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Bugnyar T. Why are ravens smart? Exploring the social intelligence hypothesis. JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 2023; 165:15-26. [PMID: 38225936 PMCID: PMC10787684 DOI: 10.1007/s10336-023-02111-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Ravens and other corvids are renowned for their 'intelligence'. For long, this reputation has been based primarily on anecdotes but in the last decades experimental evidence for impressive cognitive skills has accumulated within and across species. While we begin to understand the building blocks of corvid cognition, the question remains why these birds have evolved such skills. Focusing on Northern Ravens Corvus corax, I here try to tackle this question by relating current hypotheses on brain evolution to recent empirical data on challenges faced in the birds' daily life. Results show that foraging ravens meet several assumptions for applying social intelligence: (1) they meet repeatedly at foraging sites, albeit individuals have different site preferences and vary in grouping dynamics; (1) foraging groups are structured by dominance rank hierarchies and social bonds; (3) individual ravens memorize former group members and their relationship valence over years, deduce third-party relationships and use their social knowledge in daily life by supporting others in conflicts and intervening in others' affiliations. Hence, ravens' socio-cognitive skills may be strongly shaped by the 'complex' social environment experienced as non-breeders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Faculty for Behavior and Cognition, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645 Grünau im Almtal, Austria
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2
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Vanhooland LC, Szabó A, Bugnyar T, Massen JJM. A comparative study of mirror self-recognition in three corvid species. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:229-248. [PMID: 36173469 PMCID: PMC9876878 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01696-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mirror self-recognition (MSR) assessed by the Mark Test has been the staple test for the study of animal self-awareness. When tested in this paradigm, corvid species return discrepant results, with only the Eurasian magpies and the Indian house crow successfully passing the test so far, whereas multiple other corvid species fail. The lack of replicability of these positive results and the large divergence in applied methodologies calls into question whether the observed differences are in fact phylogenetic or methodological, and, if so, which factors facilitate the expression of MSR in some corvids. In this study, we (1) present new results on the self-recognition abilities of common ravens, (2) replicate results of azure-winged magpies, and (3) compare the mirror responses and performances in the mark test of these two corvid species with a third corvid species: carrion crows, previously tested following the same experimental procedure. Our results show interspecies differences in the approach of and the response to the mirror during the mirror exposure phase of the experiment as well as in the subsequent mark test. However, the performances of these species in the Mark Test do not provide any evidence for their ability of self-recognition. Our results add to the ongoing discussion about the convergent evolution of MSR and we advocate for consistent methodologies and procedures in comparing this ability across species to advance this discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Claire Vanhooland
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Anita Szabó
- Department of Zoology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jorg J M Massen
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Blum CR, Fitch WT, Bugnyar T. Social dynamics impact scolding behaviour in captive groups of common ravens (Corvus corax). Front Zool 2022; 19:32. [PMID: 36503565 PMCID: PMC9743665 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-022-00477-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predator avoidance can have immense impacts on fitness, yet individual variation in the expression of anti-predator behaviour remains largely unexplained. Existing research investigating learning of novel predators has focused either on individuals or groups, but not both. Testing in individual settings allows evaluations of learning or personality differences, while testing in group settings makes it impossible to distinguish any such individual differences from social dynamics. In this study, we investigate the effect of social dynamics on individual anti-predator behaviour. We trained 15 captive ravens to recognize and respond to a novel experimental predator and then exposed them to this predator in both group and isolation settings across 1.5 years to tease apart individual differences from social effects and evaluate two hypotheses: (1) weaker anti-predator responses of some individuals in the group occurred, because they failed to recognize the experimental predator as a threat, leading to weak responses when separated, or (2) some individuals had learned the new threat, but their scolding intensity was repressed in the group trials due to social dynamics (such as dominance rank), leading to increased scolding intensity when alone. RESULTS We found that dominance significantly influences scolding behaviour in the group trials; top-ranked individuals scold more and earlier than lower ranking ones. However, in the separation trials scolding duration is no longer affected by rank. CONCLUSIONS We speculate that, while top-ranked individuals use their anti-predator responses to signal status in the group, lower-ranking ravens may be suppressed from, or are less capable of, performing intense anti-predator behaviour while in the group. This suggests that, in addition to its recruitment or predator-deterrent effects, alarm calling may serve as a marker of individual quality to conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian R Blum
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Haidlhof Research Station, University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
| | - W Tecumseh Fitch
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna CogSciHub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Haidlhof Research Station, University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
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Chen R, Spiegel O, Bartan Y, Nathan R. Resource limitation drives fission–fusion dynamics of group composition and size in a social bird. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Jain V, Bugnyar T, Cunningham SJ, Gallego-Abenza M, Loretto MC, Sumasgutner P. The spatial and temporal exploitation of anthropogenic food sources by common ravens (Corvus corax) in the Alps. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:35. [PMID: 36008849 PMCID: PMC9414151 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00335-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthropogenic food sources (AFSs) are widespread in human-transformed landscapes and the current scale at which they occur drives ecological change at the individual, population, and community levels. AFSs are exploited extensively by common ravens, Corvus corax. Understanding how raven populations use AFSs can provide insight into their ecological responses to AFSs. METHODS We equipped 81 ravens in the Austrian Alps with GPS-transmitters over a period of 2.75 years. Using these tracking data, we investigated how cohort differences (i.e., age, sex, and origin) and seasonal changes influence raven movement patterns (i.e., occurrence distribution and maximum daily displacement) and AFS-use (i.e., number of AFSs visited and probability of being present at any AFS) at 45 extensively exploited sites. RESULTS We found that proxies for experience and dominance, inferred by age (i.e., juvenile versus adult) and origin (i.e., wild-caught versus captive-bred-released) cohorts, influenced movement patterns and the number of AFSs visited. However, all individuals were equally likely to be present at AFSs, highlighting the importance of AFSs for non-breeders in the study population. Seasonal changes in environmental conditions that affect energetic demands, the availability of natural and anthropogenic food, and foraging competition, influenced individuals' occurrence distributions and AFS-use. We found that under harsher conditions in autumn and winter, individuals ranged wider and depended on AFSs to a larger degree. However, contrary to expectation, they were less likely to be present at AFSs in these seasons compared to spring and summer, suggesting a trade-off between time spent moving and exploiting resources. We attribute the small ranging movements exhibited by non-breeders in spring and summer to the presence of highly territorial and socially dominant breeders. As breeders mostly stay and forage within their territories during these seasons, competition at AFSs decrease, thereby increasing the likelihood of individuals being present at any AFS. CONCLUSIONS We emphasize that movement and AFS-use differ according to cohort differences and the seasonality of the environment. Our results highlight that predictable AFSs affect foraging strategies among non-breeding ravens. The extent of AFS-exploitation among non-breeding ravens in our study emphasize the potential of AFSs in shaping raven movement and resource-use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varalika Jain
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bax X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa.
