Page 7 - Kind News, March/April 2025

AMAZING WORLD

Can Birds

Game?

“Birdbrain” is not usually a nice thing to be called. Birds’ brains are
smaller than mammals. Yet, they can do a lot of things that humans'
brains do. Chickens have been trained to peck at playing cards and
objects of certain colors. One gamer recently taught her lovebird (a
type of parrot) to play Minecraft!
How? Bird brains are packed with neurons — the tiniest parts of
the brain which take and send messages to and from the body. Birds
have more neurons in certain parts of their brains than mammals do.
This makes crows about as smart as great apes, elephants, and
whales. They use stems as tools to scoop insects out of trees. Corvids
— a family of birds that includes crows, jays, and magpies — can
imagine, think about the past, feel for others, and solve puzzles.
African gray parrots can learn the idea of zero in math. The most
famous one, Alex, could vocalize or call out with his voice 100
different objects, actions, and colors.
Maybe “birdbrain” (or “magpie mind”?) is not so bad after all!

IS A PARROT FOR YOU? Lovebirds do best with another lovebird!
They also require a lot of special care. African grays need even
more special care, and many experts warn against having them
as pets. Learn more at KindNews.org/kids.

1 I am one of the earliest insects to 4 My coloring includes black and
come out in the spring. yellow, and sometimes white
2 spread powdery yellow pollen and rust.
I
from one plant to another. This is 5 I live in groups as small as 20
needed for plants like tomatoes and as large as 1,700!
to grow fruit. 6 My groups are ruled by a queen.
3 My round body is covered in soft Workers collect our food.
hair called pile. It looks like fur. 7 I have a long, hairy tongue to lap
up liquid nectar from flowers.

Mar/Apr 2025 | 7
RIDDLE ANSWER: A DRIZZLY BEAR!