Classroom Questions

Questions for ‘Parrots offer clues to how our intelligence evolved’ 

A profile photo of Bruce the Kea

Bruce the kea is missing the top half of his beak. To compensate, the New Zealand parrot figured out a way to turn pebbles into novel tools — ones with which he could clean his feathers.

Patrick Wood

By Science News Explores

To accompany ‘Parrots offer clues to how our intelligence evolved’  

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

  1. Besides humans, list three animals you believe to have high intelligence. For one of these, explain what has led you to this belief.
  2. Write a brief definition of the word intelligence based on your current understanding. By this definition, do birds generally have higher or lower intelligence than primates? What about versus dogs? Explain your answers.

During Reading:

  1. How does Bruce the kea preen his feathers despite missing part of his beak?
  2. In addition to tool use, what other parrot behaviors point to high intelligence?
  3. List three other animals besides parrots that show signs of gaining and using knowledge.
  4. Contrast the appearance of a bird’s brain with a primate’s brain.
  5. What assumptions did some people make about the general intelligence of birds based on these brain differences?
  6. Which part of the brain helps with coordination and balance?
  7. Describe the evolutionary connection between modern birds and theropods.
  8. Why might a large asteroid impact 66 million years ago have pushed rapid evolution of bird brains?
  9. How might intelligence be important for wild parrots that live in large groups?
  10. Describe one of the three types of tools created by wild Goffin’s cockatoos. What purpose did this tool serve?

After Reading:

  1. Describe one misconception regarding bird brains or intelligence that was corrected through research in this story. What preexisting assumptions might have contributed to this misconception?
  2. Pick one of the three animals you listed in Question 1 in Before Reading. Then, consider the various research methods described in this story, and explain how one of them could be adapted to learn about the intelligence of this other animal.