num_pages: 272
description: Bird Minds provides a fresh view of the behavior of Australian native avifauna presenting a portrait of cognitive well-equipped species which is somewhat removed from the traditional image of birds as fluttering colorful ornaments that tend to move like automata.The book will focus on the specific abilities of Australian birds examining why they have had to find  largely cognitive  ways of adapting to difficult conditions. The demands of the Australian environment have led to the development of cognitively complex processes that are unique in the world including complex behaviors such as grieving deception problem solving and the use of tools. Many Australian birds cooperate and defend each other and exceptional ones go fishing by throwing breadcrumbs in the water extract poisonous parts from prey and use tools to crack open eggshells and mussels.
language: English
title: Bird Minds: Cognition and Behaviour of Australian Native Birds
publisher: CSIRO Publishing