"Illustrations by John Burgoyne"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 273-327) and index.

Introduction : the genius of birds -- From dodo to crow : taking the measure of a bird mind -- The bird way : the avian brain revisited -- Boffins : technical wizardry -- Twitter : social savvy -- Four hundred tongues : vocal virtuosity -- The bird artist : aesthetic aptitude -- A mapping mind : spatial (and temporal) ingenuity -- Sparrowville : adaptive genius.

"Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. In fact, according to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. Like humans, many birds have enormous brains relative to their size. Although small, bird brains are packed with neurons that allow them to punch well above their weight. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance of birds and how it came about."--