Eurasian magpies are one of the most intelligent birds in the world. They may be having tiny brains, but they are smarter than we thought. They have even passed the mirror test which proves their ability to recognize themselves in a reflection. Self-recognition is a feat only mammals – humans, elephants, apes, dolphins – are capable of. Now won’t you think “bird-brained” is not an insult but a compliment?
The common magpie is one of the most intelligent birds—and one of the most intelligent animals to exist. Their brain-to-body-mass ratio is outmatched only by that of humans and equals that of aquatic mammals and great apes. Magpies have shown the ability to make and use tools, imitate human speech, grieve, play games, and work in teams. When one of their own kind dies, a grouping will form around the body for a “funeral” of squawks and cries. To portion food to their young, magpies will use self-made utensils to cut meals into proper sizes.
Magpies are also capable of passing a cognitive experiment called the “mirror test,” which proves an organism’s ability to recognize itself in a reflection. To perform this test, a colored dot is placed on animals, or humans, in a place that they will be able to see only by looking into a mirror. Subjects pass if they can look at their reflection and recognize that the mark is on themselves and not another, often by attempting to reach and remove it. Passing the mirror test is a feat of intelligence that only four other animal species can accomplish.
Credit : Britannica
Picture Credit : Google
