Children vs Chickens - Who is the Smartest?

Of all the birds in the animal kingdom, chickens aren’t usually considered the smartest. But now, a team of scientists is maintaining that as well as being delicious, chickens also exhibit Machiavellian tendencies.

To readers unfamiliar with the term, Machiavellianism is a modern psychological term defined as "the employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct." Basically, it describes behaviour that’s sly, devious and opportunistic.

Risqué roosters hoodwink mates

So what makes scientists think that chickens are capable of such a thing? After closely studying behavioural patterns, the team observed wily roosters making food calls to attract mates, even when no food was present. Scientists also observed roosters toning down the volume of clucking during mating, to avoid alerting rivals to a potential mate.

Now, animal scientists are maintaining that chicken intelligence has been wildly underestimated, and that the humble farmyard bird could be armed with cognitive skills that are on par with its mammal and primate counterparts.

Sly roosters on par with the seven-year-old brain

Ultimately, the observations suggest that chickens could be capable of greater logical reasoning than children. While the human race is burdened with its fair share of Machiavellian behaviour, children don’t acquire logical reasoning skills until the age of seven.

“Unlike many other birds, chickens are categorised as a commodity, devoid of authenticity as a real animal,” comments Dr Loro Marino, a senior scientist acting on behalf of American animal protection organisation, Farm Sanctuary.

“But chickens have the capacity to reason and make logical inferences, a capability that humans develop at approximately the age of seven. They perceive time intervals and may be able to anticipate future events.”

He goes on to admit that while the concept of chicken psychology may sound strange, “Chickens are behaviourally sophisticated, discriminating among individuals, exhibiting Machiavellian-like social interactions, and learning socially in complex ways that are similar to humans.”

Real life ‘Chicken Run’

Not only are chickens capable of devious behaviour, but Marino also asserts that every bird has its own unique personality. Not to mention a conscious awareness of negative and positive emotions, including fear, anxiety and anticipation. The team also found that chickens are able to exhibit self-control, and interpret their position in the pecking order. Both are tell-tale characteristics of a sense of self-awareness.

So could the new research render the ‘bird brain’ insult obsolete? While KFC aficionados may not be giving up their buckets any time soon, it is a milestone finding for animal rights groups.

In the same way that animal rights activists are rallying to change views on chickens, grass-roots science outreach groups are advocating for greater equality in the science sphere. ‘Soapbox Science - Bringing Female Scientists to the Streets’ spotlights the movement, and its efforts to provide sassy  role models for the next generation.