Ravens’ performance in cognitive tests is on par with that of great apes.

Ravens’ performance in cognitive tests is on par with that of great apes.

Mary Bates

By four months of age, the cognitive performance of ravens in experimental tasks testing their social intelligence and understanding of the physical world parallels that of adult great apes, according to a new study. The results indicate that not only do ravens possess sophisticated cognitive skills, but they also develop these skills rapidly.

“Even if you don’t know a lot about ravens or other corvids, their intelligence—and difference from most other bird species—becomes obvious when you observe them in the wild,” says Simone Pika, head of the Comparative BioCognition Group at the University of Osnabrück and co-author of the study.

Previous studies have demonstrated impressive cognitive abilities in ravens. These birds, members of the corvid family, are capable of forming coalitions, considering the visual perspective of others, planning for the future, and insightful problem-solving. Birds such as ravens have even been called “feathered apes” in recognition of their intelligence. But can they really compare with primates when it comes to higher cognition?

Looks like instead of Planet of the Apes we're gonna get Planet of The Ravens/Octopus

Looks like instead of Planet of the Apes we're gonna get Planet of The Ravens/Octopus

It's interesting to see how far down cognition - as we measure it - might go. Seems we're down to bees in terms of some suggestion of mathematical intelligence, but IIRC there seems to be some evidence of memory in amoeba?

but IIRC there seems to be some evidence of memory in amoeba?

Found it ->

Pavlov’s Amoebas: They May Not Have Brains, but They Have Memory

Unicellular animals can remember where food is for up to 90 minutes and will overcome obstacles to get to it, Israeli-Spanish collaboration shows...

“Here we describe a motility pattern consistent with associative conditioned behavior in the microorganism Amoeba proteus,” the team begins its paper.

The conditioning stimulus wasn’t a bell, it was an electric field. And the bait (“the unconditioned stimulus”) was a yummy protein chain. Amoeba steak, in other words.