The DOI matches its Crossref record; 132 of the 132 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Brains, Innovations and Evolution in Birds and Primates
Open accessAbstract
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.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“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
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn the citing paper
“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]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Kytle, J., & Bandura, A. (1978) · Contemporary Sociology · doi:10.2307/2065952 · Cited by 25,422
Phylogenies and the Comparative Method
Felsenstein, J. (1985) · The American Naturalist · doi:10.1086/284325 · Cited by 9,793
The comparative method in evolutionary biology
Harvey, P., & Pagel, M. (1991) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.29-5104 · Cited by 4,778
Measuring Behaviour. An Introductory Guide
Dawkins, M. S., Martin, P. B., & Bateson, P. (1994) · Journal of Animal Ecology · doi:10.2307/5248 · Cited by 2,957
Neocortex size as a constraint on group size in primates
Dunbar, R. I. M. (1992) · Journal of Human Evolution · doi:10.1016/0047-2484(92)90081-j · Cited by 2,542
Phylogeny and Classification of the Birds
Sibley, C. G., & Ahlquist, J. E. (1991) · Yale University Press eBooks · doi:10.2307/j.ctt1xp3v3r · Cited by 2,312
The expensive-tissue hypothesis: The brain and the digestive system in human and primate evolution
Aiello, L. C., & Wheeler, P. (1995) · Current Anthropology · doi:10.1086/204350 · Cited by 2,291
EVOLUTION OF THE BRAIN AND INTELLIGENCE
Radinsky, L., & Jerison, H. J. (1975) · Evolution · doi:10.2307/2407154 · Cited by 1,982
Linked Regularities in the Development and Evolution of Mammalian Brains
Finlay, B. L., & Darlington, R. B. (1995) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.7777856 · Cited by 1,217
Social intelligence, innovation, and enhanced brain size in primates
Reader, S. M., & Laland, K. N. (2002) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.062041299 · Cited by 1,126
Self-citation
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- 10.1037//0033-295X.94.4.439 · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 401–500 of 663
The global determinants of climate niche breadth in birds
Rodrigues, J. F. M., & Botero, C. A. (2025) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-025-58815-1 · Cited by 10
Variation in Brain Regions Associated with Fear and Learning in Contrasting Climates
Roth, T. C., Gallagher, C. M., LaDage, L. D., & Витальевич, П. В. (2012) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000335421 · Cited by 10
“Although volume is a variable that has been used in numerous previous studies of this type [Clayton and Krebs, 1994; Garamszigi and Eens, 2004; Lefebvre et al., 2004], it can be quite plastic and variable [for a discussion, see Roth et al., 2010b].”
MethodThe Central Nervous System of Jawless Vertebrates: Encephalization in Lampreys and Hagfishes
Salas, C. A., Yopak, K. E., Lisney, T. J., POTTER, I. C., & Collin, S. P. (2017) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000455183 · Cited by 10
“…a nonsomatic component, which has been associated with a range of life history traits, such as parental investment, primary habitat, and feeding mode [Lefebvre et al., 2004; Yopak and Frank, 2009; Mull et al., 2011; Swanson et al., 2012; Corfield et al., 2013; Willemet, 2013; Tsuboi et al., 2015].”
BackgroundBody size miniaturization in a lineage of colubrid snakes: Implications for cranial anatomy
Rajabizadeh, M., Adriaens, D., Kegel, B. D., Avcı, A., Ilgaz, Ç., & Herrel, A. (2020) · Journal of Anatomy · doi:10.1111/joa.13293 · Cited by 10
“Recent comparative analyses have shown positive associations between relative brain size and survival (Sol et al., 2008) and innovative behavior (Lefebvre et al., 2004).”
BackgroundWaterbird solves the string-pull test
Lamarre, J., & Wilson, D. R. (2021) · Royal Society Open Science · doi:10.1098/rsos.211343 · Cited by 10
Singh, N. S., Bamon, I., Dixit, A. S., & Sougrakpam, R. (2015) · The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology · doi:10.1016/j.jobaz.2015.06.003 · Cited by 10
The grammar of mammalian brain capacity
Rodriguez, A., & Granger, R. (2016) · Theoretical Computer Science · doi:10.1016/j.tcs.2016.03.021 · Cited by 11
Sakai, S. T., Whitt, B., Arsznov, B. M., & Lundrigan, B. L. (2018) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000487427 · Cited by 10
“…AG, Basel Introduction Several selection factors have been hypothesized to contribute to the evolution of large brains in mammals including sociality [Byrne and Whiten, 1988; Dunbar, 1998], diet and foraging strategies [Gittleman, 1986], and behavioral innovation [Lefebvre et al., 2004; Sol, 2009].”
