The book The Genius of Birds offers a fascinating look at the often underestimated intelligence of birds. It reveals just how remarkably versatile their abilities are. With great care, empathy, and scientific precision, the author sheds light on current findings in ornithological research. In this blog post, I am therefore very pleased to introduce this book.
Author: Jennifer Ackerman
Imprint: Penguin Random House
Length: 416 pages
Published: 2016
Language: English
Blurb
Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. According to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores their newly discovered brilliance and how it came about.
As she travels around the world to the most cutting-edge frontiers of research, Ackerman not only tells the story of the recently uncovered genius of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are shifting our view of what it means to be intelligent. At once personal yet scientific, richly informative and beautifully written, The Genius of Birds celebrates the triumphs of these surprising and fiercely intelligent creatures.
Thoughts about the book
New Caledonian crows in New Caledonia. Satin bowerbirds in Australia. Or woodpecker finches on the Galápagos Islands. There are birds that simply leave us in awe. They craft tools, mimic other birds, or find their way to places they’ve never been before. Birds possess abilities that I would surely fail at—and that’s precisely what fascinates me so much. Birds are capable of extraordinary feats that, perhaps due to their size, we wouldn’t expect at first glance.
That’s why I find the title The Genius of Birds so fitting: it perfectly captures my admiration for the intelligence and cleverness of birds. Take pigeons, for example. Pigeons are brilliant navigators, yet they are underestimated—or even scorned—by many people. Unjustly so. Pigeons are equipped with an internal compass that guides them safely home over thousands of kilometers. That’s simply astonishing.
Then there are birds like the nutcracker, which—with its excellent memory—can recover well-hidden food caches even in winter. Or the mockingbird, which possesses such a remarkable memory that it can remember and reproduce a vast array of songs, creating a unique repertoire.
But what actually makes a bird a genius? What does it have to do with adaptability? And what does it reveal about us humans?
These are some of the questions the author explores in her book. I read it with deep admiration—not just for the fascinating world of birds, but also for the author herself. With impressive care, depth, and empathy, she has gathered the latest scientific insights into bird intelligence and created a portrait that is both thoroughly researched and deeply moving—a tribute to these often underestimated creatures.
With a curious eye and scientific precision, she delves into questions such as: Why do migratory birds have smaller brains? How do birds learn their songs? And why do some species build tools while others do not?
This book opens our eyes to a world that often seems so familiar—and yet is full of mystery. It reveals how much more birds are capable of than we might assume at first glance: intelligence, creativity, memory, and an astonishing ability to adapt.
Anyone who reads The Genius of Birds will never look at birds the same way again. This book is a homage to the brilliance of nature—and to the art of telling its story with knowledge, wonder, and heart.
Conclusion
Astonishing. Surprising. And informative. A book that forever changes the way we see the world of birds. On every page, you can feel the care with which the author has researched and narrated her work. Insightful, impressive – an absolute must-read.
Have you read The Genius of Birds? Or do you know a similar book? Feel free to share it with us in the comments!