There’s no question that animals possess their own level of intelligence, but a lot of people likely figure that humans are far more intelligent simply because we’ve built a civilization that has so many working parts that it’s hard to catalog them all. That’s kind of funny really since birds, among other animals, show us quite often that simplicity is a far easier model to follow in order to exist from day to day. The debate on animal intelligence is best left for another day, but the fact remains that birds are far smarter than some folks might think, as this clip below shows. The fact that some birds are thieves, considering that they do take things that appeal to them, by our standards is funny sine to the birds, they’re simply taking something that’s alluring and, in some cases, using the items to improve the look of their nest. In order to attract a female, it would appear that some birds do manage to snag some of the nicest and most visually appealing things they can find according to color or perhaps how shiny they are. Obviously, as the clip shows, they’re not immune to other birds taking from them to adorn their own nests, which might make it kind of difficult for any male bird since they have to decorate their space and keep other thieving beaks out of their business at the same time. It’s almost comical when one thinks about it. But it does show that birds are also skilled opportunists since the clip of the birds skimming the waters at the same time that hordes of insects are laying their eggs shows that the birds have adapted to the various mating times when the insects are at their most vulnerable and aren’t about to skitter away. This isn’t just smart, it’s coordinated and it’s something that has been happening for a very long time no doubt since this kind of adaptation speaks of many generations that have been doing the same thing.
The egret, Hank is his name apparently, shows another bit of smarts that people are usually amused by since after getting around the swans he contends with at the resort, Hank uses the bread not for eating, but for attracting small fish that he then drags out of the water before consuming. It’s safe to say that the swans, who are much bigger, give Hank a bit of aggravation, but at the same time he’s definitely smart enough to find hunks of bread that will suit his purpose, and he’s intelligent enough not to go after fish that are too big to pull from the water. There have been occasions when birds of prey have attempted to pull a prize from the water that was too big for them to carry, with the result being that the birds sink like a stone or at least hit the water and have to struggle to get back in the air. One thing that’s shown here is that birds are smart enough to understand the difference in size, especially when it means taking on something bigger than they are. The level of intelligence here is pretty simple but it’s still adaptable and therefore kind of impressive since birds, like many animals, have learned how to survive in various ways.
The final portion of the clip, which shows egrets and dolphins working together, is pretty interesting since a group of dolphins is shown herding a group of fish to a mudbank where they become beached and are easy prey for the egrets that have learned how to take what they can when the dolphins do this. For their own part, the dolphins beach themselves just enough in order to enjoy their meal before they go back and do it again. This kind of opportunistic act is something that a person might see as sneaky and underhanded in some organisms, but it appears to work for the egrets and the dolphins, and it’s something that has been going on for a long time. Gauging the intelligence of animals is a tricky thing sometimes since the rest of the animal kingdom, well, most of them, don’t really think as humans do and as a result it’s difficult for humans to understand what thought processes are happening when it comes to certain actions that animals engage in. Birds are definitely a quandary at times since a lot of what they do makes sense from their own perspective and it’s likely that they’re simply following a genetic code that tells them to do one thing or another, or are following the teachings of their elders that show them what to do and how. It’s a simple thing really, but humans tend to want to know what goes into it, why it’s happening, and what it means. It feels fair to say that if an animal could communicate in our language they would first look at us funny and then tell us that each action means exactly what it’s supposed to, and what a silly question that is.
Follow Us
