Grey reasoning

[Greywings]

(Phys.org) -- A team of German and Austrian researchers has found that Grey parrots are capable of inferential reasoning on a level that is superior to virtually all other animals save great apes and humans. In lab experiments involving choosing which box contains food, the researchers describe, in their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, how the birds were able to infer through auditory clues, which box contained a hidden food treat.

 

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-08-grey-parrots-inferential.html#jCp

[JeffNOK]

Very interesting study. I think we will see more and more research with parrots and other birds in the near future. It seems that scientists are just starting to realize the depth of avian intelligence and are jumping into the field with enthusiasm.

[Ray P]

If they were to ask grey owners years ago we could have told them what they are just starting to find out now.

[birdhouse]

If they were to ask grey owners years ago we could have told them what they are just starting to find out now.

 

Really Ray. We've been trying to tell them all along, but they just wouldn't believe us. As a parront the only truly surprising part was this...

 

"Surprisingly, the performance of the birds was sensitive to the shaking movement: they were successful with containers shaken horizontally, but not with vertical shaking resembling parrot head-bobbing. Thus, grey parrots seem to possess ape-like cross-modal reasoning skills, but their reliance on these abilities is influenced by low-level interferences."

 

http://phys.org/news/2012-08-grey-parrots-inferential.html#jCp

 

I thought this was pretty cool, too. First it's reasoning & then using tools. Isn't this the stuff that's supposed to make human beings so special? Just askin

 

http://phys.org/news168701856.html#nRlv

 

http://phys.org/news/2011-06-crows-parrots-highlights-intelligence.html#nRlv

Edited August 11, 2012 by birdhouse