Counting aloud was an ability that had never been previously observed in the animal world.
Article initially published on May 29, 2024
Corvids have nothing to prove in the mathematics sector
Of all the birds, the corvids (crows, crows, etc.) were designated as the Champions of Intelligence. Engineering among volatiles, its cognitive prowess has been widely demonstrated in many studies, such as researchers from the University of California.
The latter realized that the crows had understood that the cars could open the nuts passing over it and therefore used it as a tool.
In the field of mathematics, the Corvid also does not have to demonstrate its capacities. In 2015, researchers from the University of Tübingen in Germany demonstrated in 2015 that the volatile was capable of counting elements, a capacity formerly associated with primates.
These birds which would be able to count aloud
More recently, in a study published in the scientific journal Science in May 2024, researchers discovered that Corneille was able to count aloud, “a competence that represents a challenge even for young humans ”.
To attest to this capacity, Diana Liao and her team of researchers from the University of Tübingen have proceeded in several phases:
- Teach birds to coassure on order
- taught them to push a croak according to the sound heard or the figure presented (a drum roll = 3 Croas, a guitar = 1 Croa)
- A reward in the event of success in the exercise.
A study with an important result, but which has its limits
Birds, visibly as delicious as they are malignant, offered ethologists a performance going beyond their expectations. Not only did they push the adequate number of croaks, but “The first cry of a series differs significantly according to the number of cries which were going to follow”, As Popular Science relays.
In addition, there was a longer waiting time between the presentation of the sequence and the beginning of vocalization, if the sequence had more Croas. According to John Marzluff, specialist in corvids, this reaction time “is consistent with mental planning”.
Even if this discovery could be important, certain limits to the study exist, as the factor of excitement of birds which has not been taken into account, according to Diana Liao.
Source : International mail
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