BackgroundInnovation in solitary bees is driven by exploration, shyness and activity levels
Collado, M. Á., Menzel, R., Sol, D., & Bartomeus, Í. (2020) · Journal of Experimental Biology · doi:10.1242/jeb.232058 · Cited by 10
Self-citationUsing relative brain size as predictor variable: Serious pitfalls and solutions
Smeele, S. Q. (2022) · Ecology and Evolution · doi:10.1002/ece3.9273 · Cited by 10
Herczeg, G., Hafenscher, V. P., Balázs, G., Fišer, Ž., Kralj‐Fišer, S., & Horváth, G. (2020) · Ecology and Evolution · doi:10.1002/ece3.6276 · Cited by 10
A unique cellular scaling rule in the avian auditory system
Corfield, J. R., Long, B., Krilow, J. M., WYLIE, D. R. W., & Iwaniuk, A. N. (2015) · Brain Structure and Function · doi:10.1007/s00429-015-1064-1 · Cited by 10
Non-avian reptile learning 40 years on: advances and promising new directionsPreprint
Szabo, B., Noble, D. W. A., & Whiting, M. J. (2019) · doi:10.32942/osf.io/esztp · Cited by 10
Temporal dynamics of task switching and abstract-concept learning in pigeons
Daniel, T. A., Cook, R. G., & Katz, J. S. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01334 · Cited by 9
Amaya-Villarreal, Á. M., Estrada, A., & Vargas-Ramírez, N. (2015) · Tropical Conservation Science · doi:10.1177/194008291500800211 · Cited by 9
Can We Measure Brain Efficiency? An Empirical Test with Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Strasser, A., & Burkart, J. M. (2012) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000338014 · Cited by 9
Functional Correlates of Brain and Brain Region Sizes in Nonmammalian Vertebrates
Iwaniuk, A. N. (2016) · Evolution of Nervous Systems · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-804042-3.00024-5 · Cited by 9
Chappell, J., Cutting, N., Tecwyn, E. C., Apperly, I. A., Beck, S. R., & Thorpe, S. K. S. (2015) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800648-1.00010-3 · Cited by 9
Social Learning and Innovation
Lefebvre, L., & Aplin, L. M. (2017) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781316135976.007 · Cited by 10
Self-citationEnriquecimento ambiental em zoológicos: em busca do bem-estar animal
de Azevedo, C. S., & Barçante, L. (2018) · Revista Brasileira de Zoociências · doi:10.34019/2596-3325.2018.v19.24708 · Cited by 10
Chickadees discriminate contingency reversals presented consistently, but not frequently
McMillan, N., Hahn, A. H., Congdon, J. V., Campbell, K. A., Hoang, J. G., Scully, E. N., Spetch, M. L., & Sturdy, C. B. (2017) · Animal Cognition · doi:10.1007/s10071-017-1088-4 · Cited by 9
“Flexibility is considered in behavioral ecology to be crucial for success in complex, dynamic environments (Bond et al. 2007; Lefebvre et al. 2004), and so there is extensive interest in using reversal performance as a correlate for this capacity in animals.”
BackgroundThe role of behavioural flexibility in primate diversification
Creighton, M. J. A., Greenberg, D. A., Reader, S. M., & Mooers, A. Ø. (2021) · Animal Behaviour · doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.013 · Cited by 10
Self-citationHow alien species use cognition to discover, handle, taste, and adopt novel foods
Griffin, A. S., Peneaux, C., Machovsky‐Capuska, G. E., & Guez, D. (2022) · Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101136 · Cited by 8
Coward, F., & Grove, M. L. (2011) · PaleoAnthropology · Cited by 8
Food quality influences behavioural flexibility and cognition in wild house mice
Gorshkova, E., Kyomen, S., Kaucká, M., & Guenther, A. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-66792-6 · Cited by 7
Feeding flaxseed to chicken hens changes the size and fatty acid composition of their chicks’ brains
Whittle, R. H., Kiarie, E. G., David, W. L., & Widowski, T. M. (2024) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2024.1400611 · Cited by 7
The Evolution of Brains and Cognitive Abilities
Mitchell, C. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-41324-2_5 · Cited by 8
Comparative Structure of the Cerebral Cortex in Large Mammals
Raghanti, M. A., Munger, E. L., Wicinski, B. A., Butti, C., & Hof, P. R. (2016) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-804042-3.00046-4 · Cited by 7
Foraging on anthropogenic food predicts problem-solving skills in a seabird
Lamarre, J., Cheema, S. K., Robertson, G. J., & Wilson, D. R. (2022) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157732 · Cited by 8
Howell, K. J., & Walsh, M. (2022) · Ecology Letters · doi:10.1111/ele.14133 · Cited by 7
Maximino, C. (2009) · Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology · doi:10.1080/10236240902761656 · Cited by 7
“In birds (Lefebvre et al. 2004; Iwaniuk and Hurd 2005; Lefebvre and Sol 2008), absolute brain size predicts only 1% of the variance in innovation and tool use; EQs are a better predictor, being responsible for 36% of the variance in those traits, but the relationship is still weak.”
