Alan Bond is professor emeritus of biological sciences at the University of Nebraska and Judy Diamond is professor and curator at the University of Nebraska State Museum. Together they have studied the social behavior, cognition, and vocalizations of wild parrots for more than three decades. They are coauthors of Kea, Bird of Paradox: The Evolution and Behavior of a New Zealand Parrot and Concealing Coloration in Animals. For more on their research, please visit the website of the Center for Avian Cognition, http: //www.aviancog.org/.
There is indeed something special about parrots. Bond and Diamond have captured beautifully the essence of both the extreme complexity and sophistication of the wild birds and our complex relationship with them. Thinking Like a Parrot nails the most difficult aspect by managing to explain, without getting bogged down, the high levels of cognition and intelligence of parrots, especially in context of their complex social lives. Totally original and engagingly written. --Robert Heinsohn, Australian National University