Birds are smarter than most people give them credit for. Scientists at the Goethe University in Frankfurt have been studying European Magpies to prove that these intelligent birds are self-aware.

It has been widely accepted by the scientific community that self-awareness is a prerequisite for the development of consciousness. Besides humans, there is evidence that apes, bottlenose dolphins and elephants have the capability to be self-aware. Magpies can now be added to the list.

The scientists conducted a series of tests to determine if their birds could recognize themselves in a mirror. They played yellow and red stickers on the birds in places where they could only be seen in a mirror. The magpies became focused on removing the stickers after seeing them in their reflections and tried to scratch them off with their claws and beaks. After removing the sticker, they would inspect themselves in the mirror once again and be pleased with the result.

The researchers also found that the birds would ignore the stickers if they were placed where they could not be seen in the mirror, or when the stickers were black in color.