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susan J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bax X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Doktorberg 6, 83471, Berchtesgaden, Germany
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerasi Platz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
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Familiarity effects on fish behaviour are disrupted in shoals that contain also unfamiliar individuals. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03210-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Research on several social fishes has revealed that shoals constituted by familiar individuals behave remarkably differently compared to shoals formed by unfamiliar individuals. However, whether these behavioural changes may arise also in shoals composed by a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar individuals, a situation that may commonly occur in nature, is not clear. Here, we observed the behaviour of Mediterranean killifish (Aphanius fasciatus) shoals that were composed by both familiar and unfamiliar individuals (i.e. individuals were familiar to each other in pairs) and compared it with shoals entirely made by either unfamiliar or familiar individuals. Shoals formed by familiar individuals took longer to emerge from a refuge and swam more cohesively compared to shoals formed by unfamiliar fish. Shoals formed by a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar individuals behaved as shoals formed by unfamiliar individuals. Moreover, mixed shoals did not segregate in pairs according to their familiarity. This study suggests that mixed shoals do not show the behavioural effects of familiarity.
Significance statement
Laboratory studies have compared the behaviour of shoals formed by familiar fish versus shoals formed by unfamiliar fish, finding notable advantages in the former ones, such as improved antipredator and foraging behaviour. However, comparing these two opposite shoal types may not provide information on the natural situation, because in nature, shoals often change composition. We investigated how shoals formed by a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar fish behaved. We analysed shoals’ preference for open environment versus covers and shoals’ swimming cohesion. Results showed that shoals formed by both familiar and unfamiliar individuals mostly behave like shoals entirely formed by unfamiliar individuals. This suggests that the advantages of social groups formed by familiar fish might be hardly seen in nature for species in which shoal composition changes frequently.
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Gallego-Abenza M, Boucherie PH, Bugnyar T. Early social environment affects attention to social cues in juvenile common ravens, Corvus corax. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220132. [PMID: 35774139 PMCID: PMC9240683 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Social competence, i.e. defined as the ability to adjust the expression of social behaviour to the available social information, is known to be influenced by early-life conditions. Brood size might be one of the factors determining such early conditions, particularly in species with extended parental care. We here tested in ravens whether growing up in families of different sizes affects the chicks' responsiveness to social information. We experimentally manipulated the brood size of 13 captive raven families, creating either small or large families. Simulating dispersal, juveniles were separated from their parents and temporarily housed in one of two captive non-breeder groups. After five weeks of socialization, each raven was individually tested in a playback setting with food-associated calls from three social categories: sibling, familiar unrelated raven they were housed with, and unfamiliar unrelated raven from the other non-breeder aviary. We found that individuals reared in small families were more attentive than birds from large families, in particular towards the familiar unrelated peer. These results indicate that variation in family size during upbringing can affect how juvenile ravens value social information. Whether the observed attention patterns translate into behavioural preferences under daily life conditions remains to be tested in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Palmyre H. Boucherie
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
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Gallup AC, Schild AB, Ühlein MA, Bugnyar T, Massen JJM. No Evidence for Contagious Yawning in Juvenile Ravens ( Corvus corax): An Observational Study. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:1357. [PMID: 35681822 PMCID: PMC9179381 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The overt and reflexive matching of behaviors among conspecifics has been observed in a growing number of social vertebrates, including avian species. In general, behavioral contagion-such as the spread of yawning-may serve important functions in group synchronization and vigilance behavior. Here, we performed an exploratory study to investigate yawn contagion among 10 captive juvenile ravens (Corvus corax), across two groups. Using observational methods, we also examined the contagiousness of three other distinct behaviors: stretching, scratching, and shaking. A total of 44 20 min observations were made across both groups, including 28 in the morning and 16 in the afternoon. The time and occurrence of all the behaviors from each bird were coded, and the temporal pattern of each behavior across both groups was then analyzed to assess the degree of social contagion. Overall, we found no evidence for contagious yawning, stretching, scratching, or shaking. However, yawns were relatively infrequent per observation (0.052 ± 0.076 yawns/bird) and thus experimental methods should be used to support this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C. Gallup
- Psychology and Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences Programs, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica, NY 13502, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - Anja B. Schild
- Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.B.S.); (M.A.Ü.); (T.B.)
| | - Markus A. Ühlein
- Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.B.S.); (M.A.Ü.); (T.B.)
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.B.S.); (M.A.Ü.); (T.B.)
