Film

NOVA: Bird Brain

2017 · 53m · Documentary

Discover the Intelligence of Birds

IMDb

8.4

Call somebody a “bird brain,” and you’re not delivering them a compliment. But as NOVA shows, birds turn out to have advanced problem-solving skills that we usually assume are unique to humans. Watch astonishing tests of avian aptitude: parrots that can plan for the future, jackdaws that can “read” human faces, and crows that can solve multi-step puzzles with tools like pebbles, sticks, and hooks. Could these just be clever tricks based on instinct or triggered by subtle cues from their human handlers? To rule out any doubts, NOVA puts feathered Einsteins through their paces and reveals skills that even three- or four-year-old children have a hard time mastering—such as putting off one reward now to get a bigger one later. From this revolution in thinking about our feathered friends, the conclusion seems irresistible that bird brains see the world in ways that aren’t so different from our own.

• Laurie CahalaneDirector
• Victoria CoulesWriter
• Elizabeth ArledgeProducer
• John CapenerProducer
• Chris SchmidtProducer
• Julia CortExecutive Producer
• Paula S. ApsellExecutive Producer

Bird Brain Preview

Release date

December 20, 2017

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

53m

Genres

Documentary