"Alex and Me" sounds very interesting. Thanks for reccing.

I'd definitely be the first person to agree that it's so, so obvious to anyone who looks at animals for more than half a second and truly tries to see their personalities could tell that they're so much more than instinct machines. I could go on for hours about my lovebirds; I know what kind of music they like, what toys they prefer, how they like to be cuddled, their personalities, their whims, their responses to me and other people, how to deal with them when they're in X or X mood, and so on. I've never had two birds who were alike. I've had a peafowl learn how to play hide-and-seek, and in games of tag, she figured out that instead of just chasing me around the tree, she could switch directions and cut me off.

I can understand people not believing animals have thought on the level humans do, but gosh, look at them playing with toys! Some animal toys cater to natural instincts--such a string for cats--but giving a bird a jingly chain benefits them in no biological way, other than to provide them with something fun to do, in order to stimulate their mind. Kind of like a human infant.