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Boucherie PH, Gallego-Abenza M, Massen JJM, Bugnyar T. Dominance in a socially dynamic setting: hierarchical structure and conflict dynamics in ravens' foraging groups. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200446. [PMID: 35000442 PMCID: PMC8743890 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dominance hierarchies typically emerge in systems where group members regularly encounter and compete for resources. In birds, the 'open' and dynamic structure of foraging groups may prevent the emergence of structured hierarchies, although this assumption have hardly been tested. We report on agonistic data for ravens Corvus corax, collected over two 18-month periods for 183 marked individuals of a wild (fluid) population and 51 birds from six captive (stable) groups. We show that the dominance structure (steep and transitive) in wild foraging groups is strikingly similar to that found in captivity. In the wild, we found that higher ranks are mainly occupied by males, older and more aggressive individuals that also tend to receive fewer aggressions. Exploring the mechanisms sustaining the wild dominance structure, we confirmed that males are more aggressive than females and, with age, tend to receive fewer aggressions than females. Males that are about to leave the foraging groups for some months are less aggressive than newcomers or locals, while newcomers are specifically targeted by aggressions in their first year (as juveniles). Taken together, our results indicate that the socially dynamic conditions ravens face during foraging do not hinder, but provide opportunities for, using (advanced) social cognition. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palmyre H. Boucherie
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Miller R, Lambert ML, Frohnwieser A, Brecht KF, Bugnyar T, Crampton I, Garcia-Pelegrin E, Gould K, Greggor AL, Izawa EI, Kelly DM, Li Z, Luo Y, Luong LB, Massen JJM, Nieder A, Reber SA, Schiestl M, Seguchi A, Sepehri P, Stevens JR, Taylor AH, Wang L, Wolff LM, Zhang Y, Clayton NS. Socio-ecological correlates of neophobia in corvids. Curr Biol 2022; 32:74-85.e4. [PMID: 34793696 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral responses to novelty, including fear and subsequent avoidance of novel stimuli, i.e., neophobia, determine how animals interact with their environment. Neophobia aids in navigating risk and impacts on adaptability and survival. There is variation within and between individuals and species; however, lack of large-scale, comparative studies critically limits investigation of the socio-ecological drivers of neophobia. In this study, we tested responses to novel objects and food (alongside familiar food) versus a baseline (familiar food alone) in 10 corvid species (241 subjects) across 10 labs worldwide. There were species differences in the latency to touch familiar food in the novel object and novel food conditions relative to the baseline. Four of seven socio-ecological factors influenced object neophobia: (1) use of urban habitat (versus not), (2) territorial pair versus family group sociality, (3) large versus small maximum flock size, and (4) moderate versus specialized caching (whereas range, hunting live animals, and genus did not), while only maximum flock size influenced food neophobia. We found that, overall, individuals were temporally and contextually repeatable (i.e., consistent) in their novelty responses in all conditions, indicating neophobia is a stable behavioral trait. With this study, we have established a network of corvid researchers, demonstrating potential for further collaboration to explore the evolution of cognition in corvids and other bird species. These novel findings enable us, for the first time in corvids, to identify the socio-ecological correlates of neophobia and grant insight into specific elements that drive higher neophobic responses in this avian family group. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Miller
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Downing Site, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
| | - Megan L Lambert
- University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Messerli Research Institute, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Frohnwieser
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Downing Site, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Katharina F Brecht
- Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Institute for Neurobiology, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- University of Vienna, Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine, Haidlhof Research Station, Bad Vöslau, Austria
| | - Isabelle Crampton
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Downing Site, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Elias Garcia-Pelegrin
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Downing Site, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Kristy Gould
- Luther College, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, 700 College Drive, Decorah, IA 52101, USA
| | - Alison L Greggor
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Recovery Ecology, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
| | - Ei-Ichi Izawa
- Keio University, Department of Psychology, 2-15-45, Mita, Minato-ku, 108-8345 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Debbie M Kelly
- University of Manitoba, Department of Psychology, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2 MB, Canada
| | - Zhongqiu Li
- Nanjing University, Lab of Animal Behavior & Conservation, School of Life Sciences, 163 Xianlin Avenue, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Yunchao Luo
- Nanjing University, Lab of Animal Behavior & Conservation, School of Life Sciences, 163 Xianlin Avenue, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Linh B Luong
- Luther College, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, 700 College Drive, Decorah, IA 52101, USA
| | - Jorg J M Massen
- Utrecht University, Animal Behaviour & Cognition, Institute of Environmental Biology, Padualaan 8, De Uithof, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Andreas Nieder
- Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Institute for Neurobiology, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan A Reber
- Lund University, Department of Cognitive Science, Helgonavagen 3, Lund 221 00, Sweden
| | - Martina Schiestl
- Auckland University, School of Psychology, 23 Symonds Street, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand; Max Planck Society, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Akiko Seguchi
- Keio University, Department of Psychology, 2-15-45, Mita, Minato-ku, 108-8345 Tokyo, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
| | - Parisa Sepehri
- University of Manitoba, Department of Psychology, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2 MB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey R Stevens
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain, Biology & Behavior, 238 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Alexander H Taylor
- Auckland University, School of Psychology, 23 Symonds Street, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lin Wang
- Nanjing University, Lab of Animal Behavior & Conservation, School of Life Sciences, 163 Xianlin Avenue, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - London M Wolff
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain, Biology & Behavior, 238 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Yigui Zhang
- Nanjing University, Lab of Animal Behavior & Conservation, School of Life Sciences, 163 Xianlin Avenue, 210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Nicola S Clayton
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Downing Site, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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Ersoy S, Maag N, Boehly T, Boucherie PH, Bugnyar T. Sex-specific parental care during postfledging in common ravens. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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12
