Raven successfully completes the cognitive performance experiment
Dr Simone Pika said the findings had given her a fascinating insight into the surprising sophistication of the bird brain. Dr. Pika of the University of Osnabrück in Germany, who published the results of her research earlier this month in Scientific Reports, assessed subjects in experimental tasks that tested their understanding of the physical world and their interaction with other ravens. By comparing their performance to that of 106 chimpanzees and 32 orangutans who had performed similar tasks in a previous study, the authors found that by the time they were four months old, excluding spatial memory, the cognitive performance of the ravens were very similar.
The rapid pace of ravens’ cognitive development was very surprising
Dr. Pika told Express.co.uk, “The rapid pace of ravens’ cognitive development was very surprising.
“We expected performance levels to change in this relatively short time frame from 4-16 months old.
“In addition, we would not have expected the ravens’ performance to be lowest on spatial skill tasks because they live in a very spatial world.
But here we suggest that analyzes of why species fail in particular tests, coupled with informed explanations of their ecological and social validity, will help to better understand whether different tasks are too easy or too difficult for a person. certain kind to solve.
“In addition, socialization may strongly affect cognitive performance and since we still do not know enough about the cognitive abilities and potential of many species, focusing on socialization and the impact of development will be crucial for future studies.”
Ravens may be bird brains, but they are far from weak (Image: Dr Simone Pika)
A few ravens team up (Image: Dr Simone Pika)
Her study provided more compelling evidence to dispel the kind of stereotypes that gave rise to the phrase “bird brain,” said Dr. Pika.
She explained: ‘Researchers have indeed long underestimated the intelligence and brain structures and cognitive potential of birds.
The problem dates back to Ludwig Edinger, a German neuroscientist who worked in the nineteenth century. Edinger thought that the cerebrum of the bird brain was primitive and nothing more than basal ganglia that instinctively control behavior.
In contrast, he thought, the mammalian brain was made up of layers that create a ‘neocortex’ and control learning.
In general, the brains of mammals and birds are quite different. Mammals have the neocortex, the outermost layer of the brain, and have a layered (laminar) organization. It is often seen as the hallmark of mammalian advanced cognition.
READ MORE: The African Gray Parrot has increased protection to prevent extinction
Dr Simone Pika said that ravens have individual personalities (Image: Dr Simove Pika)
The neocortex is also the bulk of the human brain and is thought to give rise to the advanced intellectual capabilities of primates.
“Birds, on the other hand, do not have a neocortex, but a structure called the pallium, which is organized in spherical clusters of cells (nuclei).”
Recent studies have suggested that parrot brains actually have twice as many neurons as primate brains of the same size, Dr. Pika.
“During her studies, Dr. Pika was especially captivated by the raven she worked with.
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The study puts ravens on par with orangutans and chimpanzees (Image: GETTY)
One of the ravens is put to the test (Image: Simone Pika)
She explained, “Ravens are amazing creatures and they have different personalities.
“I had a special bond with our raven Anton, a huge and beautiful little man.
“Although I didn’t hand-raise them, it only took me a few weeks and he hopped close to me in the aviary, taking walnuts or treats, or playing with me with toys.
‘We also had our vocalization exchanges. Ravens make beautiful sounds. ‘
African Gray Parrots, like ravens, are known to be highly intelligent (Image: GETTY)
One of her surprising conclusions is that ravens have an understanding of numbers in terms of what’s more and what’s less.
Dr. Pika added, “They are also vocal learners and can imitate words, sounds, sounds, etc.”
Regarding possible future studies, she said, “I want to know more about the rapid pace of ravens’ cognitive development, as well as possible cognitive changes after 16 months of age.
“Our ravens showed differences between individuals and tasks, so I would like to investigate how their personality fits into this and how socialization indeed affects their cognitive development.
Octopuses are considered the most intelligent invertebrates (Image: GETTY)
“Many studies have been done on the cognitive abilities of great apes in prisoners living in artificial groups.
Therefore, their parenting and development experiences are very different and much worse compared to the complex ecological and social environments of their wild cousins.
“We still don’t know enough about their cognitive skills and potential, and the aspect of socialization and the impact of development is, in my way, crucial to allow for a real understanding and comparison between cognitive skills and potential of sorts.
“Future studies should also develop comparative cognitive test batteries that use real species rather than human-specific cognitive skills.”