Emus and rheas not as ‘dumb’ as previously thought, finds study

Emus and rheas, which are birds with the closest links to the extinct dinosaurs, are not exactly ‘dumb’ as assumed to be, a new study by scientists from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom has found.

The scientists reached the conclusion after giving both these birds tasks to perform, which they were able to do with flying colours.

Emus and rheas, along with ostriches, cassowaries and kiwis are members of the Palaeognathae, a group of birds that are part of the ‘clade’ Archosauria.

These 50 bird species are very different from the other birds on the planet. They are the largest and heaviest avian specimens on Earth and may represent some of the first birds to evolve from dinosaurs.

The scientists worked with ostriches, emus and rheas at a local zoo. They based their research on previous research using a rotating wheel that that had to be moved to align with a hole for a food reward. Each species — emus, rheas and ostriches — were given the test in ten sessions, a statement by the university said.

While the ostriches did not innovate, the emus, which have previously been called the ‘dumbest birds on earth’ were able to create one new technique to access food (lining up a hole with a food chamber) and moved the hole in the most efficient direction towards food in 90 per cent of cases.

A male rhea used this technique but also created a second one, rotating the bolt in the middle of the wheel until the task fell apart, noted the statement.

It claimed that this was the first time that scientists had been able to show that palaeognath birds such as emus and rheas could solve tricky problems.

“…The more we study the same species repeatedly, the more we create an ‘echo chamber’ of knowledge and create a false impression that other species are less ‘intelligent’ but in reality they haven’t been studied to the same level,” the statement quoted lead author Fay Clark from Bristol’s School of Psychological Science.

“The more we study palaeognath birds, the more we can understand the broader picture of bird cognition,” concluded Clark.  “And because palaeognaths birds are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs, research might shed light on how dinosaurs behaved.”

The team now plans on conducting more cognitive research on palaeognath birds.

The paper titled Palaeognath birds innovate to solve a novel foraging problem by Jasmine Burdass, Annalise Kavanagh and Annabel King has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.