Snakes ARE affectionate

[eminart]

Originally Posted by MesoCorney

Eminart corvids are generally accepted as the most intelligent bird group, but raptors are no dunces. Harris's Hawks are known to hunt in coordinated groups. Egyptian vultures use twigs to rake up wool for their nests. I am curious what you base your allocation of intelligence off of?
Ugghh another one of those comments. If you don't find this interesting why comment at all. I feel as passionate as the participants seem to be, it has been kept fairly civil. Why discourage friendly discourse?

I'm not sure how I discouraged friendly discourse?

Yes, corvids are certainly recognized as the most intelligent of birds. However, I've been around my fair share of Harris' hawks, and there's nothing particularly striking about their behavior. Yes, they hunt in groups, and seem to exhibit a very low level of problem-solving. But they'll also bind to the rump of a 100lb deer that they have zero chance of taking down, and that could injure or kill them. The "intelligence" they seem to have is centered in very specific areas and could be argued that they're merely acting on evolved instincts and not thinking at all. With the red tails that I commonly fly, they really seem not much different than reptiles. It seems that 90% of their actions are governed by instinct.

But, we're getting off track.