Beak & Brain – Genius Birds from Down Under

Nature & Wildlife, Science 52' 2013 HD

These child prodigies of the animal kingdom have feathers and beaks – and very special skills!

The Keas of New Zealand are the only parrots that live in snowy mountain areas. They like testing their brains, solving puzzles and challenging tourists: they unscrew bottle-tops, dismantle windscreen wiper blades and tear open rucksacks. They seem so determined you’d think they have an understanding of physics and mechanics! Thousands of miles northwards, in New Caledonia, other birds have talent, too. Here bird expert Gavin Hunt discovered that crows are able to produce a whole set of tools, each designed for a particular purpose – the most intricate tool culture in the animal kingdom! These high flyers compete against each other: Keas vs Crows. What is the secret of their intelligence? It’s the ultimate avian I.Q. test, with some funny and surprising results.