The Genius of Birds

Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. Indeed, according to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. Similar to humans, many birds have enormous brains relative to their size. Although small, bird brains are packed with neurons that allow them to punch well above their weight.

In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman embarks on a captivating journey to explore the newly discovered brilliance of birds and how it evolved. Her journey takes readers on a global adventure to the most cutting-edge frontiers of avian research. From the distant laboratories in Barbados and New Caledonia to the great tit communities in the United Kingdom, from the bowerbird habitats in Australia to the ravaged mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy, and the warming mountains of central Virginia and the western states, Ackerman meticulously unravels the story of the exceptional genius of birds. She delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain that are revolutionising our understanding of intelligence.

Consider, as Ackerman does, the Clark's nutcracker, a bird capable of hiding as many as 30,000 seeds over dozens of square miles and remembering where it stored them several months later. Think of the mockingbirds and thrashers, species capable of storing 200 to 2,000 different songs in a brain a thousand times smaller than ours. Contemplate the well-known pigeon, a bird that can navigate thousands of miles from familiar territory with unerring accuracy. And marvel at the New Caledonian crow, a bird that not only makes its own tools but uses them with impressive dexterity.

But Ackerman goes beyond merely highlighting the technical intelligence of birds. She shines a light on their impressive social smarts. Birds deceive and manipulate, eavesdrop, display a strong sense of fairness, and give gifts. They engage in games like keep-away and tug-of-war, tease, share, and cultivate social networks. Birds vie for status, kiss to console one another, teach their young, and even blackmail their parents. They alert each other to danger, summon witnesses to the death of a peer, and may even grieve.

This elegant scientific investigation and travelogue weaves personal anecdotes with fascinating science. Ackerman delivers an extraordinary narrative that provides readers with a newfound appreciation for the exceptional talents of birds and reveals what these avian marvels can teach us about our changing world. The Genius of Birds is a must-read for anyone interested in the intricate workings of animal intelligence and the remarkable capabilities found within the avian world.