Birds showing most self-control score higher in cognitive tests The old saying states a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush but it appears Eurasian jays may beg to differ: researchers have found the corvids shun an immediate reward for a tastier, but delayed, treat. What’s more, the team found the birds that showed the most self-control scored higher on a variety of cognitive tests, suggesting they were more intelligent. Dr Alex Schnell, first author of the study from the University of Cambridge, said the relationship has previously been seen in chimpanzees and cuttlefish – species that diverged long ago. “For the first time we show a link between self-control and intelligence in birds,” said Schnell. “Our research provides further evidence that self-control plays a key ingredient in what it means to be intelligent.” Read moreWriting in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Schnell and colleagues report how 10 Eurasian jays were presented with a series of drawers with a different symbol on the front. Each contained a treat that was visible to the bird. Over a series of trials the birds were taught the symbols related to how available the treat in the drawer was – while one drawer offered an immediately available treat, another drawer’s contents were only available after a delay, and those in a third drawer remained unavailable. The birds were also taught that once they chose a treat, the other options were removed. After determining each bird’s treat preferences, the team explored whether, and for how long, the birds were prepared to wait for a worm from the “delay” drawer when a less-preferred snack, either bread or cheese, was immediately available. The experiments are similar to the so-called “marshmallow test” – a famous challenge presented to young children by researchers at Stanford University in the 1960s and 70s, in which children were given the option of a single marshmallow immediately or two of the sweet treats if they resisted the urge to eat the first for a given period. The results of the new study reveal that while the birds varied in how long they were prepared to wait, all of them delayed eating the immediate snack in the hope of something better. However the birds appeared to find waiting more difficult as the delay increased. “Some only waited a maximum of 20 seconds and failed all the other trials with longer delays. By contrast, others waited up to five and a half minutes,” said Schnell. The team adds that the birds showed little sign of waiting when the tastier treat was presented in the “unavailable” drawer, suggesting they only delayed gratification when it seemed worth it. have previously passed versions of the marshmallow test the latest study goes further revealing that the jays that were able to wait for longer showed better general intelligence as determined by five different cognitive tests Schnell noted studies in humans have previously suggested a link between self-control and general intelligence. However recent research has called into question the strength of findings suggesting that children who are more patient in the marshmallow test have better outcomes in later life with the association greatly weakened once factors such as family background early cognitive ability and home environment are taken into account an expert in animal behaviour from the University of St Andrews who was not involved in the work noting the findings suggest self-control and cognition is linked in the birds “This suggests that self-control and cognition is linked Schweinfurth added that given birds are only very distantly related to us and other primates the results suggest that either the link between self-control and cognition is more universal or that it has evolved several times “Future studies are needed to understand the evolutionary origins of this link and whether the link between self-control and cognition is limited to spatial cognition or could be extended to other cognitive skills Vezess.hu collected the most exciting routes in Hungary for those who love driving and exploring the country by car This is one of the curviest routes in Pest county, starting from Szentendre and ending in Visegrád The speed limit is 50 km/h at the beginning This crossing may surprise drivers who do not expect it The route is not cleaned during winter; this is why it can be quite an adventure You should pay extra attention during autumn and winter because there might be hidden obstacles on the sides of the road even if the rest is clean and dry If you are searching for a better quality road in the Pilis Mountains, this route is definitely for you. It starts in Pomáz/Budakalász and ends in Esztergom You should take a rest by Dobogókő that is the top of the mountain you can watch one of his races between Oroszlány and Pusztavám These two routes are the “Heaven of the Hungarian Rally Roads” you have to be very cautious and careful due to the narrow blind corners quickly following each other Take into consideration who you bring for these drives because they must not have a weak stomach Starting from Balatonfüred, you can explore the beauties of the Balaton-felvidék (Balaton Uplands) ending your journey in Keszthely This area is also called as the Tiny Provence due to its beauty which makes your drive even more pleasurable you should follow route 71 from Balatonfüred then turn right by Zánka you can enjoy the view in the direction of the Káli-Basin and culinary experiences are awaiting you on your way to Keszthely Even though the Tokaj Wine Region is breathtaking we cannot tell the same about the roads surrounding it This is because old and pot-holed sections and brand-new parts are changing each other here There are two large double-turn-back crossings There is not enough space for cars next to the trucks and busses Photos: Google Maps [Maps include the distances and also the estimated time (‘perc’ means ‘minute’) of the drives.] Featured Image: Wiki Commons by txd – originally posted to Flickr as Landscape in Hungary It would be nice if there could be some suggestions for a restaurant or two that serve local foods and website in this browser for the next time I comment Y"},"category":false,"taxonomy":{"active":false,"name":"category"}},"markup":{"custom_html":true,"wpp-start":"","wpp-end":"<\/ul>","title-start":"","title-end":"<\/h2>","post-html":"{thumb} {title} {stats}<\/span>{excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}} You have successfully joined our subscriber list © 2025 DailyNewsHungary | All rights reserved