Pigeons are smarter than hi-tech artificial intelligence.
Pigeons are as smart as robots
The bird is traditionally considered to be stupid but a new study has found that the creatures have the wits to match the best robots.
In experiments, pigeons turned to trial and error and memorised enough characters to reach almost 70 per cent accuracy and scientists have equated the repetitive approach to that of AI.
Professor Ed Wasserman, of the University of Iowa in the US, said: "You hear all the time about the wonders of AI.
"Is it smart? No, it's using the same system or equivalent to what a pigeon is using."
In the tests, four pigeons were shown a stimulus and had to decide, by pecking one of two buttons, to which category it belonged. A correct answer was rewarded with a pellet.
Each bird began by correctly answering around half the time but the quartet of pigeons eventually upped their score to an average of 68 per cent.