BackgroundCognitive Components of Insect Behavior
Giurfa, M., & Menzel, R. (2013) · Handbook of behavioral neuroscience · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-415823-8.00003-4 · Cited by 7
Ibe, C. S., Salami, S. O., & Wanmi, N. (2017) · Folia veterinaria · doi:10.1515/fv-2017-0031 · Cited by 7
“For example, parrots and owls are considered most intelligent in avian class [15] and primates in mammalian [16].”
BackgroundNeurobiological and Ecological Correlates of Avian Innovation
Audet, J. (2020) · Integrative and Comparative Biology · doi:10.1093/icb/icaa107 · Cited by 7
Flinn, M. V. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.765926 · Cited by 9
Cultural Evolution and Human Reproductive Behavior
Newson, L. (2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-4060-4_21 · Cited by 7
Pellis, S. M., Pellis, V. C., & Iwaniuk, A. N. (2014) · Advances in the study of behavior · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800286-5.00004-3 · Cited by 7
Comparing cognition across species
Reader, S. M., Sol, D., & Lefebvre, L. (2005) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2005.07.007 · Cited by 7
“We agree with Roth and Dicke [1] that a focus on behavioral flexibility can provide useful operational measures of intelligence [ 2 ].”
BackgroundSelf-citationBrain organization, not size alone, as key to high-level vision: Evidence from marmoset monkeysPreprint
Kell, A. J. E., Bokor, S. L., Jeon, Y.-N., Toosi, T., & Issa, E. B. (2020) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2020.10.19.345561 · Cited by 7
Evidence of self-care tooling and phylogenetic modeling reveal parrot tool use is not rare
Bastos, A. P. M., Claessens, S., Nelson, X. J., Welch, D., Atkinson, Q. D., & Taylor, A. H. (2025) · iScience · doi:10.1016/j.isci.2025.112156 · Cited by 6
“14 These researchers argue that larger brains are better able to integrate visual and somatosensory information when innovating novel behaviors, such as tool use, in changing environments 15,16 (but see the study by Kaplan 17 ).”
Fuchs, R., Bingman, V., Ross, J., & Bernroider, G. (2015) · NeuroReport · doi:10.1097/wnr.0000000000000460 · Cited by 9
Spatial preferences influence associations between magnitude and space in honey bees
Kuo, J., Ng, L., Stuart-Fox, D. M., Dyer, A. G., & Howard, S. R. (2025) · Animal Behaviour · doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.123054 · Cited by 6
Gutiérrez‐Ibáñez, C., Němec, P., Paré, M., WYLIE, D. R. W., & Lefebvre, L. (2025) · Trends in Ecology & Evolution · doi:10.1016/j.tree.2025.03.008 · Cited by 6
Self-citationComplexity of mutual communication in animals exemplified by paired dances in the red-crowned crane
TAKEDA, K. F., & Kutsukake, N. (2017) · Japanese Journal of Animal Psychology · doi:10.2502/janip.68.1.1 · Cited by 6
“For example, although the red-crowned crane has a relatively small brain among avian groups (Lefebvre et al. 2004), they perform complex mutual dances (Takeda 2016).”
BackgroundCerebellum size is positively correlated with geographic distribution range in anurans
Zhao, C. L., Jin, L., Zhong, M. J., Xie, F., Jiang, J. P., Li, D., & Liao, W. B. (2018) · Animal Biology · doi:10.1163/15707563-17000121 · Cited by 6
Herczeg, G., Nyitrai, V., Balázs, G., & Horváth, G. (2021) · Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology · doi:10.1007/s00265-021-03109-x · Cited by 6
“Behavioural innovation is a key factor in successfully colonising new habitats, adapting to environmental change or to better exploit available resources (e.g. Mayr 1965; Morse 1980; Reader and Laland 2003; Lefebvre et al. 2004).”
