Roosters have shown signs of recognizing themselves in mirrors, challenging conventional wisdom about the cognitive abilities of chickens. In an article published by the New York Times, a study led by Sonja Hillemacher, a researcher at the University of Bonn, suggests the self-awareness in roosters using a modified version of the classic mirror test. This sheds new light on the intelligence of these birds and potentially prompting re-evaluations of animal smarts.

The mirror test, originally introduced by psychologist Gordon Gallup in 1970, has been used to assess self-awareness in various species by marking individuals and observing their reactions in mirrors. While only a few species, such as dolphins and elephants, have passed this test, the researchers argue that it may not be suitable for animals with different sensory abilities and social systems.

The study found that roosters failed the classic mirror test when marked with pink powder, showing no inclination to inspect or touch the marks. Instead, the team designed an alternative experiment that focused on rooster self-awareness using their natural behavior of alarm calling in response to predators. Roosters alerted other birds when they saw a hawk silhouette projected on them through a mirror, but they remained silent when alone or when another rooster was present but blocked from view by a mirror.

These findings suggest that roosters may possess a form of self-awareness and that they recognize their own reflections. While this study presents strong evidence for self-awareness in roosters, it may require further experiments and research to persuade all scientists. Masanori Kohda, a biologist at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan says, “Potentially, this study shows strong evidence for self-awareness, however, these results will not be enough to persuade all scientists.” Regardless, the authors hope that their approach can be used to test other animals’ self-awareness in ecologically relevant ways, potentially allowing a more accurate assessment of various species’ self-awareness abilities.