While many of us love raptors for their beauty, we often overlook their intelligence. Folks at The Raptor Center (TRC) can tell you all about how smart and savvy these birds can be. The power of these complex brains manifests in several ways through raptor behavior.

Raptors are often perched with little motion, have a “severe” expression, and appear calm and patient in their disposition. This perceived stoicism may mask their intelligence, as many types of raptors are also known for their problem-solving, memory, and associative learning skills.

Several raptor species adapt their hunting strategies based on the environment—golden eagles will use sun-blinding to disarm prey, red-tailed hawks will wait on the side of the road for car strikes, and Harris’s hawks will hunt collaboratively in family groups to flush out their next meal. Some raptors, such as Egyptian vultures, have even demonstrated the ability to use tools.

Raptors, like most of their avian kin, have a complex brain structure with many components comparable to those of the mammalian brain. However, raptors have a high brain- to-body ratio and higher neuron density than mammals, which indicates their brains are more efficient at processing information.

The largest part of their brains, the telencephalon (/telənˈsefələn/), mainly processes visual and spatial information, especially in nocturnal hunters such as owls. They see, hear, and understand what they are sensing very quickly and can react rapidly to that information, critical to their survival in the wild.

Many raptor species have shown they are capable of remembering individuals and can work collaboratively with other members of their species. TRC’s education team supports the collaborative nature of our raptor ambassadors as they care for and train them to be willing education partners. Ambassadors learn to associate a cue, most often a noise or sight, with a specific behavior, which is then reinforced with something positive, such as a food reward. This allows TRC to safely and respectfully display our ambassador raptors, who willingly engage with their handlers in a variety of educational settings.

Raptors’ brains are much more complex and powerful than many people give them credit for. Their intelligence is essential to their success in both the wild and at TRC.