Harvard study shows parrots can pass classic test of intelligence
A new study shows that African grey parrots can perform some cognitive tasks at levels beyond those of 5-year-old humans. The results not only suggest that humans aren't the only species capable of making complex inferences, but also point to flaws in a widely used test of animal intelligence.
A new study shows the African grey can perform some cognitive tasks at levels beyond that of 5-year-old humans. The results not only suggest that humans aren't the only species capable of making ...
Inside Pepperberg's Lab
When her colleagues at Harvard questioned Dr. Irene Pepperberg's 2-cup test success that showed parrots are capable of inferential knowledge to make decisions , Pepperberg and students at her cognitive behavior research lab upped the ante from the 2-cup test to 3- and 4-cup tests . They once again put African grey Griffin to the test . See how Griffin fared, especially when a coveted Skittle ...

One of the parrots that participated in this study, an African grey parrot , Psittacus erithacus, contemplates her choices. In this study, 33 parrots of four different species demonstrated their shrewd profit- making abilities to scientists.
Intelligence Tests
Researchers in Harvard's Psychology Department conduct a four-cup test on an African grey parrot . Rewards are placed in one cup of each pair, then one cup in a pair is shown to be empty.
Meet The Bird That Can Count Out Loud

When an African grey parrot says "three," most assume that it's simply parroting a sound that it has memorized. But, in some cases, these birds are actually making real numerical judgments ...
African gray parrot - Intelligence Tests : African gray parrots are known for their high innate intelligence. Some studies indicate that African grays can use deductive reasoning and compared their reasoning abilities to three- or four-year-old toddlers. They were listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2012.
This parrot beat 21 Harvard students in a classic memory game
An African grey parrot beat 21 Harvard undergrads at a classic memory game, suggesting deep roots of animal intelligence.
Alex (May 18, 1976 - September 6, 2007) [1] was a grey parrot and the subject of a thirty-year experiment by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg, initially at Purdue University, then the University of Arizona and later at Harvard University and Brandeis University. When Alex was about one year old, Pepperberg bought him at a pet shop. [2] In her book Alex & Me, Pepperberg describes her ...