Bird brain might not be an insult.

I watched an interesting program on Nova this evening.  It was all about how much some birds can learn.  It wasn't just tricks taught by repetition.  The program showed birds (specifically crows and geese) figuring out puzzles, learning to get to food 'trapped' in some way.  One experiment I found interesting was one that had some food inside a plastic, somewhat smashed two liter bottle.  He couldn't shake it out so the bird put the bottle into a nearby bird bath, let the bottle fill with water, and then floated the food out and ate it. In another experiment, two men wore caveman masks when they caught a crow and banded it.  The bird wasn't hurt and was released as soon as it was banded, but it always reacted with loud screeches when these men walked around the area wearing the masks; only when they wore the masks.  But what made it interesting was that they communicated their fear to all of the other birds in the area who also reacted to the masks. They also communicated the message to the next generation. The researchers also said that the birds show signs of emotion.  I found that very easy to believe.  Now that we're having some lovely spring weather, the birds in the trees along the river, and the geese in the river, are all celebrating the sunrise every morning, loudly and excitedly.  Right now it's a joy to hear them.  I'll let you know if I'm still feeling that way in July.