BirdNote Daily Play and Brain Size
Nov 19, 2025
Birds are surprisingly playful, with some engaging in solo antics while others enjoy social play with their flock. This behavior isn't just fun; it may influence brain size evolution in various species. Complex social interactions could be a driving force behind intelligence development, not only in birds but in humans too. The fascinating link between play and cognitive growth reveals the depth of avian behavior and its implications for our understanding of intelligence across species.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Corvids Playing With Objects
- Ravens and other birds play with rocks, sticks, pine cones, and even golf balls with each other.
- Michael Stein describes social play among corvids as interactive games like keep-away or tag.
Social Play Linked To Bigger Brains
- Social play correlates with larger relative brain size across bird species.
- Researchers link the complexity of interacting games to evolutionary increases in avian intelligence.
Different Kinds Of Bird Play
- Many birds engage in solitary play like swinging, sliding, or rolling, and some play with objects repeatedly.
- Researchers identified 77 bird species that exhibit play and compared these behaviors to brain size.