The avian brain.

ABSTRACT

There is a reason this primer is called 'The avian brain' and not 'The birdbrain' even though the latter term might be more accessible. The term birdbrain was long used as a derogative, yet I hope that this primer will inspire you to see it more as I do - as a compliment. This primer will take you on a short tour. First, I will explore superficial differences between birds and mammals. Then I will briefly mention the behavioral capabilities of birds and explain why the bird brain has the neural makeup to generate these behaviors. This will lead me to briefly describe some key neural circuits and structures and to conclude with the ongoing challenge to identify functional differences in the neural substrates of avian and mammalian cognition. The aim of this short article, therefore, is not to give a full review of the avian brain but rather to highlight important aspects with a focus on the comparison to the mammalian brain and cognition.