Maybe you know that to call someone a “birdbrain” means that you think he or she is dumb. However, research suggests that some birds. are far more intelligent then we thought. Crows and parrots are among the smartest. Several studies have shown that they can learn how to count, and identify color s and shapes. What’s more, African gray parrots can associate words with meaning, and even make simple questions! Some birds have also learned to use “tools” to help them find food. For example, the woodpecker finch uses small twigs to extract insects and grubs from tiny holes in wood. In Japan, crows have been filmed dropping walnuts onto traffic light crossings. After a car runs over the walnut and breaks it, the crows wait until the light turn red and the traffic stops, then fly down to collect the nut! One species of heron has even been filmed putting pieces of bread in water and waiting for the fish to swim ti the surface, before catching them! Birds also have great memories, A species of bird named Clark’s Nutcracker can remember where it buried as many as 30,000 seeds over a vast area. These are just some of many fascinating stories of bird intelligence that are backed up by reliable scientific research. It’s clear that we may need to reconsider our view of our feathered friends!