Are Birds as Clever as Apes?

“Bird brain” might be one of the world’s most popular insults, however according to new research our feathered friends might not be as obtuse as originally thought. In fact, a group of scientists is maintaining that bird brains could contain structures that support the same complex cognitive tasks that mammals are capable of carrying out.  

Using avian neuroanatomy studies drawn from decades of research, the scientists put together a strong case arguing that “birds with small, non-cortical brains of 5 to 20 grams can show identical capabilities to apes with large cortices and brain weights of between 275 and 500 grams.”

Decades of research, one exciting new revelation

They drew on a myriad of previous high profile studies, including Harvey Karten’s discovery that despite the differing structures of bird and mammalian brains, they do share several similarities, including the same types of neurons and patterns of connectivity.

The research was published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Science, with authors arguing that high-level cognitive capabilities don’t necessarily correlate to the size of structure of the brain. Instead, they assert that mental capabilities are all down to types of connectivity.

The all-important PFC

In mammalian brains, functions such as memory, reasoning and empathy are controlled in an anterior area called the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is made up of six layers, with each ‘laminae’ containing a unique neuronal cell that corresponds with a distinctive pattern of connectivity. For decades, the presence of the PFC has been recognised as a key factor for advanced mammalian mental abilities.

Until now, it was thought that the PFC was exclusive to mammals. However, the new research suggests that avian brains could contain a similar structure. Despite the fact that the avian counterpart is significantly smaller than the mammalian cortex, scientists maintain that it’s still capable of coordinating executive function. This region is called the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), and sees neurons connect with each another in a way that mimics the mammalian PFC process. For example, scientists allege that the avian NCL is rich in dopamine-releasing fibers. In the same way that a monkey’s PFC actively suspends the transmission of signals to retain data during working memory tasks, so too does a bird’s NCL. Does this mean birds are as smart as apes? Not necessarily, but it definitely means they don’t deserve their trivial stigma.   

Animals play a core role in contemporary scientific advancements. For an in-depth look at the latest research emerging from global labs, ‘A Practical Field Extraction Method for Non-invasive Monitoring of Hormone Activity in Animals’ is a thought-provoking read.

Image via Flickr Creative Commons. Photo credits: Martin Heigan