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ome info on the stages of object permanance comprehension in humans: There are six stages of Object Permanence [14] (see Sensorimotor period for more detail). These are: 1) 0-4 months: Reflexes - Baby learns how the body can move and work. Vision is blurred and attention spans remain short through infancy, and they aren't particularly aware of objects to know they have disappeared from sight. However, babies as young as 7 minutes old prefer to look at faces (Lewis, 2005, research at MacMaster University). 2) 0-4 months: Primary Circular Reactions - Babies notice objects and start following their movements. They continue to look where an object was, but for only a few moments. They 'discover' their eyes, arms, hands and feet in the course of acting on objects. 3) 4-8 months: Secondary Circular Reactions - Babies will reach for an object that is partially hidden, indicating knowledge that the whole object is still there. If an object is completely hidden however the baby makes no attempt to retrieve it. 4) 8-12 months: Co-ordination of Secondary Circular Reactions - Babies will search for a completely hidden object. They will however look to where they last saw the object. 5) 12-18 months: Tertiary Circular Reaction - Baby can find object that has been hidden, retrieved and hidden again. Also, in this stage the baby will try new actions to get new results. 6) 18-24 months: Invention of New Means Through Mental Combination - the child fully understands object permanence. They will not fall for A-not-B errors. Also, baby is able to understand the concept of items that are hidden in containers. If a toy is hidden in a matchbox then the matchbox put under a pillow and then, without the child seeing, the toy is slipped out of the matchbox and then given to the child, the child will look under the pillow upon discovery that it is not in the matchbox. Most research shows that humans develop this comprehension level as what is stated in the exerpt. Our teaching to our macaws demonstrates that macaws will comprehend this as quick as, or before, a human child would. What is their full potential? We don't know yet. We just teach them as efficiently as practical. Also, when we let them outside each morning, they usually walk through the same path for the same tree on the side of our house every single day. Coincidence? Not logically. Do you doubt that they have object permanence? Skepticism is beneficial, but denying all evidence is not. Observe this link for tests with humans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuP53BbIY0A&feature=related The child doesn't even show recognition that what it just saw right in front of it still exists. We can show them a treat, put it in a box, put that box in another box, provide distractions, and they will try to force their way into that box they saw us put it in. Haha. If that isn't enough evidence of object permanence, then we can't prove that humans have it either.