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Restricted mowing reduces grass uprooting by urban crows. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01504-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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13
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Del Mar Delgado M, Arlettaz R, Bettega C, Brambilla M, de Gabriel Hernando M, España A, Fernández-González Á, Fernández-Martín Á, Gil JA, Hernández-Gómez S, Laiolo P, Resano-Mayor J, Obeso JR, Pedrini P, Roa-Álvarez I, Schano C, Scridel D, Strinella E, Toranzo I, Korner-Nievergelt F. Spatio-temporal variation in the wintering associations of an alpine bird. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210690. [PMID: 34034515 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animals make behavioural changes to cope with winter conditions, being gregariousness a common strategy. Several factors have been invoked to explain why gregariousness may evolve during winter, with individuals coming together and separating as they trade off the different costs and benefits of living in groups. These trade-offs may, however, change over space and time as a response to varying environmental conditions. Despite its importance, little is known about the factors triggering gregarious behaviour during winter and its change in response to variation in weather conditions is poorly documented. Here, we aimed at quantifying large-scale patterns in wintering associations over 23 years of the white-winged snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis nivalis. We found that individuals gather in larger groups at sites with harsh wintering conditions. Individuals at colder sites reunite later and separate earlier in the season than at warmer sites. However, the magnitude and phenology of wintering associations are ruled by changes in weather conditions. When the temperature increased or the levels of precipitation decreased, group size substantially decreased, and individuals stayed united in groups for a shorter time. These results shed light on factors driving gregariousness and points to shifting winter climate as an important factor influencing this behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Mar Delgado
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Bettega
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Mattia Brambilla
- LIPU/BirdLife Italia, Via Udine 3/A, I-43122, Parma, Italy.,Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro 3, 38123 Trento, Italy.,Fondazione Lombardia per l'Ambiente, Settore Biodiversità e Aree protette, Largo 10 luglio 1976 1, 20822 Seveso, MB, Italy
| | | | - Antonio España
- Grup d'anellament PARUS, Salze 36, 08186 Lliça d'Amunt, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Juan Antonio Gil
- Fundación para la Conservación del Quebrantahuesos, Plaza San Pedro Nolasco 1, 4 F, 50001 Zaragoza, Spain.,Estación Zaragoza-Delicias, Grupo Aragón de Anillamiento Científico de Aves, c/Rioja, 33, 50011 Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Paola Laiolo
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Jaime Resano-Mayor
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Grup d'anellament PARUS, Salze 36, 08186 Lliça d'Amunt, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Ramón Obeso
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Paolo Pedrini
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro 3, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | | | - Christian Schano
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Davide Scridel
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro 3, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Eliseo Strinella
- Reparto Carabinieri Biodiversità L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Ignasi Toranzo
- Grup d'anellament PARUS, Salze 36, 08186 Lliça d'Amunt, Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Lee SM, Hohmann G, Lonsdorf EV, Fruth B, Murray CM. Gregariousness, foraging effort, and affiliative interactions in lactating bonobos and chimpanzees. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:188-198. [PMID: 33716569 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fission-fusion dynamics have evolved in a broad range of animal taxa and are thought to allow individuals to mitigate feeding competition. While this is the principal benefit of fission-fusion, few studies have evaluated its costs. We compared gregariousness, foraging budgets, and social budgets between lactating bonobos and chimpanzees from wild populations to evaluate potential costs. Both species exhibit fission-fusion dynamics, but chimpanzees, particularly in East African populations, appear to experience higher feeding competition than bonobos. We expected lactating chimpanzees to be less gregarious than lactating bonobos; reduced gregariousness should allow lactating chimpanzees to mitigate the costs of higher feeding competition without requiring more foraging effort. However, we expected the reduced gregariousness of lactating chimpanzees to limit their time available for affiliative interactions. Using long-term data from LuiKotale bonobos and Gombe chimpanzees, we found that lactating chimpanzees were indeed less gregarious than lactating bonobos, while feeding and travel time did not differ between species. Contrary to our predictions, lactating females did not differ in social interaction time, and lactating chimpanzees spent proportionately more time interacting with individuals other than their immature offspring. Our results indicate that lactating chimpanzees can maintain social budgets comparable to lactating bonobos despite reduced gregariousness and without incurring additional foraging costs. We discuss potential explanations for why lactating bonobos are more gregarious.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Lee
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Barbara Fruth
- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Carson M Murray
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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15
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Gallego-Abenza M, Blum CR, Bugnyar T. Who is crying wolf? Seasonal effect on antipredator response to age-specific alarm calls in common ravens, Corvus corax. Learn Behav 2021; 49:159-167. [PMID: 33420703 PMCID: PMC7979661 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-020-00455-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Communication about threats including those posed by the presence of predators occurs mainly through acoustic signals called alarm calls. The comprehension of these calls by receivers and their rapid antipredator response are crucial in terms of survival. However, to avoid overreaction, individuals should evaluate whether or not an antipredator response is needed by paying attention to who is calling. For instance, we could expect adults to be more experienced with predator encounters than juveniles and thus elicit stronger antipredator responses in others when alarming. Similarly, we could expect a stronger response to alarm calls when more than one individual is calling. To test these assumptions, we applied a playback experiment to wild ravens, in which we manipulated the age class (adult or juvenile) and the number (one or two) of the callers. Our results revealed a seasonal effect of age class but no effect of number of callers. Specifically, the ravens responded with stronger antipredator behaviour (vigilance posture) towards alarm calls from adults as compared to juveniles in summer and autumn, but not in spring. We discuss alternative interpretations for this unexpected seasonal pattern and argue for more studies on call-based communication in birds to understand what type of information is relevant under which conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gallego-Abenza
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.
