It's difficult to say definitively which bird is the "best" at counting in the way that humans understand counting. Birds don't seem to have the same conceptual understanding of numbers that we do.
However, there are some birds that exhibit remarkable abilities related to numerical cognition:
Parrots: African grey parrots have been shown to understand the concept of numerical order and can distinguish between small quantities of objects.
Crows: These intelligent birds can recognize and differentiate between different quantities of objects up to a certain amount.
Jays: Studies suggest Scrub Jays can remember the location and quantity of hidden food items, demonstrating a spatial and numerical memory.
Rooks: These crows' close relatives have been observed using tools and strategically placing objects to achieve a goal, suggesting some planning and numerical reasoning.
It's important to note that these abilities likely involve estimation, recognition of small quantities, and keeping track of "more" or "less" rather than complex mathematical calculations.
Here are some interesting aspects of bird behavior related to numbers:
Clutch size: Many birds lay a specific number of eggs based on factors like food availability and chick survival rates. This demonstrates an instinctual understanding of numbers to an extent.
Flocking behavior: Birds often flock in large numbers, and some theories suggest they may keep track of the group size to maintain cohesion.
While there's no single "counting champion" among birds, their behavior showcases some impressive cognitive abilities related to numbers and quantities.
