SCPL Online NonFiction Book Club discussion

Instinct vs. intelligence

Ackerman said in an interview that “Birds can reason on a par with small children; craft tools as well as the big primate toolmakers, like chimps and orangutans; use language in ways we do; make complex navigational decisions; and remember where they put things, sometimes better than humans. They can also understand the mental state of another individual, which is one of the foundations of empathy.” Ackerman observes early on in her book though, “intelligence is a slippery concept, even in our own species, tricky to define and tricky to measure.”

Do birds learn just based on instinct? Or is there an intelligence factor as well? After all, birds have been known to solve problems that arise out of instinctual habits, thus requiring a degree of intelligence - much like the video I posted at the beginning of the week.

I would argue that birds have a particular level of intelligence that may be on par with some animals but is on a completely different track than humans. What do you think?

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine!
~Marcella~