What I said about whims only applies to a decision to switch. A contestant can switch because they understand the odds or just on a "hunch." In other words they can improve their odds by sheer accident and without knowing they've improved them.

This has no practical consequences; people often succeed by accident. It just shows trivially that, like the pigeons, you can improve your chances without "knowing" the significance of the revealed goat or fully understanding the situation.

As for pigeon intelligence, I'd be interested in hearing any sensible argument that pigeons are really "smarter than people."

I'd be more inclined to entertain the *possibility* if a pigeon told me in person and then explained why switching raises the odds to 2 in 3.