Also, "cheating" is common in many species, including other birds, and it doesn't seem to affect their reproduction enough to justify evolving cheater powers; a

Also, "cheating" is common in many species, including other birds, and it doesn't seem to affect their reproduction enough to justify evolving cheater powers; as spicy as that hypothesis may be. I also agree that it makes more sense that pressure to become smarter is linked to prediction and preservation, as they're fragile creatures. A wounded mammal could crawl inside its nest and heal, a wounded bird is likely a dead bird.