Parrots and crows are among the smartest bird species, yet they use their intelligence differently.
A study in PLoS One encouraged a crow and a parrot to solve the same problem. Both birds achieved their aim using different techniques based on their unique evolutionary skills.
Parrots and crows can recognize and differentiate human faces and solve complex problems. Crows use “tools” to overcome obstacles, while many parrot species mimic human speech.
Crows can learn to talk, but few do because we don’t keep them as pets. As they live in the wild, they focus on other vocalizations. Crows at zoos and wildlife centers sometimes use human words.
Parrots And Crows Aren’t Related
Parrots belong to the taxonomic order Psittaciformes, while crows belong to the Passeriformes order.
Passeriformes is the largest order of avian wildlife. Within this order are the songbird family of Corvidae, or corvids, which includes crows. The differences between parrots and crows include:
- Wild parrots mostly live in tropical and subtropical climates, while crows are found worldwide.
- Parrots live in large flocks, while crows mostly live alone (sometimes in pairs or small groups).
- Crows are identified due to their jet-black feathers, while parrots have bright and colorful plumage.
- Crows have long, straight beaks, while a parrot’s beak is curved (hookbills).
- Parrots imitate a range of sounds, including human speech. Crows communicate exclusively through caws, rattles, and clicks. This can change if they’re exposed to human vocabulary.
Despite these differences, parrots and crows both have impressive intelligence levels.
Intelligence of Parrots
Some species of parrots, like African grays, have been scientifically assessed as intelligent as 5-year-old children. They were deemed to have comparable speech and problem-solving skills.
Every parrot is different. Some will be smarter than others based on species, life experience, human-parrot interaction, training sessions, and personality.
Parrots that start learning to speak and solve problems when young display more advanced skills.
What Makes Parrots Intelligent
PNAS explains that parrots, due to their comparatively small heads, have brains the size of walnuts. However, the forebrain contains as many neurons as a primate’s.
It’s not just science that lends parrots their reputation as clever birds. Many studies have demonstrated that parrots have advanced problem-solving skills and exceptional long-term memories.
Parrots can study and memorize behavioral patterns and bond with humans and other birds.
This enables parrots to communicate clearly with each other and humans.
Smartest Species of Parrot
African grays are considered the most intelligent parrots due to their advanced vocabulary and problem-solving abilities. Other parrots that are celebrated for their smartness include:
- Amazon Parrots speak so clearly that some struggle to distinguish their speech from a human’s.
- Budgerigars are among the most trainable of all pet birds.
- Cockatoos forge complex social bonds.
- Ecletus parrots are playful and love to learn new games.
- Macaws can learn and perform a range of tricks.
A parrot owner will likely believe that parrots are smarter than crows, just as a cat owner would probably insist that cats are more intelligent than dogs.
Intelligence of Crows
Crows are found worldwide and live exclusively in the wild. Scientists and regular people frequently admire the superior intelligence of crows.
Their intelligence revolves around problem-solving skills, especially when using “tools.”
Examples of crows’ intelligence include:
- According to Learning and Behavior, crows can locate sticks in the wild and use them to displace hiding insects when seeking food.
- They put food items on busy roads and wait for automobile tires to crack them open.
- According to Proceedings of the Royal Society, they can memorize the faces of humans and recall which people threaten their welfare.
Like parrots, crows are believed to have intelligence and problem-solving skills comparable to children.
Why Crows Are So Clever
Crows have a larger brain relative to their size than most birds and a high number of neurons. Because crows have complex social dynamics and live in the wild, intelligence is essential to survival.
Crows spend lots of time alone but occasionally rely on each other for protection, sharing information about food, water, and environmental/predatory threats.
Perhaps the best explanation for a crow’s intelligence is the structure of their brains.
The thought processes of a crow unfold in the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL,) which has evolved to accommodate rapid and spontaneous problem-solving skills.
Crows Communicate Differently To Parrots
Crow verbalizations vary significantly from parrots. Rather than squawks, the most common sound you’ll hear from a crow is a caw, which can have various meanings:
- A short, sharp, shrill caw warns of danger, intimidates predators, or requests help from others.
- A louder, longer caw alerts other crows that a food source has been identified.
- A series of short, level caws is a crow announcing its presence and waiting to see if others respond.
Crows seeking a mate will coo and sing softly, while juveniles and mated pairs make rattling sounds.
Crows are even believed to distinguish different languages. If exposed to human language, they can imitate sounds similar to parrots.
Crows Communicate Better Than Parrots
Parrots are superior talkers, skilled at communicating directly with us using human words. There’s no comparison regarding vocabulary when pitting a crow vs. an African gray.
Many believe crows have more complex vocalizations, making various sounds with many meanings. When we consider inter-avian conversation, crows may be better communicators.
Avian Intelligence Is Subjective
Intelligence is subjective. While some people declare crows the smartest birds in the world, parrot owners will likely disagree based on their interactions and observations.
Crows demonstrate impressive problem-solving skills and can adapt to most situations. Comparative Cognition and Behavior Reviews started that crows can identify different “tools” based on the task.
If you value talking to a bird, parrots will be considered smarter than crows. Parrots don’t understand the meaning of their words but may gain context.
Comparing the intellect of two bird species is impossible because they have entirely different skills.