BackgroundLynch, L. M., & Allen, K. L. (2022) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000523787 · Cited by 7
“Among mammals, a relationship between brain size and behavioral flexibility, especially innovation, has been noted for primates, but remains largely uninvestigated in other clades [Reader and Laland, 2002; Byrne and Corp, 2004; Lefebvre et al., 2004; Sol et al., 2008; Sol, 2009a, 2009b].”
BackgroundExtractive foraging behaviour in woodpeckers evolves in species that retain a large ancestral brain
Cárdenas‐Posada, G., Iwaniuk, A. N., & Fuxjager, M. J. (2023) · Animal Behaviour · doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.003 · Cited by 7
Roese‐Miron, L., Jones, M. E. H., Ferreira, J. D., & Hsiou, A. S. (2023) · The Anatomical Record · doi:10.1002/ar.25212 · Cited by 6
“…to calculate measurements of relative brain size, such as the encephalization quotient (brain size in relation to body mass), which have been used to infer cognitive capacities in vertebrates (e.g., Hopson, 1977, 1979; Jerison, 1973, 1977; Lefebvre et al., 2004; Macrini et al., 2007; Marino, 2002).”
Arbib, M. A. (2012) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x11002123 · Cited by 6
Morton, F. B., Buchanan‐Smith, H. M., Brosnan, S. F., Thierry, B., Paukner, A., Essler, J. L., Marcum, C. S., & Lee, P. C. (2021) · Journal of comparative psychology · doi:10.1037/com0000264 · Cited by 6
Context-specific neophilia and its consequences for innovations
Mettke‐Hofmann, C. (2007) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x07002506 · Cited by 6
The Evolution of Encephalization
Lefebvre, L., Reader, S. M., & Boire, D. (2007) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b0-12-370878-8/00110-5 · Cited by 6
Self-citationPatterson, E. M., & Mann, J. (2011) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/annotation/2555a3f6-117f-42e2-b89c-c568bd6618c9 · Cited by 6
Cunha, F., Stingo-Hirmas, D., Cardoso, R. F., Wright, D., & Henriksen, R. (2022) · Frontiers in Neuroanatomy · doi:10.3389/fnana.2022.1048261 · Cited by 5
“For example, numerous studies have attempted to determine the explanatory factors underlying brain size variation among species (Bennett and Harvey, 1985; Lefebvre et al., 2004; Van Schaik et al., 2012; Herculano-Houzel et al., 2014; Olkowicz et al., 2016; Sayol et al., 2016).”
BackgroundMehlhorn, J., & Rehkämper, G. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0188483 · Cited by 5
Does the Post‐Natal Social Environment Influence Cognitive Development in a Social Gecko?
Szabo, B., & Ringler, E. (2025) · Ecology and Evolution · doi:10.1002/ece3.71560 · Cited by 5
“…De Meester et al. (2019) found evidence that solitary squamates (lizards, snakes and worm lizards) have larger brains, a frequently used proxy for cognitive ability (e.g., Benson-Amram et al. 2016; Lefebvre et al. 2004), compared to social species, contradicting the social intelligence hypothesis.”
Should neuroecologists separate Tinbergen's four questions?
Lefebvre, L. (2014) · Behavioural Processes · doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2014.05.006 · Cited by 5
Self-citationNot by thoughts alone: How language supersizes the cognitive toolkit
IJzerman, H., & Foroni, F. (2012) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x11002020 · Cited by 5
Grabrucker, S., & Grabrucker, A. M. (2010) · The Open Ornithology Journal · Cited by 5
Thinking tools: Acquired skills, cultural niche construction, and thinking with things
Jeffares, B. (2012) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x11002044 · Cited by 5
Progresses and Controversies in Invasion Biology
Sol, D. (2016) · Wildlife research monographs · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-27912-1_8 · Cited by 5
Self-citationWilliams, A. C., & Hill, L. J. (2019) · International Journal of Tryptophan Research · doi:10.1177/1178646919855944 · Cited by 5
Cohen, T. M., Major, R. E., Kumar, R. S., Nair, M. V., Ewart, K. M., Hauber, M. E., & Dor, R. (2021) · Evolutionary Ecology · doi:10.1007/s10682-021-10107-y · Cited by 5
Byanet, O., & DZENDA, T. (2014) · Research in neuroscience · Cited by 5
Egg recognition and brain size in a cuckoo host
Liu, J., Yang, C., Yu, J., Wang, H., Møller, A. P., & Liang, W. (2020) · Behavioural Processes · doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104223 · Cited by 5
Multiple regression modeling for estimating endocranial volume in extinct Mammalia
Soul, L. C., Benson, R., & Weisbecker, V. (2013) · Paleobiology · doi:10.1666/0094-8373-39.1.149 · Cited by 5
Finlay, B. L. (2019) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000500111 · Cited by 8
“Encephalization has been found to correlate with niche complexity and taxonomic features like endothermy [Northcutt, 1981], and real-world measures of behavioral complexity [Lefebvre et al., 2004; Sol et al., 2005; Lefebvre, 2013].”
