Pigeons can understand probabilities – just like primates can

New Scientist

Image: Rich from Hamilton

Pigeons seem to have an innate ability to compute probabilities – the first non-primate shown to do so. The skill could help the birds forage for food and avoid predators, suggesting that there are good evolutionary reasons why pigeons might instinctively understand percentages.

Even as 12-month-old infants, humans instantly recognise the difference between two toy jars if one contains a high ratio and one a low ratio of preferred to non-preferred toys. Non-human apes and even some monkeys seem to have this instant and innate ability with probability too – prompting researchers to wonder whether other animals do.

William Roberts and his colleagues at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada decided to find out using pigeons – birds with a surprising flair for numbers. Read more on newscientist.com…