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Author Emery, N.J.; Clayton, N.S.
Title (up) The Mentality of Crows: Convergent Evolution of Intelligence in Corvids and Apes Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Science Abbreviated Journal Science
Volume 306 Issue 5703 Pages 1903-1907
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Abstract Discussions of the evolution of intelligence have focused on monkeys and apes because of their close evolutionary relationship to humans. Other large-brained social animals, such as corvids, also understand their physical and social worlds. Here we review recent studies of tool manufacture, mental time travel, and social cognition in corvids, and suggest that complex cognition depends on a “tool kit” consisting of causal reasoning, flexibility, imagination, and prospection. Because corvids and apes share these cognitive tools, we argue that complex cognitive abilities evolved multiple times in distantly related species with vastly different brain structures in order to solve similar socioecological problems.
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Notes 10.1126/science.1098410 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2959
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Author Emery, N.J.; Dally, J.M.; Clayton, N.S.
Title (up) Western scrub-jays ( Aphelocoma californica) use cognitive strategies to protect their caches from thieving conspecifics Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 37-43
Keywords Animals; Birds/*physiology; Feeding Behavior/*physiology; Female; *Food; Male; *Memory
Abstract Food caching birds hide food and recover the caches when supplies are less abundant. There is, however, a risk to this strategy because the caches are susceptible to pilfering by others. Corvids use a number of different strategies to reduce possible cache theft. Scrub-jays with previous experience of pilfering other's caches cached worms in two visuospatially distinct caching trays either in private or in the presence of a conspecific. When these storers had cached in private, they subsequently observed both trays out of reach of a conspecific. When these storers had cached in the presence of a conspecific, they subsequently watched the observer pilfering from one of the trays while the other tray was placed in full view, but out of reach. The storers were then allowed to recover the remaining caches 3 h later. Jays cached more worms when they were observed during caching. At the time of recovery, they re-cached more than if they had cached in private, selectively re-caching outside of the trays in sites unbeknown to potential thieves. In addition, after a single pilfering trial, the jays switched their recovery strategy from predominantly checking their caches (i.e. returning to a cache site to see whether the food remained there) to predominantly eating them. Re-caching remained constant across the three trials. These results suggest that scrub-jays use flexible, cognitive caching and recovery strategies to aid in reducing potential future pilfering of caches by conspecifics.
Address Sub-department of Animal Behaviour, University of Cambridge, High Street, CB3 8AA Madingley, Cambs, UK. nje23@cam.ac.uk
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ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
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Notes PMID:12827547 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2566
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