Inside the corvid brain-probing the physiology of cognition in crows

- Single-neuron activity was recorded in crows performing delayed response tasks.
- Neurons in nidopallium caudolatererale signal cognitive variables.
- Nidopallium caudolatererale acts as the corvid brain's central executive.
- Intelligence is realized with different endbrain designs via convergent evolution.

A wealth of behavioral data show that songbirds of the corvid family are endowed with exquisite cognitive capabilities. The neurophysiological basis of this behavioral flexibility has been addressed recently by recording single-neuron activity from the associative endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) in behaving crows. NCL neurons encode sensory and cognitive variables during working memory, but also participate in the translation of cognitive signals to motor behaviors. These findings highlight the NCL as the corvid brain's central executive. Intelligence in birds can be realized with an endbrain design that is radically different from the mammalian neocortex and developed independently via convergent evolution.