| | - Christian R Blum
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
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16
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Blum CR, Fitch WT, Bugnyar T. Rapid Learning and Long-Term Memory for Dangerous Humans in Ravens ( Corvus corax). Front Psychol 2020; 11:581794. [PMID: 33192900 PMCID: PMC7609869 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.581794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Like many predatory species, humans have pronounced individual differences in their interactions with potential prey: some humans pose a lethal threat while others may provide valuable resources. Recognizing individual humans would thus allow prey species to maximize potential rewards while ensuring survival. Previous studies on corvids showed they can recognize and remember individual humans. For instance, wild American crows produced alarm calls toward specifically masked humans up to 2.7 years after those humans had caught and ringed them while wearing that mask. However, individual behavior of the crows or the impact of social features on their responses, was hardly examined. Here, we studied predator learning and social effects on responses, using a similar method, in captive common ravens (Corvus corax). We investigated learning and the impact of key social components on individual reactions to artificial predators. Human experimenters wore two types of masks while walking past two raven aviaries. In four training trials, the "dangerous" mask was presented while carrying a dead raven, whereas the "neutral" mask was presented empty-handed. Between every training trial and in all following trials, we presented both masks without dead ravens. We assessed the subjects' (i) learning speed, (ii) selective long-term response, and (iii) potential effects of social dynamics on individual alarm calling frequency. Ravens learned quickly (often based on the first trial), and some individuals distinguished the dangerous from the neutral mask for the next 4 years. Despite having received the same amount and quality of exposure to the dangerous mask, we found pronounced individual differences in alarm calling that were fairly consistent across test trials in socially stable situations: dominance, but not sex explained individual differences in alarm responses, indicating the potential use of alarm calls as "status symbols." These findings fit to those in wild bird populations and dominant individuals signaling their quality. Changes in the individuals' participation and intensity of alarm calling coincided with changes in group composition and pair formation, further supporting the role of social context on ravens' alarm calling.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. R. Blum
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Haidlhof Research Station, University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - W. Tecumseh Fitch
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - T. Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Haidlhof Research Station, University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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17
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Wielgus E, Cornélis D, de Garine‐Wichatitsky M, Cain B, Fritz H, Miguel E, Valls‐Fox H, Caron A, Chamaillé‐Jammes S. Are fission-fusion dynamics consistent among populations? A large-scale study with Cape buffalo. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9240-9256. [PMID: 32953058 PMCID: PMC7487245 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fission-fusion dynamics allow animals to manage costs and benefits of group living by adjusting group size. The degree of intraspecific variation in fission-fusion dynamics across the geographical range is poorly known. During 2008-2016, 38 adult female Cape buffalo were equipped with GPS collars in three populations located in different protected areas (Gonarezhou National Park and Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe; Kruger National Park, South Africa) to investigate the patterns and environmental drivers of fission-fusion dynamics among populations. We estimated home range overlap and fission and fusion events between Cape buffalo dyads. We investigated the temporal dynamics of both events at daily and seasonal scales and examined the influence of habitat and distance to water on event location. Fission-fusion dynamics were generally consistent across populations: Fission and fusion periods lasted on average between less than one day and three days. However, we found seasonal differences in the underlying patterns of fission and fusion, which point out the likely influence of resource availability and distribution in time on group dynamics: During the wet season, Cape buffalo split and associated more frequently and were in the same or in a different subgroup for shorter periods. Cape buffalo subgroups were more likely to merge than to split in open areas located near water, but overall vegetation and distance to water were very poor predictors of where fission and fusion events occurred. This study is one of the first to quantify fission-fusion dynamics in a single species across several populations with a common methodology, thus robustly questioning the behavioral flexibility of fission-fusion dynamics among environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Wielgus
- Division of Biology and Conservation EcologyManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
- LTSER FranceZone Atelier “Hwange,” Hwange National Park, Bag 62, DeteZimbabwe ‐ CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) ProgramDeteZimbabwe
- CEFECNRSUniv. MontpellierUniv. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3EPHEIRDMontpellierFrance
- ASTRECIRADINRAUniversité de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Daniel Cornélis
- Forêts et SociétésCIRADMontpellierFrance
- Forêts et SociétésUniversité de MontpellierCIRADMontpellierFrance
| | - Michel de Garine‐Wichatitsky
- ASTRECIRADINRAUniversité de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CIRADUMR ASTREBangkokThailand
- Faculty of Veterinary MedicineKasetsart UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Bradley Cain
- Division of Biology and Conservation EcologyManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Hervé Fritz
- LTSER FranceZone Atelier “Hwange,” Hwange National Park, Bag 62, DeteZimbabwe ‐ CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) ProgramDeteZimbabwe
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie EvolutiveUMR 5558Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Villeurbanne CedexFrance
| | - Eve Miguel
- MIVEGEC, IRDCNRSUniversité de MontpellierCNRSMontpellierFrance
| | - Hugo Valls‐Fox
- LTSER FranceZone Atelier “Hwange,” Hwange National Park, Bag 62, DeteZimbabwe ‐ CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) ProgramDeteZimbabwe
- SELMETUniversité de MontpellierCIRADINRAMontpellier Sup. AgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Alexandre Caron
- ASTRECIRADINRAUniversité de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- Faculdade de VeterináriaUniversidade Eduardo MondlaneMaputoMozambique
| | - Simon Chamaillé‐Jammes
- LTSER FranceZone Atelier “Hwange,” Hwange National Park, Bag 62, DeteZimbabwe ‐ CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) ProgramDeteZimbabwe
- CEFECNRSUniv. MontpellierUniv. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3EPHEIRDMontpellierFrance
- Department of Zoology & EntomologyMammal Research InstituteUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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18
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Jiguet F. The Fox and the Crow. A need to update pest control strategies. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 2020; 248:108693. [PMID: 32834058 PMCID: PMC7342009 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery that cats and mustelids can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 may raise the question of monitoring domestic, feral and wild populations of such animals, as an adjunct to the elimination of COVID-19 in humans. Emergency solutions might consider large scale control of these animals in the wild. However, looking at science recently published on native vertebrate pest control reveals first that usual controls do not succeed in reducing animal numbers and associated damages, second that controlling can be counter-productive in increasing the infectious risks for humans and livestock. The examples of red fox and corvids are detailed in a European context, illustrating the urgent need for an ethical evaluation of ecological and economic costs and benefits of pest control strategies. A complete scientific evaluation process must be implemented and up-dated regularly, to be organized in four major steps, once the aim of the control strategy has been defined: (1) evaluating damages/risks caused by the animals, to be balanced with the ecosystem services they may provide, also in terms of economic costs; (2) unravelling spatial and temporal population dynamics of target animals to identify, if any, optimal control scenarios - which could be done within an adaptive management framework; (3) estimating the economic costs of implementing those optimal control scenarios, to be compared to the economic costs of damages/diseases; (4) finally evaluating how the control strategy reached its aims. A modern fable of the Fox and the Crow should deliver a timely moral for an ethical, ecological and economical appraisal of pest control strategies in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Jiguet
