For centuries, people have belittled the talents of their feathered counterparts, considering them "mindless", driven only by instincts and capable of only the simplest mental processes. Today, science has shown that this is not so. The birds make complex navigational decisions, sing in regional dialects, and use tools. They deceive and manipulate. They overhear. They kiss to comfort each other. Give presents. They teach and study. They gather at the body of a deceased brother. And they even mourn... And they do all this with a tiny brain the size of a walnut! In the book "These Brilliant Birds" the author explores the newly discovered talents of birds. Traveling to scientific laboratories around the world, she tells us about the intelligent behavior of birds, which we can observe in the yard of our house, at bird feeders, in parks, on city streets, in the wild - we just have to take a closer look. Jennifer Ackerman reveals what bird intelligence can reveal about our own intelligence as well as our changing world. Celebrating such amazing and extraordinarily intelligent creatures, this extremely informative and beautifully written book offers a fresh look at our feathered neighbors on the planet.