Question: I have
recently bought a new upside down suet bird feeder. It didn't take my birds long to figure out
how to use the new bird feeder. That
made me wonder, I always heard the expression "bird brain" and thought it was a
derogatory comment. How intelligent are
birds?
Answer: Bird brains
and reptile brains are similar in structure.
Therefore scientists have used the same terminology for bird and reptile
brains. Then in 2005 neuroscientists
renamed bird brain structures to portray birds as more comparable to
mammals. The scientists felt that the
old nomenclature was out dated and did not accurately reflect the brain power
of the birds. This is probably where the
phase "bird brain" came from. The fact
is bird brains are 6 to 11 times larger than a reptile of similar size. The bird's brain is more comparable as a
percentage of body mass to mammalian's brain.
So, the term "bird brain" should probably be retired or taken as a
complement.
I'm glad that you have decided to try some different bird
feeders. Many people will also add a thistle feeder for finches and please be
sure to add a water source to attract more birds. The birds will reward your effort.
