The Avian Cognition Laboratory

The Avian Cognition Laboratory (ACL) is a research facility affiliated with the Vice President for Research at Northern Arizona University dedicated to the investigation of behavior, learning and memory, ecology, and genetics of seed-caching birds in the family Corvidae.  The ACL was founded and is directed by Regents' Professor Russell P. Balda.  The ACL’s research program integrates ecological, psychological, and molecular techniques, emphasizing the importance of natural history in the evolution of behavioral traits, especially those associated with the mental capabilities of organisms.