November 25, 2025 3:30 a.m. 

Umpqua Valley Audubon Society and Roseburg Public Library will host a program titled, “Bird-Brained: Bird Intelligence and Behaviors” on Wednesday, December 10th at 6:00 p.m.

Ornithologist Dan Gleason will visit virtually on Zoom, and attendees are invited to participate in-person at the library on Northeast Diamond Lake Boulevard or on the library’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/roseburglibrary. A Facebook account is not required.

The release said some people use the term “bird-brained” to be an insult, but many species of birds are considered highly intelligent, and some, such as crows and ravens, maybe more intelligent than dogs.

The program will look at a variety of behaviors that demonstrate the intelligence of birds and consider the difference between intelligence and instinct.

Gleason taught on the faculty at the University of Oregon for more than 30 years and continued teaching Field Ornithology even after retiring. He is the author of two books about birds and his “Register Guard” column, “Backyard Habitats” ran monthly for more than 10 years in the mid-2000s.

Since 2013, Gleason and his wife, Barbara, have operated two Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Eugene.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Roseburg Library staff at 492-7050.

To learn more about the Umpqua Valley Audubon Society, visit their website at: www.umpquavalleyaudubon.org