- UMR7204 Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, MNHN-CNRS-SU, CP135, 43 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
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19
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Aplin LM, Major RE, Davis A, Martin JM. A citizen science approach reveals long-term social network structure in an urban parrot, Cacatua galerita. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:222-232. [PMID: 32629533 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Parrots are often referenced in discussions of social and cognitive complexity, yet relatively little is known of their social organization in the wild. In particular, the presence of long-lasting social ties has been highlighted as a hallmark of social complexity; however, the presence of such ties can be masked in fission-fusion systems like that exhibited by most parrot species. Social network analysis has the potential to elucidate such multi-level dynamics. While most parrot species are tropical canopy dwellers, a subset has successfully colonized urban habitats, where they are often the focus of much public interest. Our study takes advantage of this to use citizen science to collect observations of wing-tagged sulphur-crested cockatoos in central Sydney and record their social associations over multiple years. Using a specifically designed mobile phone application 'Wingtags', we collected over >27,000 citizen science reports of wing-tagged cockatoos, and built social networks from spatial-temporal co-occurrences in observations for 130 tagged birds. To validate this novel methodology, we GPS-tagged a subset of wing-tagged birds and compared networks built from both data collection methods. We then examined correlates of social network structure before exploring the temporal dynamics of network structure and social associations. Social networks constructed from GPS data and citizen science data were highly correlated, suggesting that this novel methodology is robust. Network structure exhibited little seasonal variability and was largely driven by roost site choice; however, individuals also showed a surprising degree of mixing between roosts in their foraging associations. Finally, within this larger fission-fusion system, individuals tended to maintain specific social ties for long periods of time. There was an effect of age on these temporal dynamics, with aging individuals increasing both social stability and longevity of associations. Our findings highlight the utility of citizen science to measure social networks in urban species, and add to the evidence that long-lasting social associations can persist in fission-fusion social systems such as those observed in wild sulphur-crested cockatoos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy M Aplin
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard E Major
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adrian Davis
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Institute for Science & Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, Australia
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20
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Boucherie PH, Blum C, Bugnyar T. Effect of rearing style on the development of social behaviour in young ravens ( Corvus corax). Ethology 2020; 126:595-609. [PMID: 32612316 PMCID: PMC7317586 DOI: 10.1111/eth.13010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Early social experiences can affect the development and expression of individual social behaviour throughout life. In particular, early-life social deprivations, notably of parental care, can later have deleterious consequences. We can, therefore, expect rearing procedures such as hand-raising-widely used in ethology and socio-cognitive science-to alter the development of individual social behaviour. We investigated how the rearing style later affected (a) variation in relationship strength among peers and (b) individuals' patterns of social interactions, in three captive groups of juvenile non-breeders consisting of either parent-raised or hand-raised birds, or a mix of both rearing styles. In the three groups, irrespectively of rearing style: strongest relationships (i.e., higher rates of association and affiliations) primarily emerged among siblings and familiar partners (i.e., non-relatives encountered in early life), and mixed-sex and male-male partners established relationships of similar strength, indicating that the rearing style does not severely affect the quality and structure of relationships in young ravens. However, compared to parent-raised ravens, hand-raised ravens showed higher connectedness, i.e., number of partners with whom they mainly associated and affiliated, but formed on average relationships of lower strength, indicating that social experience in early life is not without consequences on the development of ravens' patterns of social interaction. The deprivation of parental care associated with the presence of same-age peers during hand-raising seemed to maximize ravens' propensity to interact with others, indicating that besides parents, interactions with same-age peers matter. Opportunities to interact with, and socially learn from peers, might thus be the key to the acquisition of early social competences in ravens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Blum
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Haidlhof Research StationUniversity of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
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21
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Effects of site fidelity, group size and age on food-caching behaviour of common ravens, Corvus corax. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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22
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Loretto MC, Schuster R, Federspiel IG, Heinrich B, Bugnyar T. Contextual imitation in juvenile common ravens, Corvus corax. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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23
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Gallego‐Abenza M, Loretto M, Bugnyar T. Decision time modulates social foraging success in wild common ravens, Corvus corax. Ethology 2020; 126:413-422. [PMID: 32201438 PMCID: PMC7079088 DOI: 10.1111/eth.12986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Social foraging provides several benefits for individuals but also bears the potential costs of higher competition. In some species, such competition arises through kleptoparasitism, that is when an animal takes food which was caught or collected by a member of its social group. Except in the context of caching, few studies have investigated how individuals avoid kleptoparasitism, which could be based on physical strength/dominance but also cognitive skills. Here, we investigated the foraging success of wild common ravens, Corvus corax, experiencing high levels of kleptoparasitism from conspecifics when snatching food from the daily feedings of captive wild boars in a game park in the Austrian Alps. Success in keeping the food depended mainly on the individuals' age class and was positively correlated with the time to make a decision in whether to fly off with food or consume it on site. While the effect of age class suggests that dominant and/or experienced individuals are better in avoiding kleptoparasitism, the effect of decision time indicates that individuals benefit from applying cognition to such decision-making, independently of age class. We discuss our findings in the context of the ecological and social intelligence hypotheses referring to the development of cognitive abilities. We conclude that investigating which factors underline kleptoparasitism avoidance is a promising scenario to test specific predictions derived from these hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gallego‐Abenza
