Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies and Jays by Candace Sherk Savage

Product Details

Synopsis

Birds have long been viewed as the archetypal featherbrains—beautiful but dumb. But according to naturalist Candace Savage, “bird brain,” as a pejorative expression, should be rendered obsolete by new research on the family of corvids: crows and their close relations.
The ancients who regarded these remarkable birds as oracles, bringers of wisdom, or agents of vengeance were on the right track, for corvids appear to have powers of abstraction, memory, and creativity that put them on a par with many mammals, even higher primates. Bird Brains presents these bright, brassy, and surprisingly colorful birds in a remarkable collection of full-color, close-up photographs by some two dozen of the world’s best wildlife photographers.
Savage’s lively, authoritative text describes the life and behavior of sixteen representative corvid species that inhabit North America and Europe. Drawing on recent research, she describes birds that recognize each other as individuals, call one another by “name,” remember and relocate thousands of hidden food caches, engage in true teamwork and purposeful play, and generally exhibit an extraordinary degree of sophistication.

Annotation

This intriguing examination of the lives and behaviors of the highly intelligent corvid family--crows, ravens, jackdaws, rooks, magpies, and jays--and the mythology and lore that surround them will appeal to all bird lovers. Profusely illustrated with 61 color photos.

Biography

Candace Savage is the author of numerous internationally acclaimed books of natural history, including The World of the Wolf, Wild Cats (Sierra Club, 1994) and Aurora: The Mysterious Northern Lights.