Rick Weiss's Feb. 1 news story, "Bird Brains Get Some New Names, and New Respect," was deeply gratifying to those of us who spend our days with birds. We have been waiting to see scientific language and understanding catch up with the reality of bird intelligence.
I spend my days with domestic chickens and turkeys, birds that have long been denigrated as stupid, despite ample evidence to the contrary. Just watch a hen calculate how to speed to her perch at night to avoid a certain attentive rooster in the way, and you know that a smart chick is looking out for her own interests.
The day may come when to be called a "chicken" or a "turkey" will be rightly regarded as a salute to a person's intelligence.
KAREN DAVIS
President
United Poultry Concerns
Machipongo, Va.
•
Although I didn't need to read the wonderful discussion about bird intelligence to know that birds are among the world's smartest creatures, I was happy to see it.
As the proud human companion of crafty cockatiels, I've seen my birds complain about something, withdraw and reason before approaching me again with a new way to try to get what they want. They're talkative and social and like to join the family at the kitchen table to share a meal -- preferably if it involves mounds of pretzels. My birds chirp not just to hear the sound of their own beautiful voices but to communicate.
African grays also use words in sentences. They do not simply mimic. When they eat something new, they say it is "yummy" or "yucky" without being asked.
A cockatiel bonds with its owner for life and will consider that person part of its flock. When I look into the dark eyes of one of these beautiful birds, I realize that I'm the one being studied, not them.
CHRISTINA WOOD
Chesapeake, Va.