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Konrad Lorenz ForschungsstelleCore Facility for Behaviour and CognitionUniversity of ViennaGrünau im AlmtalAustria
| | - Matthias‐Claudio Loretto
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Konrad Lorenz ForschungsstelleCore Facility for Behaviour and CognitionUniversity of ViennaGrünau im AlmtalAustria
- Department of MigrationMax Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorKonstanzGermany
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Konrad Lorenz ForschungsstelleCore Facility for Behaviour and CognitionUniversity of ViennaGrünau im AlmtalAustria
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24
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van Overveld T, Gangoso L, García-Alfonso M, Bouten W, de la Riva M, Donázar JA. Seasonal grouping dynamics in a territorial vulture: ecological drivers and social consequences. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-2807-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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25
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Miyazawa E, Seguchi A, Takahashi N, Motai A, Izawa E. Different patterns of allopreening in the same‐sex and opposite‐sex interactions of juvenile large‐billed crows (
Corvus macrorhynchos
). Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eri Miyazawa
- Department of Psychology Keio University Tokyo Japan
| | - Akiko Seguchi
- Department of Psychology Keio University Tokyo Japan
- Japan Society of the Promotion for Science Tokyo Japan
| | - Nana Takahashi
- Department of Psychology Keio University Tokyo Japan
- Japan Society of the Promotion for Science Tokyo Japan
| | - Ayumi Motai
- Department of Psychology Keio University Tokyo Japan
| | - Ei‐Ichi Izawa
- Department of Psychology Keio University Tokyo Japan
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26
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Sierro J, Loretto M, Szipl G, Massen JJM, Bugnyar T. Food calling in wild ravens (
Corvus corax
) revisited: Who is addressed? Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Sierro
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University UK
- Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Matthias‐Claudio Loretto
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Georgine Szipl
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Behavioural Biology University of Vienna Austria
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Biology Animal Ecology Group Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition University of Vienna Vienna Austria
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27
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Miller R, Boeckle M, Jelbert SA, Frohnwieser A, Wascher CAF, Clayton NS. Self-control in crows, parrots and nonhuman primates. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2019; 10:e1504. [PMID: 31108570 PMCID: PMC6852083 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Self-control is critical for both humans and nonhuman animals because it underlies complex cognitive abilities, such as decision-making and future planning, enabling goal-directed behavior. For instance, it is positively associated with social competence and life success measures in humans. We present the first review of delay of gratification as a measure of self-control in nonhuman primates, corvids (crow family) and psittacines (parrot order): disparate groups that show comparable advanced cognitive abilities and similar socio-ecological factors. We compare delay of gratification performance and identify key issues and outstanding areas for future research, including finding the best measures and drivers of delayed gratification. Our review therefore contributes to our understanding of both delayed gratification as a measure of self-control and of complex cognition in animals. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Psychology > Comparative Psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Miller
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Markus Boeckle
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Department of PsychotherapyBertha von Suttner Private UniversityAustria
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28
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Bobrowicz K, Osvath M. Social context hinders humans but not ravens in a short‐term memory task. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mathias Osvath
- Department of Philosophy and Cognitive Science Lund University Lund Sweden
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29
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Boucherie PH, Loretto MC, Massen JJM, Bugnyar T. What constitutes "social complexity" and "social intelligence" in birds? Lessons from ravens. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019; 73:12. [PMID: 30930524 PMCID: PMC6404394 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In the last decades, the assumption that complex social life is cognitively challenging, and thus can drive mental evolution, has received much support from empirical studies in nonhuman primates. While extending the scope to other mammals and birds, different views have been adopted on what constitutes social complexity and which specific cognitive skills are selected for. Notably, many avian species form "open" groups as non-breeders (i.e., seasonally and before sexual maturity) that have been largely ignored as potential sources of social complexity. Reviewing 30 years of research on ravens, we illustrate the socio-ecological conditions faced by these birds as non-breeders and discuss how these relate to their socio-cognitive skills. We argue that the non-breeding period is key to understand raven social life and, to a larger extent, avian social life in general. We furthermore emphasize how the combination of the large-scale perspective (defining social system components: e.g., social organization, mating system) and the individual-scale perspective on social systems allows to better capture the complete set of social challenges experienced by individuals throughout their life, ultimately resulting on a more comprehensive understanding of species' social complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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30
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Uhl F, Ringler M, Miller R, Deventer SA, Bugnyar T, Schwab C. Counting crows: population structure and group size variation in an urban population of crows. Behav Ecol 2019; 30:57-67. [PMID: 30846892 PMCID: PMC6398430 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Social complexity arises from the formation of social relationships like social bonds and dominance hierarchies. In turn, these aspects may be affected by the degree of fission-fusion dynamics, i.e., changes in group size and composition over time. Whilst fission-fusion dynamics has been studied in mammals, birds have received comparably little attention, despite some species having equally complex social lives. Here, we investigated the influence of environmental factors on aspects of fission-fusion dynamics in a free-ranging population of carrion and hooded crows (Corvus corone ssp.) in the urban zoo of Vienna, Austria over a 1-year period. We investigated 1) the size and 2) spatio-temporal structure of the local flock, and 3) environmental influences on local flock and subgroup size. The local flock size varied considerably over the year, with fewest birds being present during the breeding season. The spatio-temporal structure of the local flock showed 4 distinct presence categories, of which the proportions changed significantly throughout the year. Environmental effects on both local flock and subgroup size were time of day, season, temperature, and weather, with additional pronounced effects of the structure of the surroundings and age class on subgroup size. Our findings show environmental influences on party size at the local flock and subgroup level, as well as indications of structured party composition in respect to the 4 presence categories. These results suggest that environmental factors have significant effects on fission-fusion dynamics in free-ranging crows, thereby influencing social complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Uhl
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rachael Miller
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah A Deventer
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christine Schwab
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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31
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Relocations and one-time disturbance fail to sustainably disperse non-breeding common ravens Corvus corax due to homing behaviour and extensive home ranges. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1217-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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32
