IIRC from an ornithologist talk, owls have such good evolutionary advantages (eyesight, hearing, silent flight), they don’t have to be “intelligent”. The rest of the raptors are generally considered more “intelligent” for seeking, stalking, and catching prey.
Corvids are but it’s not a bird universal. Ravens, crows, magpies are smart, but owls belong to an evolutionary family that considers brains to be a good counterweight.
not as smart as the smartest birds doesn’t mean they aren’t still smart. also, parrots have similar intelligence to corvids, and even pigeons are good at recognizing patterns
Owls are not wise. They’re idiots, almost the entire skull cavity is just made of eyeballs, that’s very little left over for the brain.
IIRC from an ornithologist talk, owls have such good evolutionary advantages (eyesight, hearing, silent flight), they don’t have to be “intelligent”. The rest of the raptors are generally considered more “intelligent” for seeking, stalking, and catching prey.
and the earholes
but bird brains are small and dense so they’re still smart anyway
Corvids are but it’s not a bird universal. Ravens, crows, magpies are smart, but owls belong to an evolutionary family that considers brains to be a good counterweight.
not as smart as the smartest birds doesn’t mean they aren’t still smart. also, parrots have similar intelligence to corvids, and even pigeons are good at recognizing patterns