How exactly intelligent were the extinct Dinosaurs?

After doing a lot of research on bird intelligence, dinosaur intelligence, and dinosaur evolution, it has come to my mind of how exactly "intelligent" were these creatures. First, let me get some things straight.

 

By intelligence I don't mean intelligence as in opening doors or being able to "talk" to each other, I mean intelligence as in the ability to acquire knowledge, skills, and information and applying it to everyday situations and problems.

Now, as we look at dinosaur evolution, we notice that some of the carnivorous dinosaurs become more bird-like and bigger brained (in proportion to their bodies.)

Now, when we look at dinosaurs alive (birds) today, we see what some consider staggering intelligence. Chickens can actually determine geometry shapes, recognize old "friends" even after long periods of time, chickens also have been shown to calculate where grasshoppers will land prior to hunting them, and then there is the African Grey Parrot that could actually say full sentences.

Crows have been studied to be able to actually count.

Pigeons can actually recognize themselves in mirrors and use them to get info about their environment, when trained to do so.

Some scientists argue on whether or not some birds can qualify as being able to use tools.

Many birds seem to become much smarter when they are taught things.

Some birds communicate with each other within flocks through special calls and song, technically "talking" with each other.

Birds are pretty intelligent, with according to most studies, the African Grey Parrot is the smartest of birds. (Although some argye that jays and crows are rivals for this.)

The African Grey Parrot has an EQ of 1. What is interesting is that studies of the lower parts of avian brains is strikingly similar to humans.

So how smart were the more "primitive" ancestors of birds?

Some scientists argue that animals such as T. rex were one of the smartest dinosaurs of North America, however, they say that it was as intelligent as a mouse, and that a modern household cat could outsmart a T. rex.

Even though some mice do show some pretty interesting abilities, most would not consider this a compliment, some may agree.

They say this do to the estimated EQ of T. rex. However, there comes a problem, as it is clear that EQ is not a reliable way to determine proper intelligence.

Small birds have a surprisingly bigger brains than humans when it comes to the ratio of brain to body.

According to Wikipedia, small birds brain-to-body ratio is 1:12 while for humans it is 1:40.

So is EQ really the best way to measure extinct Dinosaur intelligence?

Now it gets interesting... Some Tyrannosaurs had a bigger brain than the African Grey Parrot in proportion to body size...

Some over 5 times that...

So could this counter-argue what paleontologists say of T. rex and other relatives of this animal not being smarter than a mouse or opussum?

Then there are the Dromeosaurs.

As we can see species such as the Velociraptors were one of the smartest of dinosaurs, if we judge their intelligence on EQ.

Whats interesting is that the fact that the African Grey Parrot, the bird that was able to find the meanings of words and form sentences with it, was, in theory, could have been dumb compared to the other dinosaurs...

Again, EQ is not always a reliable way to determine intelligence within animals, especially extinct ones.

But it comes to the point where it can give us an idea. Of course, who knows what these creatures were capable of learning, understanding, and whatever intelligence brings to today's creatures.

Could these animals have easily communicated with each other, developing a "dino-language?" Maybe not possibly with what today paleontolongists suggest, but it is an interesting idea.

As we look at the evolution of dinosaurs, with each new group of carnivorous dinosaurs emerging, we notice they becoma relatively smarter.

Kind of like us, primates.

I will elaborate on this, as I have shown the possiblity of how dinosaurs could have been amazingly and strikinlgy intelligent, however, with the smartest being wiped out or losing their brain size or inteligence, we must look at the other possiblity, one that many people do not like to think of:

Dinosaurs could have been stupid. Not likely, but let's consider.

With primate evolution, we generally see each new species gets more intelligent.

Humans are considered the most intelligent species so far on the planet. And as we go farher back with primate evolution, our ancestors and relatives seems to get less intelligent. Most hominids are/were smarter than Chimpanzees and Bonobos, while Chimpanzees, Gorillas, and Orangutans are smarter than monkeys, and monkeys are considered smarter than tarsiers, etc.

Birds are after all highly advanced theropod dinosaurs.

Just to consider, could the same be applied to dinosaurs? Why yes. The EQ chart almost goes in line with the dinosaur evolution chart, each new dinosaur group that emerges is generally smarter than the last, theroetically speaking with using EQ ot determine their intelligence.

Then again, plenty of dinosaurs had bigger brains than birds with EQ and brain-to-body ratios. It is just a thought, though.

I think of it as unlikely that predatory dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurs and Dromeosaurs were stupid. I think of most of them having been fiercely intelligent, having to have to evolve the brains to communicate and coordinate attacks on other animals.

 

Then of course, there comes a part to birds that was probably the same with other dinosaurs, as well.

 

Dinosaurs could have relied more on instinct, pure natural instinct.

We see it in Penguins, they mostly act on instinct rather than intelligence. Male penguins will starve themselves for two months taking care of their egg, to avoid all risk of the egg breaking, out of instinct, not out of intelligence. (As for as we know) Penguins will gather up out of instinct.

Most male birds of prey such as owls build a nice nest and prepare a little dance not because it it uses its intelligence to figure out that it needs a nest to attarct a female, it's is instinct for them to do so. They know they just simply have to.

Also, another interesting thought as well, it is my opinion that most of these animals couldn't have been stupid, if they have been why would they survive for so long? The asteroid killed off almost all of the smartest and strongest ones, leaving the little ones to evolve.

Okay, I have set up enough info on how we could determine how smart dinosaurs were. As of now, we have thse ways to determine their possible intelligence:

1- Looking at all of their EQ's and brain-to-body ratio

2- Looking at the Dinosaurs alive today (Birds)

3- Whether or not they relied more on instinct

 

So what do you think? DId I give everyone interesting and differing thoughts?

Do you agree?

Disagree?

Have your own ideas and theories?

 

PLEASE leave a reply below! I hope to have a well formed discussion with everyone on how intelligent were these creatures!

Thanks for reading,

 

-Raptor-401

*I aplogize if any confusion has been spread, if you are confused or notice any errors, please do notify me and I will be quick to edit them or improve them.