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Dhanjal-Adams KL, Bauer S, Emmenegger T, Hahn S, Lisovski S, Liechti F. Spatiotemporal Group Dynamics in a Long-Distance Migratory Bird. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2824-2830.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Szipl G, Ringler E, Bugnyar T. Attacked ravens flexibly adjust signalling behaviour according to audience composition. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20180375. [PMID: 29875298 PMCID: PMC6015854 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental attribute of social intelligence is the ability to monitor third-party relationships, which has been repeatedly demonstrated in primates, and recently also in captive ravens. It is yet unknown how ravens make use of this ability when dealing with different types of social relationships simultaneously during complex real-life situations. Free-ranging non-breeder ravens live in societies characterized by high fission-fusion dynamics and structured by age, pair-bond status and kinship. Here, we show that free-ranging ravens modify communication during conflicts according to audience composition. When being attacked by dominant conspecifics, victims of aggression signal their distress via defensive calls. Victims increased call rates when their kin were in the bystander audience, but reduced call rates when the bystanders were bonding partners of their aggressors. Hence, ravens use social knowledge flexibly and probably based on their own need (i.e. alert nearby allies and avoid alerting nearby rivals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgine Szipl
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Research Station, Core Facility, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, A-4645 Gruenau, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, and University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Research Station, Core Facility, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, A-4645 Gruenau, Austria
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Ramos-Fernandez G, King AJ, Beehner JC, Bergman TJ, Crofoot MC, Di Fiore A, Lehmann J, Schaffner CM, Snyder-Mackler N, Zuberbühler K, Aureli F, Boyer D. Quantifying uncertainty due to fission-fusion dynamics as a component of social complexity. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20180532. [PMID: 29848648 PMCID: PMC5998110 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Groups of animals (including humans) may show flexible grouping patterns, in which temporary aggregations or subgroups come together and split, changing composition over short temporal scales, (i.e. fission and fusion). A high degree of fission-fusion dynamics may constrain the regulation of social relationships, introducing uncertainty in interactions between group members. Here we use Shannon's entropy to quantify the predictability of subgroup composition for three species known to differ in the way their subgroups come together and split over time: spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and geladas (Theropithecus gelada). We formulate a random expectation of entropy that considers subgroup size variation and sample size, against which the observed entropy in subgroup composition can be compared. Using the theory of set partitioning, we also develop a method to estimate the number of subgroups that the group is likely to be divided into, based on the composition and size of single focal subgroups. Our results indicate that Shannon's entropy and the estimated number of subgroups present at a given time provide quantitative metrics of uncertainty in the social environment (within which social relationships must be regulated) for groups with different degrees of fission-fusion dynamics. These metrics also represent an indirect quantification of the cognitive challenges posed by socially dynamic environments. Overall, our novel methodological approach provides new insight for understanding the evolution of social complexity and the mechanisms to cope with the uncertainty that results from fission-fusion dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Ramos-Fernandez
- Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria en Ingeniería y Tecnologías Avanzadas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico, Mexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Mexico
| | - Andrew J King
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Jacinta C Beehner
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
| | - Thore J Bergman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
| | - Margaret C Crofoot
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, CA, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, Panama
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA
| | - Julia Lehmann
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | | | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, WA, USA
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK
- Department of Comparative Cognition, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Aureli
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Denis Boyer
- Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Mexico
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Boeckle M, Szipl G, Bugnyar T. Raven food calls indicate sender's age and sex. Front Zool 2018; 15:5. [PMID: 29563949 PMCID: PMC5848575 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0255-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acoustic parameters of animal signals have been shown to correlate with various phenotypic characteristics of the sender. These acoustic characteristics can be learned and categorized and thus are a basis for perceivers’ recognition abilities. One of the most demanding capacities is individual recognition, achievable only after repeated interactions with the same individual. Still, class-level recognition might be potentially important to perceivers who have not previously encountered callers but can classify unknown individuals according to the already learned categories. Especially for species with high fission-fusion dynamics that repeatedly encounter unknown individuals it may be advantageous to develop class-level recognition. We tested whether frequency-, temporal-, and amplitude-related acoustic parameters of vocalizations emitted by ravens, a species showing high fission-fusion dynamics in non-breeder aggregations, are connected to phenotypic characteristics and thus have the potential for class-level recognition. Results The analysis of 418 food calls revealed that some components summarizing acoustic parameters were differentiated by age-classes and sex. Conclusions Together, the results provide evidence for the co-variation of vocal characteristics and respective sex and age categories, a prerequisite for class-level recognition in perceivers. Perceivers that are ignorant of the caller’s identity can thus potentially recognize these class-level differences for decision-making processes in feeding contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Boeckle
- 1Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,2Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility, University of Vienna, Gruenau im Almtal, Austria.,3Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Georgine Szipl
- 1Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,2Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility, University of Vienna, Gruenau im Almtal, Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- 1Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,2Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility, University of Vienna, Gruenau im Almtal, Austria
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36
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Sima MJ, Matzinger T, Bugnyar T, Pika S. Reconciliation and third-party affiliation in carrion crows. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Jennifer Sima
- Humboldt Research Group “Evolution of Communication”; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
| | - Theresa Matzinger
- Department of Cognitive Biology; University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology; University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
- Haidlhof Research Station; University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine; Vienna Austria
| | - Simone Pika
- Humboldt Research Group “Evolution of Communication”; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
- Humboldt Research Group; Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution; Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History; Jena Germany
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