The Genius of Birds
“Lovely, celebratory. For all the belittling of ‘bird brains,’ [Ackerman] shows them to be uniquely impressive machines . . .” —New York Times Book Review
“A lyrical testimony to the wonders of avian intelligence.” —Scientific American
An award-winning science writer tours the globe to reveal what makes birds capable of such extraordinary feats of mental prowess
Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. According to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores their newly discovered brilliance and how it came about.
As she travels around the world to the most cutting-edge frontiers of research, Ackerman not only tells the story of the recently uncovered genius of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are shifting our view of what it means to be intelligent. At once personal yet scientific, richly informative and beautifully written, The Genius of Birds celebrates the triumphs of these surprising and fiercely intelligent creatures.
Ackerman is also the author of Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast.
“A lyrical testimony to the wonders of avian intelligence.” —Scientific American
An award-winning science writer tours the globe to reveal what makes birds capable of such extraordinary feats of mental prowess
Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. According to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores their newly discovered brilliance and how it came about.
As she travels around the world to the most cutting-edge frontiers of research, Ackerman not only tells the story of the recently uncovered genius of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are shifting our view of what it means to be intelligent. At once personal yet scientific, richly informative and beautifully written, The Genius of Birds celebrates the triumphs of these surprising and fiercely intelligent creatures.
Ackerman is also the author of Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast.
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Community Reviews
For some reason, I couldn't get through this at all the first time I picked it up, but it was no trouble this time and I flew through it. There is some belaboring in the examples of bird intelligence but overall pretty interesting.
This was fascinating. Jennifer Ackerman takes us deep into the world of birds and reveals how the term ‘bird brain’ is often a very unfair stereotype. Scientists are discovering that many birds actually demonstrate surprisingly high levels of intellect and skill. The Genius of Birds covers many topics in this field including the advanced intelligence of corvids, the complex social behaviors of jays, the amazing mimicry skills of mockingbirds, the intricacies of nest-building, the complexities and thought processes behind successful food caches and much more. Her examples are well-backed by science and well-illustrated with details of research and experiments humans have conducted.
It was fun looking up some of these experiments on YouTube (for example, search for “007 crow solves puzzle”). I will never see a chickadee in quite the same way after reading this book - a lot goes on in those lightweight but clever little brains. As a human linguist, I found the chapter on birdsong learning especially interesting. Also, I would never have thought that individual birds within a species might have different personalities, like humans, and how this might benefit the survival of the species.
This book is worth a listen for anyone interested in ornithology, or for anyone who would just like to understand birds a little more. The audiobook was well-narrated by Margaret Strom (although someone should reach her how to pronounce osprey!)
It was fun looking up some of these experiments on YouTube (for example, search for “007 crow solves puzzle”). I will never see a chickadee in quite the same way after reading this book - a lot goes on in those lightweight but clever little brains. As a human linguist, I found the chapter on birdsong learning especially interesting. Also, I would never have thought that individual birds within a species might have different personalities, like humans, and how this might benefit the survival of the species.
This book is worth a listen for anyone interested in ornithology, or for anyone who would just like to understand birds a little more. The audiobook was well-narrated by Margaret Strom (although someone should reach her how to pronounce osprey!)
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