Bird Brains

I watched a bird navigate through a dense wooded area at speed without hitting any tree limbs the other day.  It was fascinating.  The speed it displayed was hard to comprehend. I don't think I've ever seen a bird knocked out by a limb while flying in those circumstances.  Most birds appear to have incredible aerobatic capabilities.  Then I remembered that it is a regular occurrence to hear the dull thud of a bird striking a window at speed.  Why can a creature so adept at navigating tight spaces without issue not see any of the large structure that surrounds a window and understand that it is not clear sailing through it?

I understand glass can bolster the illusion of an open space, but why do birds want to try to fly inside buildings in the first place?  I ask this while having noticed several birds inside airport terminals this past week, but at least that makes sense since they are just waiting for their connecting flights. 

As I expanded my thinking, I realized that people can be the exact same way.  I know a surgeon with excellent surgical skills who has trouble handling a car at low speed.  A genius friend of mine has no common sense, and we often worried that he would be hit by a car crossing the street because he never remembers to look both ways.

The brain may have prioritized specific skill development to the detriment of other, more general skills, and that's what I am seeing in these examples. It's tough to be an all-around superstar, which is why there are so few of us--joking!

Next time you encounter a genius who did something dumb, remember it may not have been a conscious decision or a controllable action. Please note, this is not an extension of the infamous Twinkie® defense, or meant in any way to legitimize that farce. 

I'm laying all of this groundwork to explain any future acts I perform that may be considered dumb. They aren't my fault, I was programmed that way.