Well this is all true, Intelligence cant be used to loosely if you ask me, Sure instinct is instinct, and a bird can talk chatter and play with others, BUT They are intelligent in there own right, and have clearly shown this by being an insanely long living animal who havnt been taken off the face of the earth like many other species, aswell as the crocodile/alligator. Sure they thrive by instinct but does this mean they are stupid or dumb, When being one of the alpha predators in the wild?
Im sure i could very well be wrong about it all, but there instinctive intelligence is enough to make me think they are smart, know good from bad, and know danger from safe.