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So this is the question: can animals count? If so, and if it implies some intelligence degree, why they fail to do less complex tasks?

For instance, a female duck may lay eggs in a tree hole. The offspring need to jump from the tree as the mother calls them in the ground. She will wait until all of the little ones are with her: so she knows somehow to count. Correct? That proves some level of intelligence. However she is not wise enough to round around an obstacle like a mesh panel or a fallen tree branch to get more food. Why?

Please only serious and solid answers.

Thx

p.s. I'm not including those with "sufficient" intelligence, like simians, dolphins, etc.

Aram
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  • I am not sure, if it needs counting to see that someone of the family is missing. Even if you can not count and say how many are part of your family, if you know each one, you will notice that exactly this one person is missing. – Allerleirauh Dec 29 '21 at 15:18

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A study by Scarf et al. 2011 in Science demonstrated pigeons' numerical competency through their ability to order numerical lists.

More recently, Howard et al. 2019 in The Journal of Experimental Biology showed the proto-counting ability of bees. Their introduction also discusses (with citations to their studies) other animals with counting abilities (e.g., monkeys, dolphins, etc.).

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Anecdotal evidence is "Some can, some can't, some may just not solve problems that way" Some birds have been demonstrated to be able to count up to 14 or so. On the other hand, look up cowbirds to understand why the number of eggs, even if they could count, might not be what drives behavior.

Intelligence is not a single thing. It's a bunch of mental tools that evolved to meet the requirements of survival, and that can sometimes then be applied to solve other problems. It isn't yes/no, it isn't even just a matter of degree; it's how good the critters are at solving each specific problem.

And note that intelligence isn't the only way to solve problems. Persistent trial-and-error, and some memory of what finally worked last time, often works well enough.

keshlam
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Very late to this question but I am almost certain of it. Firstly, it is a useful skill in nature -- if a dog or cat has a large litter, the first sign that someone is missing is a short count. I also knew a cat who was "coparented" and one of the coparents attempted to even out the number of kittens who were nursing.

Years after your question was asked, a woman started to teach a young female puppy named Bunny to use word buttons and the results are nothing short of amazing -- there are many videos on Youtube showing her doing things like announcing in the afternoon that it will be night soon or, lacking a word for "splinter" said there was a "stranger" in her paw and when the paw was inspected, indeed there was a piece of wood stuck in it.

As for numeracy, I am somewhat surprised that they have yet to give her word buttons for the number 1 through 5 -- Bunny has said so many remarkable things that I am almost certain she could answer questions like "How many?" just as some parrots can.

What her owner does that is closest to showing Bunny can count is she makes the "Roo" sound which Bunny seems to do when she is excited. Her owner can say "Roo" N number of times and Bunny will repeat "Roo" the same number of times, up to six. But it would be so easy to add buttons for the numbers -- perhaps they will do that soon or someone else will.

releseabe
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