The Evolution of Executive Functions in Archosauria

The project fits into a larger research program whose aim is to reconstruct the cognition of extinct, non-avian dinosaurs by studying the cognition and brain structure of their archosaurian relatives. I will focus on the evolution of executive functions, like inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, by studying the cognition of American alligators and various birds, such as emus, rheas, tinamous and common ravens.

Would a velociraptor be able to open a door? This question interrogates what was the cognitive skills of extinct, non-avian dinosaurs. With this project I try to provide the beginning of an answer, by studying the cognition of their closest living relatives: crocodylians and avian dinosaurs (more commonly known as birds).