Turns out “bird brain” isn’t an insult after all.
Try regarding it as evidence of scientific progress, or a bold defiance of conventional opinions about the limits of language.
Not sold?
Try reading Irene Pepperberg’s “Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence — and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process.”
The book tells how Pepperberg spent more than 30 years training Alex, an African Grey parrot.
Those decades of training produced unprecedented research into animal minds.
Through her research, Pepperberg learns Alex can understand addition, word structure, intention and more.
Pepperberg, who got her first bird for her fourth birthday, takes on the project in the mid ’70s — with few existing research articles to back up her findings.
What’s more, in focusing her research largely on language, she throws herself into the center of an especially divisive debate.
“The subject of language has always been a contentious topic, scientifically but also emotionally,” Pepperberg writes.
The belief, she explains, is often that language is something distinctly human. Extending the concept, some critics say, blurs the line that separates humans from other creatures.
Those are among the many odds Pepperberg battles throughout her book, an uphill fight that often results in outside skepticism and funding challenges.
“Alex & Me” joins the recent deluge of memoirs highlighting the often life-impacting ties between humans and their animals.
Like its canine counterpart, “Marley & Me,” Pepperberg’s book carries a touch of sentimentality.
It opens by focusing on the widespread effects of the parrot’s 2007 death — a loss that generated eulogies similar to the passing of a human leader.
“He owned us as much as we owned him,” Pepperberg writes of Alex. “Overall, he was a Puck-like character.”
Sure, Alex impacts a broader understanding of life and science, but he also has colorful traits that are distinctly his own.
Like a passion for dancing to “California Dreamin.”
Make no mistake: “Alex & Me” is not just another animal book.
Its science component alone is riveting, and some moments — like Alex’s decision to call an apple a “banerry” (combining banana and cherry) will make your jaw drop.
The relationship between Alex and Pepperberg is endearing, as they’re accurately compared to an old married couple in the book.
It’s no wonder his final parting words to his owner include, “You be good. I love you.”
But most importantly, the book is a testament to the power of diligence and dedication — traits with potential to influence science more than any equation.
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