What We Dont Know About Avian Cognitive and Emotional Intelligence

Last Updated on February 28, 2025 by Mitch Rezman

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While parrots like African greys and cockatoos have been studied for their problem-solving abilities and mimicry, research on the emotional depth, intelligence, and problem-solving skills of smaller parrots (like budgies and lovebirds) and other pet birds (such as finches and canaries) is far more limited.

Other under-researched areas include:

Long-Term Nutritional Effects – While there are studies on bird nutrition, long-term studies One of the least studied subjects on pet birds is avian cognitive and emotional intelligence—especially in non-psittacine species. While parrots like African greys and cockatoos have been studied for their problem-solving abilities and mimicry, research on the emotional depth, intelligence, and problem-solving skills of smaller parrots (like budgies and lovebirds) and other pet birds (such as finches and canaries) is far more limited.

Other under-researched areas include:

Long-Term Nutritional Effects – While there are studies on bird nutrition, long-term studies on how different diets affect pet birds’ health across decades (especially in smaller species) are rare.
Aging and Geriatric Care – Unlike mammals, there’s little research on how pet birds age, how to best care for elderly birds, and what health conditions develop over time.
Behavioral Impacts of Captivity – While we know some effects of captivity, studies on how different levels of enrichment, space, and social interaction impact a bird’s mental well-being are lacking.
Reproductive Health in Companion Birds – While fertility and breeding in poultry and commercial birds are well studied, there is less data on hormonal and reproductive health in long-lived pet birds.
Zoonotic Diseases and Microbiomes – The gut microbiome of parrots and its relationship to their health is an emerging field, but research is still in its infancy compared to mammals.

on how different diets affect pet birds’ health across decades (especially in smaller species) are rare.
Aging and Geriatric Care – Unlike mammals, there’s little research on how pet birds age, how to best care for elderly birds, and what health conditions develop over time.
Behavioral Impacts of Captivity – While we know some effects of captivity, studies on how different levels of enrichment, space, and social interaction impact a bird’s mental well-being are lacking.
Reproductive Health in Companion Birds – While fertility and breeding in poultry and commercial birds are well studied, there is less data on hormonal and reproductive health in long-lived pet birds.
Zoonotic Diseases and Microbiomes – The gut microbiome of parrots and its relationship to their health is an emerging field, but research is still in its infancy compared to mammals.