BackgroundCognitively Driven Co‐Option and the Evolution of Complex Sexual Displays in Bowerbirds
Borgia, G., & Keagy, J. C. (2014) · doi:10.1002/9781118966624.ch4 · Cited by 5
“We also include some anecdotal results that reflect extraordinary cases that are not suited to statistical analysis, but give important insights into the cognitive capabilities of some exceptional individuals (see Lefebvre et al., 2004).”
Can you teach an old parrot new tricks? Cognitive development in wild kaka (Nestor meridionalis)
Loepelt, J., Shaw, R. C., & Burns, K. J. (2021) · doi:10.26686/wgtn.13964969 · Cited by 5
Tomasek, M., Ravignani, A., Boucherie, P. H., Meyel, S. V., & Dufour, V. (2023) · Ecology and Evolution · doi:10.1002/ece3.9791 · Cited by 4
“However, one group of species has been extensively studied for their social and physical cognitive skills and shows good and consistent cognitive performances in a large diversity of cognition tests: the corvids (Lefebvre et al., 2004).”
BackgroundVila-Pouca, C., Waele, H. D., & Kotrschal, A. (2022) · Evolution; international journal of organic evolution · doi:10.1111/evo.14644 · Cited by 4
Crosby, L. C., Sayol, F., & Horswill, C. (2023) · Oikos · doi:10.1111/oik.09698 · Cited by 4
“…and birds, a larger relative brain size has been associated with expressions of behavioural flexibility, such as increased frequency of feeding innovations and an enhanced capacity for social learning (Lefebvre et al. 1997, Timmermans et al. 2000, Reader and Laland 2002, Lefebvre et al. 2004).”
Sanders, C. H., Rice, S. P., Wood, P. J., & Albertson, L. K. (2023) · Biological Invasions · doi:10.1007/s10530-023-03115-2 · Cited by 4
“The development of novel behaviors has been associated with cognition levels and social learning (Lefebvre et al. 2004; Arbilly and Laland 2017; van Schaik et al. 2017), but little is known about specific environmental and genetic factors associated with the emergence of these behaviors, in part…”
BackgroundMasi, S. (2023) · Frontiers in Mammal Science · doi:10.3389/fmamm.2023.1281030 · Cited by 4
Andres-Bray, T., Barany, A., & Gonder, M. K. (2023) · Communications in computer and information science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-47014-1_11 · Cited by 4
How hibernation in frogs drives brain and reproductive evolution in opposite directions
Liao, W., Jiang, Y., Jin, L., & Lüpold, S. (2023) · eLife · doi:10.7554/elife.88236.3 · Cited by 4
Andres-Bray, T., Nichols, I., Wilke, T., Hafner, M., Jordan, A., Eysseric, A., Borzym, V., Abwe, E. E., Morgan, B. J., & Gonder, M. K. (2025) · American Journal of Primatology · doi:10.1002/ajp.70014 · Cited by 4
“…characteristics may contribute to shaping cultural variation in tool use, greater ecological complexity may contribute to increased behavioral diversity and innovation, a pattern that has been observed in birds (LeFebvre et al. 2004; Sayol et al. 2016; Sol et al. 2005; Street et al. 2017).”
Tool use by New World Halichoeres wrasses
Tariel-Adam, J., Toledo, J. G., O’Brien, C. E., Floeter, S. R., & Brown, C. (2025) · Coral Reefs · doi:10.1007/s00338-025-02633-w · Cited by 4
“Primates and bird species which use tools tend to also innovate more, learn from other individuals more often, and have larger brains than species which do not use tools (Reader and Laland 2002; Lefebvre et al. 2004).”
