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Cited by 666Primate Behavior and EcologyAnimal Behavior and ReproductionAnimal Vocal Communication and Behavior

Brains, Innovations and Evolution in Birds and Primates

Open access
Lefebvre, Louis, Reader, Simon M., Sol, Daniel·2004·Brain, Behavior and Evolution
DOI 10.1159/000076784
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Abstract

Several comparative research programs have focused on the cognitive, life history and ecological traits that account for variation in brain size. We review one of these programs, a program that uses the reported frequency of behavioral innovation as an operational measure of cognition. In both birds and primates, innovation rate is positively correlated with the relative size of association areas in the brain, the hyperstriatum ventrale and neostriatum in birds and the isocortex and striatum in primates. Innovation rate is also positively correlated with the taxonomic distribution of tool use, as well as interspecific differences in learning. Some features of cognition have thus evolved in a remarkably similar way in primates and at least six phyletically-independent avian lineages. In birds, innovation rate is associated with the ability of species to deal with seasonal changes in the environment and to establish themselves in new regions, and it also appears to be related to the rate at which lineages diversify. Innovation rate provides a useful tool to quantify inter-taxon differences in cognition and to test classic hypotheses regarding the evolution of the brain.

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  • Among birds, larger-brained corvids, parrots, and owls are considered the most intelligent.

    “Among birds, those that are larger-brained (corvids, parrots and owls) are also considered the most intelligent (Lefebvre et al., 2004).”

    From The human brain in numbers: a linearly scaled-up primate brain (2009) · cites this paper as Lefebvre et al., 2004

    The “Neural and Cognitive Correlates of Innovation in Birds” section identifies corvids, parrots, and owls among larger-brained birds and reports a general association between brain size and cognitive measures. It does not establish that these three groups are considered the most intelligent; in particular, the passage listing owls does not link them to superior cognition. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • The encephalization hypothesis argues that an increase in brain volume relative to body size was of primary importance.

    “In contrast, the encephalization hypothesis argues that an increase in brain volume relative to body size was of primary importance (108, 110, 111, 123).”

    From The evolution of self-control. (2014) · cites this paper as [110]

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 10

  1. Boire D (1989) Comparaison quantitative de l'en- céphale, de ses grandes subdivisions et de relais visuels, trijumaux et acoustiques chez 28 es- pèces d'oiseaux. PhD dissertation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
  2. Bouchard J (2002) Is social learning correlated with innovation in birds? An inter-and an interspe- cific test. M.Sc. dissertation, McGill Universi- ty, Montreal, Canada.
  3. Dubbeldam JL (1998) Birds. In: The Central Ner- vous System of Vertebrates (Nieuwenhuys R, TenDonkelaar HJ, Nicholson C, eds), pp 1525-1620. Berlin: Springer Verlag.
  4. Lefebvre L (2000) Feeding innovations and their cultural transmission in bird populations. In: The Evolution of Cognition (Heyes C, Huber L, eds), pp 311-328. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.
  5. Purvis A, Webster AJ (1999) Phylogentically inde- pendent comparisons and primate phylogeny. In: Comparative Primate Socioecology (Lee PC, ed), pp 44-70. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press.
  6. Sibley GC, Alquist JE (1990) Phylogeny and Classi- fication of Birds: A Study in Molecular Evolu- tion. New Haven CT: Yale University Press.
  7. Sol D (2003) Behavioural flexibility: a neglected issue in the ecological and evolutionary litera- ture? In: Animal Innovation (Reader SM, Lal- and KN, eds), pp 63-82. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
  8. Stephan H, Baron G, Frahm H (1988) Compara- tive size of brain and brain components. In: Comparative Primate Biology, vol. 4, Neuro- science (Erwin J, Steklis HD, eds), pp 1-38. New York: Liss.
  9. Timmermans S (1999) Opportunism and the neo- striatal/hyperstriatum ventrale complex in birds. M.Sc. dissertation, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
  10. Zilles K, Rehkämper G (1988) The brain, with spe- cial reference to the telencephalon. In: Orang- Utan Biology (Schwartz JH, ed), pp 157-176. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.

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Authors
Lefebvre, L., Reader, S. M., & Sol, D.
Affiliations
McGill University (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Brain, Behavior and Evolution
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2004
Volume
63
Issue
4
Pages
233-246
ISSN
  • 0006-8977 (ISSN-L)
  • 1421-9743
DOI
10.1159/000076784
OpenAlex
W2112831044
Cited by
666
References
132
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 57 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 43
FWCI
3.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Brain Behavior and Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology › Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
Keywords
behavioral innovation, brain size, cognition, birds, primates, hyperstriatum ventrale, neostriatum, neocortex, striatum, tool use, learning, seasonal adaptation, range expansion, diversification rates, brain evolution, comparative cognition
MeSH terms
Animals, Birds, Brain, Biological Evolution, Primates

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