Birds, Like Humans, Can Plan Ahead

Western scrub jays, perching birds common in California cities, store snacks when they detect that food will be in short supply the next day or in the near future, new research suggests.

Scientists had previously placed the skill of “future-planning” into the exclusively human category. Recent studies have revealed some planning smarts in primates such as apes, but most other animals were perceived as only capable of putting their immediate needs on center stage.

Even animals that may appear to recognize future needs, the scientists suggest, are actually reacting to instinctual cues, such as the case with nest building, or immediate needs like hunger, which can trigger food hoarding.

From LiveScience