Avian cognition and consciousness—from the perspective of neuroscience and behaviour
pp. 23-50
in: Sangeetha Menon, Nithin Nagaraj, Binoy (eds), Self, culture and consciousness, Berlin, Springer, 2017Abstract
Are birds conscious? Birds and primates occupy similar ecological niches, face similar challenges in foraging for food, and live in large social groups. Despite the fact that brain evolution is divergent in birds and mammals, the evolution of brain function is convergent. A number of studies on neural networks, structure, function and behaviour have demonstrated striking similarities between the overall organisation of the brain in humans, other primates and birds. Taken together, this data suggests that both cognition and consciousness may have evolved independently and in parallel across different species of birds and mammals. The present review focuses on the remarkable cognitive abilities of different species of birds such as problem-solving, tool use, mathematical abilities and self-awareness, the neural circuits underlying these behaviours and attempts to link the avian brain and behaviour to consciousness.