Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

640
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
640
Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions01:20

Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions

12.1K
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It consists of four main parts: the cerebrum, diencephalon, cerebellum, and brainstem.
The cerebrum is the largest section of the brain and divides into left and right hemispheres, separated by a deep fissure. The cerebral outer layer of grey matter — the cerebral cortex — comprises elevations called gyri and shallow groves called sulci. The inner portion of white matter includes long nerve fibers known as axons, which connect...
12.1K
Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview I01:26

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview I

6.4K
The main and largest component of the human brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum consists of two main parts: the cerebral cortex, an outer layer with wrinkles or folds known as gyri and shallow grooves called sulci, and a deeper region beneath it. The cerebrum divides into two distinct hemispheres and contains five different lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and insula. The central sulcus separates the frontal and parietal lobes and two functionally important gyri — the...
6.4K
Brick Sizes01:21

Brick Sizes

405
Brick sizing plays a crucial role in construction, influencing both the aesthetics and structural integrity of buildings. Bricks are defined by three dimensions: width, thickness, and length. They are commonly designed to fit modular measurements, typically in multiples of 4 inches or 8 inches in width, to facilitate uniform construction and compatibility with other building materials.
Modular bricks are the most common type and are sized to include the mortar joint, which is essential for...
405
Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles01:18

Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles

10.6K
There are hollow fluid-filled cavities known as ventricles deep inside the human brain. There are two lateral ventricles, one in each cerebral hemisphere, and each has three different projections — the anterior, inferior, and posterior horns visible from the lateral side. A thin membrane called the septum pellucidum separates the two lateral ventricles. The slender third ventricle in the diencephalon is connected to each lateral ventricle via a channel called the interventricular foramen.
10.6K
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

11.2K
The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
11.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Developing and validating a holistic welfare assessment tool for zoo-housed great apes: Integrating resource-based measures with behavioural ecology insights.

PloS one·2026
Same author

The locomotor ecology of wild western lowland gorillas: How does the largest ape exploit complex arboreal environments?

Journal of anatomy·2025
Same author

Risk factors for CAR T-cell manufacturing failure and patient outcomes in large B-cell lymphoma: a report from the UK National CAR T Panel.

Blood cancer journal·2025
Same author

Potential resilience treatments for orangutans (<i>Pongo</i> spp.): Lessons from a scoping review of interventions in humans and other animals.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2024
Same author

The role of great ape behavioral ecology in One Health: Implications for captive welfare and re-habilitation success.

American journal of primatology·2021
Same author

Boldness traits, not dominance, predict exploratory flight range and homing behaviour in homing pigeons.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2017
Same journal

Correction: Quantifying nonmnemonic strategies in two-alternative forced-choice delayed matching and nonmatching-to-position tasks in mice (Mus musculus) using automated video tracking technologies.

Learning & behavior·2026
Same journal

Unconditional stimulus deflation is stimulus specific.

Learning & behavior·2026
Same journal

What is possible and what is worth: Higher levers afford more work and enhance the value of leisure.

Learning & behavior·2026
Same journal

Behavioral impact of adolescent social isolation stress: A multidimensional assessment in male NMRI mice.

Learning & behavior·2026
Same journal

Behavioral characteristics of rapid visual categorization learning in domestic chicks.

Learning & behavior·2026
Same journal

Operant conditioning through positive reinforcement in the ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata).

Learning & behavior·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Fabrication of an Expandable Brain Matrix Customizable Across Developmental Stages
11:35

Fabrication of an Expandable Brain Matrix Customizable Across Developmental Stages

Published on: February 20, 2026

244

Bird brains: Does absolute size matter?

Jackie Chappell1

  • 1School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. j.m.chappell@bham.ac.uk.

Learning & Behavior
|September 25, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Absolute brain size in birds predicts motor self-control performance, matching that of primates. This finding challenges traditional views on brain size and cognitive abilities.

Keywords:
BirdsBrain sizeCognitive ethologyComparative cognitionSelf-regulation

More Related Videos

Surgical Size Reduction of Zebrafish for the Study of Embryonic Pattern Scaling
06:31

Surgical Size Reduction of Zebrafish for the Study of Embryonic Pattern Scaling

Published on: May 3, 2019

7.3K
Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development
04:10

Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development

Published on: February 18, 2021

1.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Fabrication of an Expandable Brain Matrix Customizable Across Developmental Stages
11:35

Fabrication of an Expandable Brain Matrix Customizable Across Developmental Stages

Published on: February 20, 2026

244
Surgical Size Reduction of Zebrafish for the Study of Embryonic Pattern Scaling
06:31

Surgical Size Reduction of Zebrafish for the Study of Embryonic Pattern Scaling

Published on: May 3, 2019

7.3K
Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development
04:10

Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development

Published on: February 18, 2021

1.5K

Area of Science:

  • Comparative psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Animal cognition

Background:

  • Cognitive abilities are often linked to brain size.
  • Previous research primarily focused on mammals for cognitive studies.
  • The relationship between brain size and complex cognition requires further investigation across diverse taxa.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between absolute brain size and motor self-control in birds.
  • To compare avian cognitive performance on a self-control task with that of primates.
  • To explore the implications of avian cognitive abilities for understanding brain size and cognition evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a motor self-control task previously administered to primates.
  • Assessed performance of various bird species on the task.
  • Correlated absolute brain size with task performance across species.

Main Results:

  • Absolute brain size was a significant predictor of motor self-control performance in birds.
  • Birds demonstrated a level of performance comparable to primates, despite significant differences in brain size.
  • This suggests that relative brain size or other factors may be more critical for complex cognition than previously assumed.

Conclusions:

  • Absolute brain size is a key factor in avian motor self-control.
  • Cognitive abilities, such as self-control, may not scale linearly with brain size across different vertebrate groups.
  • Avian cognition warrants further research to understand the evolution of complex cognitive traits.