Magpies can recognize themselves in the mirror

by rpshen | August 20, 2008 at 06:46 am

2833 views | 19 Recommendations | 53 comments

Scientists have always believed that only mammals had the ability of self-recognition, but a recent German study shows that magpies are also capable of recognizing themselves in the mirror.

Magpies can recognize themselves in a mirror, highlighting the mental skills of some birds and confounding the notion that self-awareness is the exclusive preserve of humans and a few higher mammals.

It had been thought only chimpanzees, dolphins and elephants shared the human ability to recognize their own bodies in a mirror.

But German scientists reported on Tuesday that magpies -- a species with a brain structure very different from mammals -- could also identify themselves.

Prior and his colleagues tested their magpies by marking the birds' bodies with a red or yellow dot that could only be seen in a mirror. They found the birds regularly scratched the mark on their body, proving they recognized the image in the mirror as themselves and not another animal.

To ensure they were actually seeing and reacting to the mark, and not just investigating what had been done to them, a "sham" black mark was used as a control that was invisible on the birds' dark feathers.

What does this result mean for humans? Well, apparently we are not as special as we think we are. In addition, researchers predict that other bird species are also smarter than we think.

"It shows that the line leading to humans is not as special as many thought," lead researcher Helmut Prior of the Institute of Psychology at Goethe University in Frankfurt told Reuters.

"After finding this kind of intelligence in apes, many people thought it had developed once in one evolutionary line with humans at the end. The bird studies show it has developed at least twice."

The result throws into question some basic ideas about how our brains work.

In particular, it had been thought that the neocortex brain area found in mammals was crucial to self-recognition. Yet birds, which last shared a common ancestor with mammals 300 million years ago, do not have a neocortex, suggesting that higher cognitive skills can develop in other ways.

Prior believes parrots, too, may yet show hidden mental skills -- but it is the crow family, which includes magpies and jays, that is the smartest.

"Crows have really huge brains compared to other birds," he said in a telephone interview.

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parelli4me

at 09:58 on August 20th, 2008

My Husband took this photo on a trip to Colorado we did this year.

parelli4me has contributed a photo to this story.

storic

at 10:01 on August 20th, 2008

Magpies are regular visitors to our garden, but are difficult to photograph because they are very timid. This was one of a pair, but the other bird flew off on seeing me with my camera. This one stayed long enough for me to photograph it.

storic has contributed a photo to this story.

Balamahesh-Mysore

at 10:10 on August 20th, 2008

The Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, family Muscicapidae. It is also known as Oriental Magpie Robin, Straits Robin and Magpie.

This magpie-robin is an insectivorous species which is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, south China and the Philippines.

The Oriental Magpie Robin is found in open woodland, cultivated areas and around human habitation. It nests in a hole, often in a wall, laying 3-6 eggs which are incubated by both sexes.

I photographed this bird in Rajiv Ghandi National Park, Nagarhole, INDIA.

I'm very much happy that, my photograph is publishing in your website. Thank you so much!

Balamahesh-Mysore has contributed a photo to this story.

shelas

at 10:12 on August 20th, 2008

I took this photo in my garden, I had been trying to catch the magpie for a week and i finally did, he kept flying away.

shelas has contributed a photo to this story.

Trev Wilky

at 11:26 on August 20th, 2008

this is are little friend who comes and sits on our garden gate on most days

Trev Wilky has contributed a photo to this story.

just_punjabi

at 12:03 on August 20th, 2008

I am fascinated by their appearance and general behaviour. They certainly appear to be very intelligent and at times naughty and amusing. I just love photographing magpies around my house : in the garden, on the roof and in the drive way.

just_punjabi has contributed a photo to this story.

Jordan Yerman

at 12:06 on August 20th, 2008

It's really interesting, and perhaps reflects the outwardly-focused nature of pure instinct. It also means that penguins have no idea how cute they are.

lasthippy

at 12:54 on August 20th, 2008

These visitors to my garden certainly appear to know what they're up to. They are the only birds I've seen systematically remove fat balls from a tree, take them to a garden table and eat them there!

lasthippy has contributed a photo to this story.

Franklin Cat

at 12:59 on August 20th, 2008

For about a week a large group of magpies seemed to be having a convention in my neighborhood, raising a ruckus and attracting the attention of an equally loud group of crows. I wondered if they were a group of juveniles. This particular guy came in for a quick bath in my backyard.

Franklin Cat has contributed a photo to this story.

photowehrli

at 13:15 on August 20th, 2008

a magpie in the french Alpes ( Forgeassoud).
the bird was nervous and it was difficult making a sharp picture.

photowehrli has contributed a photo to this story.

spky999

at 13:43 on August 20th, 2008

Adult and juvenile. Chichester, Southern England 2008.

spky999 has contributed a photo to this story.

