The unknown side of pigeons
Pigeons, creatures many people view as a loathsome species, are quite smart.In fact, when it comes to number crunching, these birds are as skilled as monkeys.A study published in the December issue of the journal Science reports that pigeons can, for example, distinguish between a group of three objects and a group of four.They can also order pairs.Most astonishing of all, however, is the discovery that pigeons can learn abstract mathematical rules.The only other non-humans known to have the same ability are rhesus monkeys.
In case you're in the habit of disrespecting pigeons when you see them, you should know they remember not only the insult, but the person who delivered it.Incredibly, new research out of France proves pigeons are able to recognize individual people, most likely by their facial characteristics.The study, which was presented last July at the annual conference of the Society for Experimental Biology, involved city dwelling, feral pigeons that had never been handled by humans.Two researchers went to a park in Paris and fed pigeons. The two were of similar build and skin tone, wearing different colored lab coats.One of the researchers ignored the pigeons as they ate. The second individual was hostile toward the birds and chased them away.In a second feeding session, neither feeder chased the pigeons away, but the birds entirely avoided the previously hostile feeder.The experiment, minus the initial hostility toward the pigeons, was repeated again and again with the same result – the birds steadfastly avoided the previously hostile feeder. Even when the researchers attempted to confuse the birds by swapping lab coats, the pigeons still knew who was who and refused to give the mean feeder the time of day.
Pigeons have a unique ability among animals to navigate. Since they migrate they have a good sense of direction, and have helped people that are lost.