Are Owls Actually All That Wise?
#bigquestions #animals #owls
For thousands of years, from Ancient Greek legend to modern literature and TV, humans have portrayed owls as sage and wise. The intelligent owl appears in everything from The Iliad to Winnie the Pooh. But, it turns out, though they’re excellent hunters, owls probably aren’t any smarter than a lot of other birds.
In fact, they may be significantly worse at problem solving than other big-brained birds like crows and parrots. One study from 2013 found that great gray owls repeatedly failed a simple cognitive test—pulling a string to get a treat—that had been successfully solved by several other bird species. It doesn’t help that owls face some steep competition in the avian class. Ravens are often ranked as one of the most intelligent non-human species along with dolphins and chimpanzees.
Owls may not be as smart as their corvid cousins, but that doesn’t make them dumb. Studies have found that some owls actually practice a primitive form of tool use. According to a study published in the scientific journal Nature, burrowing owls have been observed using animal dung to lure dung beetles to their burrows, where they subsequently feast on the insects.
However, while animal tool use is always impressive, it doesn’t really mean that owls are “wise” by any human standards. Owls are extraordinary animals in their own right. They’re incredible hunters who have evolved specialized hearing, camouflaging plumage, and unique tubular eyes that help them catch their prey.