneaten seeds contribute to the dispersal and regeneration of pine forests, making them essential ecological partners.
Satin bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
- Key intelligence trait: Complex courtship behavior and aesthetic sense.
- Unique abilities: Building and decorating elaborate bowers to attract mates, using color preference and perspective illusions.
The satin bowerbird, native to eastern Australia, is famous for its elaborate courtship rituals and an apparent sense of aesthetics. Male bowerbirds construct intricate bowers (structures made of twigs and sticks) not as nests, but as displays to attract females. They meticulously decorate these bowers with brightly colored objects like berries, flowers, plastic, and glass, showing a distinct preference for the color blue. The males organize these decorations to create a visually appealing display that highlights their creativity and cognitive abilities.
What’s even more fascinating is their use of forced perspective, placing larger objects at the back and smaller ones at the front to create an optical illusion that makes the bower appear more symmetrical and appealing. This manipulation of visual space indicates advanced problem-solving and spatial reasoning skills. The satin bowerbird’s ability to combine artistic expression with strategic planning in their mating rituals makes them one of the most unique examples of avian intelligence.
California scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica)
- Key intelligence trait: Future planning and memory.
- Unique abilities: Caching food with awareness of spoilage and engaging in deceptive behaviors to protect food.
The California scrub jay is known for its remarkable ability to plan for the future and its sophisticated memory skills. These birds cache food such as nuts and insects in various locations, not just for immediate use but to retrieve them later when resources are scarce. What sets them apart is their ability to differentiate between perishable and non-perishable foods, retrieving perishable items first – an indication of an understanding of time-based planning.
Scrub jays also demonstrate deceptive behaviors to protect their caches. If a jay suspects it has been observed while hiding food, it will often return later to move the cache to a new, secret location. This behavior suggests an understanding of perspective-taking, or the ability to anticipate what other birds might know or do (an advanced cognitive skill linked to theory of mind). These traits highlight the California scrub jay’s complex thinking and adaptive intelligence in both natural and experimental settings.
Australian Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata castanotis)
- Key intelligence trait: Vocal learning and auditory memory.
- Unique abilities: Learning songs through imitation and demonstrating neuroplasticity similar to human language development.
The Australian zebra finch is a cornerstone species in the study of vocal learning and neuroplasticity, making it one of the most significant birds in cognitive research. Native to the dry grasslands of Australia, these small finches are renowned for their ability to learn songs through imitation, much like how humans acquire language. Young males learn their songs by listening to adult tutors, and their songs are critical for attracting mates and establishing territory.
What makes zebra finches particularly remarkable is their contribution to neuroscience. Studies have shown that their brains undergo structural changes during the song-learning process, offering insights into how the brain adapts and rewires itself – a process known as neuroplasticity. This research has provided valuable parallels to human speech development and learning disorders. The zebra finch’s ability to modify and perfect its song repertoire highlights both its intelligence and its importance in understanding the mechanics of learning and memory in the animal kingdom.
Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)
- Key intelligence trait: Complex social behavior and problem-solving.
- Unique abilities: Recognizing individual humans and engaging in cooperative problem-solving.
The Australian magpie is not only known for its rich, melodious song but also for its remarkable intelligence, particularly in the realm of social cognition. Recent studies have shown that these birds can recognize individual human faces, distinguishing between people who pose a threat and those who do not. This ability to remember and differentiate between humans demonstrates advanced long-term memory and adaptability in urban environments.
Beyond their recognition skills, Australian magpies exhibit complex social behaviors within their groups, engaging in cooperative tasks and even forming alliances. In 2022, a study showed that magpies could work together to solve puzzles that required coordination, a trait rarely seen in the avian world. Their intelligence, combined with their adaptability, makes them one of the most cognitively advanced non-corvid birds.
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
- Key intelligence trait: Tool use and problem-solving.
- Unique abilities: Using tools to solve multi-step puzzles and manipulating objects to access food.
