The Genius of Birds

by Jennifer Ackerman

Many bird species are highly social. They breed in colonies, bathe in groups, roost in congregations, forage in flocks. They eavesdrop. They argue. They cheat. They deceive and manipulate. They kidnap. They divorce. They display a strong sense of fairness. They give gifts. They play keep-away and tug-of-war with twigs, strands of Spanish moss, bits of gauze. They pilfer from their neighbors. They warn their young away from strangers. They tease. They share. They cultivate social networks. They vie for status. They kiss to console one another. They teach their young. They blackmail their parents. They summon witnesses to the death of a peer. They may even grieve. Not long ago, this kind of social savoir faire was presumed far beyond a bird’s reach. The idea, for instance, that birds could think about what other birds might be thinking was considered preposterous. Lately, the view has shifted, with science suggesting that some bird species have social lives nearly as complex as our own, which require some very sophisticated mental skills indeed.