Can Pigeons Really Read

The video explores a 2016 study on pigeons' ability to recognize words, a process known as orthographic processing. Pigeons were trained to distinguish real words from gibberish, similar to a previous study on baboons. The study found that pigeons could recognize words and even identify transposed letters, indicating a level of orthographic processing. However, pigeons lack other reading processes like phonological and semantic processing. The study suggests that the human brain's reading capabilities may have evolved from older functions related to visual recognition, supporting the neuronal recycling hypothesis.

What new insight or understanding did you gain from this video?