Clark’s Nutcracker
According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, the expression “bird brain” is colloquial for a “stupid or silly person.” It is also demeaning of the intelligence of birds. Who are we to call another species stupid or silly?
Several years ago, Newsweek gave a US Citizenship test to 1,000 Americans. Thirty-eight percent failed! Among the questions were: What is the name of the vice president of the United States now? What is the economic system in the United States? And what ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
In a 2002 National Geographic survey of 18-24 year olds in nine countries, U.S. young citizens placed next to last. Eleven percent of them could not locate the U.S. on a map; 29% could not locate the Pacific Ocean; and a shocking 58% could not find Japan on a map.
Now let’s return to the expression “bird brains.” Are birds really stupid? Consider Clark’s Nutcracker. This handsome denizen of high mountain forests and alpine meadows of the Western U.S. and Canada was named by William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition (yikes, a historical reference!). Clark’s Nutcrackers gather and cache thousands of pine seeds annually that they obtain from pine cones. Remarkably, they can remember where to find most of the seeds they cache.
Another intelligent bird is the American Crow. Crows are not only smart, but they can use tools. In one experiment pictured above, a crow was placed in a closed room with food at the bottom of a narrow-necked jar. Beside the jar was a straight length of wire. Within 30 seconds, the crow first attempted to reach for the food with its bill, then when denied, immediately twisted the wire into a hook shape and fished the food out of the jar.
Looking for geographic competence? Then look no further than the Arctic Tern. This bird migrates 44,000 miles round trip annually, travelling from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again, crossing two major oceans in the process. Although this is the longest-known migration of any bird, let alone animal species, many other birds travel far and use sophisticated means of navigating. I doubt that most Americans know which way is north or south.
As a final bird intelligence note, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Biology Handbook “Among songbirds, the female is believed to select a mate, not vice versa.” Hearing this, my wife immediately said “smart birds!”
Perhaps we should aspire to be bird brains. Clearly our human brains are in need of improvement, or at least stimulation and exercise.
Sources: All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology website; Handbook of Bird Biology, Cornell Lab of Ornithology; National Geographic Birds of North America; National Geographic Today; Newsweek, March 28, 2011; Webster’s New World Dictionary.
