/newsroom/taxonomy/term/10277/all en /newsroom/channels/news/why-are-some-birds-more-intelligent-others-340593 <p>If you’ve ever seen a starling peck open a garbage bag or a grackle steal your dog pellets, you get a sense that some birds have learned to take advantage of new feeding opportunities – a clear sign of their intelligence. Scientists have long wondered why certain species of birds are more innovative than others, and whether these capacities stem from larger brains (which intuitively seems likely) or from a greater number of neurons in specific areas of the brain.</p> Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:18:53 +0000 katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca 288279 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/brain-genes-related-innovation-revealed-birds-285749 <p>Wild birds that are more clever than others at foraging for food  have different levels of a neurotransmitter receptor that has been linked with intelligence in humans, according to a study led by Æ»¹ûÒùÔº researchers.  The findings could provide insight into the evolutionary mechanisms affecting cognitive traits in a range of animals.</p> <p>The study, published in <em>Science Advances</em>, was conducted by Æ»¹ûÒùÔº biologists Jean-Nicolas Audet and Louis Lefebvre, in collaboration with researchers from Duke and Harvard universities.</p> <p><strong>Barbados birds</strong></p> Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:21:10 +0000 christopher.chipello@mcgill.ca 34166 at /newsroom