....Dr. Donald R. Griffin, author of "Animal Thinking," who coined the phrase "cognitive ethology," the study of animal cognition. He believes that animals are capable of complex thought and behavior that is not just instinctive.

The discovery that "a bird can express his conscious thoughts and feelings," said Dr. Griffin, "is a great advance. We used to think that was impossible." To Dr. Griffin, Alex's achievements are just one more proof of his contention.

Dr. Griffin's views of animal intelligence have been hotly contested. "The intensity of the aversion is incredible," he said. "It's a very touchy subject.

Scientists don't like to be told that a valid reason for what an animal does is the possibility that it does it with any consciousness."

Alex probably wasn't ever going to become an engineer or split the atom, but then again, he probably didn’t aspire to

would that change your current perception of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable treatment of animals?

I've always thought that one of the reasons humans tend to dismiss the possible intelligence of animals is the fact that we can't communicate with them.

would that change your current perception of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable treatment of animals?

Clipping wings and/or keeping birds in cages to me is where this discussion begins.
Flying is the essence of their existence.

Ultimately, humans, as a species, are deeply flawed. Using our superior intelligence as an excuse for cruelty upon another species is, in my opinion, not a reflection of our superiority on the food chain, but rather, evidence that humans, in general, are not yet as superior as we'd like to think we are. Perhaps if we were more humble with ourselves, accept our biological origins, and realize that, like all the other species in the animal kingdom, we are born and evolved from the Earth, then we may sooner realize that we really aren't superior and above the food chain and eco-system. We have always been, and always will be part of it.

A truly dispassionate observer might argue that most Grey parrots could probably learn what Alex had learned, but only a microscopic minority of humans could have learned what Alex had to teach. Most humans are not truly dispassionate observers. We're too invested in the idea of our superiority to understand what an inferior quality it really is. I always wonder how the experiments would go if they were reversed — if, instead of us trying to teach Alex how to use the English language, Alex were to try teaching us to understand the world as it appears to parrots. by Verlyn Klinkenborg

"It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons." - Douglas Adams

Taking birds out of their natural habitat and their instinctive environs decapitates their entire soul and being. I know this can be said about other animals too but to me there is something about doing it to birds and their purpose on the planet that magnifies the meddling.

Communicating ?
The sound of birds communicating WITH EACH OTHER is what poems and songs are made of, the most beautiful sound that there is at dawn.

I can pick individuals by their songs and looks/character...
I've tried to learn some of the signals/calls/responses to calls... and when I get the tones right.. they look at me... sing another bit for me to try and copy......

on the original question I disagree, seems to me a form or ROTE learning perhaps? sorry for being the skeptic

Humans have gone one better and can construct our own shelter etc.

Families interfering with their choice of mate, that’s what!

Perhaps because we knocked all the trees they used to use down, to build ours. Yes times have indeed changed since we decided to start building homes, and if conservation and considerate use of natural resources was one of the benchmarks of intelligence we wouldn't rate so well. Anyway, the point you initially made was that thinking to construct housing is a sign of the greater intelligence of humans, and yet we are neither unique nor original that practice.