Exploring individual and social learning in jackdaws (Corvus monedula)

The spread of techniques to get peeled oats from a food dispenser was observed in a captive flock of 28 jackdaws (Corvus monedula) in two replicates. It was hypothesized that the quality of the social relationship between two jackdaws could affect the probability of social learning within that dyad. Therefore technique acquisition of socially bonded dyads (pairs) and socially indifferent dyads (non-pairs) was compared. The results can not falsify the hypothesis of individual learning regardless of the partner's knowledge about a successful technique. Pair members did not learn faster from each other than members of non-pair dyads. Pair members did not preferentially acquire the same technique. There was no indication that the rate of technique acquisition within the flock increased with the number of established technicians. Qualitative observations support the explanation of individual trial-and-error learning.

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Social learning about dangerous people by wild jackdaws

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.191031 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (9) ◽

pp. 191031 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Victoria E. Lee ◽

Noémie Régli ◽

Guillam E. McIvor ◽

Alex Thornton

Keyword(s):

Social Learning ◽

Experimental Evidence ◽

Prior Experience ◽

Alarm Calls ◽

Control Group ◽

Fear Response ◽

Within Subjects ◽

Anthropogenic Threats ◽

Important Evidence ◽

Corvus Monedula

For animals that live alongside humans, people can present both an opportunity and a threat. Previous studies have shown that several species can learn to discriminate between individual people and assess risk based on prior experience. To avoid potentially costly encounters, it may also pay individuals to learn about dangerous people based on information from others. Social learning about anthropogenic threats is likely to be beneficial in habitats dominated by human activity, but experimental evidence is limited. Here, we tested whether wild jackdaws ( Corvus monedula ) use social learning to recognize dangerous people. Using a within-subjects design, we presented breeding jackdaws with an unfamiliar person near their nest, combined with conspecific alarm calls. Subjects that heard alarm calls showed a heightened fear response in subsequent encounters with the person compared to a control group, reducing their latency to return to the nest. This study provides important evidence that animals use social learning to assess the level of risk posed by individual humans.

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Can jackdaws (Corvus monedula) select individuals based on their ability to help?

Interaction Studies ◽

10.1075/is.12.2.04bay ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 262-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Auguste M.P. von Bayern ◽

Nicola S. Clayton ◽

Nathan J. Emery

Keyword(s):

Social Learning ◽

The Other ◽

Significant Preference ◽

Helping Skills ◽

Exit Door ◽

Group Members ◽

The Individual ◽

Corvus Monedula

Knowing the individual skills and competences of one's group members may be important for deciding from whom to learn (social learning), with whom to collaborate and whom to follow. We investigated whether 12 jackdaws could select conspecifics based on their helping skills, which had been exhibited in a previous context. The birds were tested in a blocked-exit-situation, where they could choose between two conspecifics, one of which could be recruited inside. One conspecific had previously displayed the ability to open the exit door whilst the other individual lacked the skill. The subjects showed a significant preference for the skilled conspecific if they had previously directly benefited from this skill. If they had merely observed the skilled (and non-skilled) individual opening (or failing to open) the exit door, they did not preferably choose the skilled conspecific. Taken together, these results suggest that jackdaws are capable of assessing other individuals' competence under certain circumstances.

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A cognitive approach to cumulative technological culture is useful and necessary but only if it also applies to other species

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x2000014x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Author(s):

Thibaud Gruber

Keyword(s):

Social Learning ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Learning Processes ◽

Cognitive Approach ◽

Technological Culture ◽

Social Learning Processes

Abstract The debate on cumulative technological culture (CTC) is dominated by social-learning discussions, at the expense of other cognitive processes, leading to flawed circular arguments. I welcome the authors' approach to decouple CTC from social-learning processes without minimizing their impact. Yet, this model will only be informative to understand the evolution of CTC if tested in other cultural species.

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