PJCY

at 13:45 on August 20th, 2008

This part of the world a single Magpie is considered unlucky unless you see a pair of them.

wildphotos4u

at 13:49 on August 20th, 2008

Hi, Rpshen has requested use of these photos for her story on "Magpie's recognising themselves in the mirror" etc. This one is a female magpie-lark in Australia. Also known as pee-wees.
If you'd like to see any more of my wildlife photos, they are on -
www.flickr.com/photos/sandyc
Enjoy the story..... Sandy (wildphotos4u)

Thanks for asking permission to use these photos x

wildphotos4u has contributed a photo to this story.

troywhite

at 13:58 on August 20th, 2008

You often see Magpie Larks (peewees) getting excited about their reflection in windows, etc.

troywhite has contributed a photo to this story.

Barry ORegan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:00 on August 20th, 2008

rpshen, I like this story. It's good stuff. They are smart little buggers, one in England mimics police and ambulance sirens, much to the delight of neighbours who watch cars on their streets pull to the side of the road to let what they think are police of ambulance. There is a video of this little bugger doing his siren noises,. I am sure if you check youtube you'll find it to post on here.,

missnoma

at 14:03 on August 20th, 2008

This parent and juvenile were just hanging around some grain, spilled from the fowl house. Living in the country we have quite a few birds that call our backyard home...That is a Yellow Rosella in the background.

missnoma has contributed a photo to this story.

ogcodes

at 14:22 on August 20th, 2008

My photo is of an Australian magpie and so not related to the birds the article is reporting. A prime example of the value of using the 'proper' scientific name, not the vernacular!

kasia-aus

at 14:29 on August 20th, 2008

This peewee was photographed near Lake Ginninderra in Canberra, Australia. It was relatively used to people as there are playgrounds and picnick spots in the area.

kasia-aus has contributed a photo to this story.

Zeltilda

at 15:15 on August 20th, 2008

This magpie had been chatting with a friend on the powerlines in front of our house all morning. He must have come down to the fence for a break!

Zeltilda has contributed a photo to this story.

drunkspeed002

at 16:18 on August 20th, 2008

took this shot in inglewood bird sanctuary (Calgary)

drunkspeed002 has contributed a photo to this story.

NikonMizar

at 16:37 on August 20th, 2008

This shot was taken at the Rocky Mountain National Park, July 2008. We were hiking along a meadows trail when I heard a loud bird call behind a bush, I decided to investigate. This bird was snacking on some worms it had found by a creek.

NikonMizar has contributed a photo to this story.

boysdean

at 16:44 on August 20th, 2008

Magpies are fascinating birds that often do not allow a close approach. They are beautifully marked in good lighting. This one was photographed in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. There are lots of magpies there and they are easily seen throughout many areas of the park.

boysdean has contributed a photo to this story.

TaniaLS

at 17:04 on August 20th, 2008

Photo taken in Peachland, BC

TaniaLS has contributed a photo to this story.

kgalluzzo

at 17:29 on August 20th, 2008

This guy was searching around my friends vege patch for food. He was quite unfazed by the fact that I was taking pictures. I love this photograph its natural. I love magpies, my nan feeds them by hand and each year they bring there young to her its quite amazing how trusting these birds are. The father of the pair that go to my nan's house can actually mimmic her phone and sirens and other bird noises. They are very intellegent.

kgalluzzo has contributed a photo to this story.

Fran Yule

at 18:10 on August 20th, 2008

Injured magpies are often attacked by others and killed or mauled so much that they die from the injuries or starvation. This magpie stayed around our backyard for several weeks and we fed him every day. We had to keep him/her away from the ducks because the female was laying and she would've attacked it and possibly caused it's demise. The injury, I'm glad to report, must've been something like a sprain because a few weeks later the magpie was walking normally. Every now and then we spot maggie around the yard. Not quite tame but friendly.

Fran Yule has contributed a photo to this story.

BlindFocus.net

at 18:29 on August 20th, 2008

Taken at Vondelpark in Amsterdam

BlindFocus.net has contributed a photo to this story.

ashish_mantri

at 20:13 on August 20th, 2008

This picture of Magpie Robin was clicked at Corbette National Park, India.

ashish_mantri has contributed a photo to this story.

geekscape

at 21:44 on August 20th, 2008

Breeding pair of Australian White-backed Magpies, drop in for a regular feed, in an inner urban suburb of Melbourne, Victoria.

geekscape has contributed a photo to this story.

ESOX LUCIUS

at 22:37 on August 20th, 2008

A magpie roving along the Dutch coast.

myopixia

at 00:12 on August 21st, 2008

Seeing this study was a German study, i assume they were looking at the european magpie, a member of the crow family.

But many pictures here (including my own) are of the Australian magpie, which is a bird of an entirely different feather! ... well, similar plumage pattern, but in a different bird family.