Neill, D. (2013) · Ageing Research Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.arr.2013.01.004 · Cited by 4
Anatomy and Evolution of Avian Brain and Senses: What Endocasts Can Tell Us
Degrange, F. J., Carril, J., Mendoza, R. S. D., Ferreira, M. M. D., & Tambussi, C. P. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-13983-3_9 · Cited by 4
Rawlings, B. S., & Reader, S. M. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198869252.013.11 · Cited by 5
Self-citationDo Different Methods Yield Equivalent Estimations of Brain Size in Birds?
Ocampo, D., Sánchez, C., & Barrantes, G. (2020) · Brain Behavior and Evolution · doi:10.1159/000509383 · Cited by 4
“…spatial navigation, and other behaviors seem to have influenced the evolution of their brain size [Nicolakakis and Lefebvre, 2000; Madden, 2001; Dukas, 2004; Lefebvre et al., 2004; Sol et al., 2005a; Møller, 2010; Shultz and Dunbar, 2010; Smaers et al., 2012; West, 2014; Lindsay et al., 2015].”
BackgroundMethodEpigenetics of Sympatric Speciation—Speciation as a Mechanism of Evolution
Cabej, N. R. (2018) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-814067-3.00013-2 · Cited by 4
Social Learning, Intelligence, and Brain Evolution
Street, S. E., & Laland, K. N. (2016) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781118316757.ch18 · Cited by 4
Reader, S. M. (2014) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/obo/9780199941728-0028 · Cited by 4
Self-citationFalse Dichotomies in the Study of Animal Cognition
Vonk, J. M., & Edge, J. (2020) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809324-5.23955-2 · Cited by 4
Can you teach an old parrot new tricks? Cognitive development in wild kaka (Nestor meridionalis)
Loepelt, J., Shaw, R. C., & Burns, K. J. (2021) · doi:10.26686/wgtn.13964969.v1 · Cited by 4
The evolutionary consequences of behavioural plasticity
Botero, C. A. (2026) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-026-70632-8 · Cited by 3
“For example, among birds, relative brain size correlates strongly with behavioural fl exibility 22,62,63 , innovation rate 64 , and the ability to devise behavioural solutions to novel ecological challenges 63,65,66 .”
Andres-Bray, T., & Gonder, M. K. (2024) · Communications in computer and information science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-76332-8_3 · Cited by 3
Bryson, J. J. (2012) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1057/9780230354456_7 · Cited by 3
On the concept of animal innovation and the challenge of studying innovation in the wild
Ramsey, G., Bastian, M. L., & van Schaik, C. P. (2007) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x07002567 · Cited by 3
Impact of social dominance on the evolution of individual learning
Ohtsuki, H., & Ujiyama, S. (2021) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110986 · Cited by 3
Krueger, K., Trager, L., Farmer, K., & Byrne, R. W. (2022) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani12151876 · Cited by 3
“We took care to exclude unreliable or biased reports [19,26], one possibly on reinforced (i.”
BackgroundInfluentialBiałas, J. T., Marasco, V., Fusani, L., Pola, G., & Tobółka, M. (2022) · Canadian Journal of Zoology · doi:10.1139/cjz-2022-0091 · Cited by 3
Cognitive flexibility in urban yellow mongooses, Cynictis penicillata
Müller, M., & Pillay, N. (2024) · Animal Cognition · doi:10.1007/s10071-024-01839-9 · Cited by 3
“Cognitive flexibility and retention trade-off, as well as interspecific variation in levels of cognitive flexibility (Lefebvre et al. 2004), might indicate costs associated with being cognitively flexible (Tello-Ramos et al. 2018).”
BackgroundSchwartz, P. J. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1427816 · Cited by 4
“Similar phylogenetic adaptive considerations account for the allometric correlations between brain association area size and measures of behavioral innovation (e.g., tool use) in both primates and birds (Lefebvre et al., 2004).”
BackgroundBrain Size and Innovation in Primates
Navarrete, A. F., & Laland, K. N. (2015) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800648-1.00009-7 · Cited by 3
Menie, M. A. W. O., Peñaherrera‐Aguirre, M., & Jurgensen, J. (2022) · Intelligence · doi:10.1016/j.intell.2022.101645 · Cited by 3
The limits of chimpanzee-human comparisons for understanding human cognition
Reader, S. M., & Hrotic, S. (2012) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x11002093 · Cited by 3
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Lefebvre, L., Reader, S. M., & Sol, D.
- Affiliations
- McGill University (CA)
- 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
- 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
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Brain Behavior and Evolution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › 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
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