The rook, a member of the corvid family, has demonstrated remarkable tool-using and problem-solving abilities that rival even those of primates. In a series of experiments, rooks were observed using stones to raise water levels in containers to bring floating food within reach – a behavior famously known as the Aesop’s Fable experiment. This showcased their understanding of cause and effect, a trait rarely seen in non-human animals.
What makes rooks particularly fascinating is their ability to solve multi-step puzzles without prior training. In some studies, they have shown the capacity to combine tools or use them in sequence to achieve a goal, indicating advanced cognitive flexibility. Unlike some other tool-using birds, rooks do not typically use tools in the wild, suggesting that their tool-use behavior is an expression of latent intelligence rather than necessity. This combination of natural curiosity and problem-solving prowess cements their place among the world’s smartest birds.
Great tit (Parus major)
- Key intelligence trait: Problem-solving and social learning.
- Unique abilities: Using tools to access food and learning new behaviors through observation.
The great tit is a small songbird with surprisingly complex cognitive abilities. These birds have demonstrated impressive problem-solving skills in the wild, including the use of tools, such as using bark or leaves to extract insects from crevices. One of the most famous examples of their intelligence dates back to the mid-20th century in the UK, where great tits were observed opening milk bottle tops to access the cream inside. This behavior spread rapidly through populations, illustrating their capacity for social learning and cultural transmission.
Great tits are also known for their behavioral flexibility, adapting quickly to changes in their environment. They can solve novel foraging challenges and have shown the ability to modify their behavior based on previous experiences. Their capacity to learn from both direct experience and observing others highlights their advanced cognitive abilities, making them a standout among small passerine birds.
Birds that deserve a mention
While the main list highlights the most extensively studied species, several other birds display unique behaviors that showcase the breadth of avian intelligence.
The hooded crow (Corvus cornix) and carrion crow (Corvus corone) are both highly adaptable, known for using tools and solving complex problems in urban environments, such as dropping nuts onto roads for cars to crack. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), a small parrot, excels in vocal learning and can mimic human speech, while the green heron (Butorides virescens) stands out for its use of bait, like twigs or insects, to lure fish – a rare example of tool use in non-corvid species. Lastly, the rock pigeon (Columba livia) surprises many with its ability to recognize itself in mirrors and its remarkable navigational skills, using Earth’s magnetic fields to find its way home over long distances.
These species may not have made the main list, but their unique behaviors reflect the wide range of intelligence found across the avian world.
How bird intelligence is measured
Scientists measure bird intelligence using a variety of tests designed to assess problem-solving, memory, and social cognition. Tool use experiments are common, where birds are presented with tasks that require them to use objects to achieve a goal. For example, the Aesop’s Fable test evaluates causal reasoning by observing whether birds can drop stones into water to raise the level and access floating food. Some species, like New Caledonian crows, demonstrate meta-tool use, employing one tool to retrieve another, a level of problem-solving rare even among primates.
Mirror tests assess self-awareness, while delayed gratification tests measure impulse control and future planning. Researchers also test episodic-like memory (the ability to recall specific events, such as what was hidden, where, and when) which has been observed in Eurasian jays and scrub jays. Adaptability to new environments is another measure of intelligence, with birds often facing novel challenges designed to test their creativity and flexibility in problem-solving.
Social intelligence is gauged by observing interactions within flocks, such as cooperative behaviors, deceptive tactics, and the ability to understand the perspectives of other birds. Additionally, studies on vocal learning and communication provide insights into cognitive complexity, particularly in species like parrots, zebra finches, and mockingbirds.
Advances in neurology have revealed that birds have highly developed brains, particularly in areas associated with higher-order thinking. The nidopallium and hyperpallium (key regions in the avian brain), analogous to the mammalian neocortex, are responsible for many of the cognitive feats observed in these intelligent species. Techniques like brain imaging (e.g., MRI) further illuminate the neurological underpinnings of avian intelligence.
Bird intelligence continues to challenge our understanding of animal cognition, revealing that complex thought is not limited to mammals. Through a combination of behavioral studies and neurological research, scientists are uncovering the remarkable mental abilities of our feathered friends.