Mirror-mediated string-pulling task in Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius)

Mirror tasks can be used to investigate whether animals can instrumentally use a mirror to solve problems and can understand the correspondence between reflections and the real objects they represent. Two bird species, a corvid (New Caledonian crow) and a parrot (African grey parrot), have demonstrated the ability to use mirrors instrumentally in mirror-mediated spatial locating tasks. However, they have not been challenged with a mirror-guided reaching task, which involves a more complex understanding of the mirror’s properties. In the present study, a task approximating the mirror-guided reaching task used in primate studies was adapted for, and given to, a corvid species (Eurasian jay) using a horizontal string-pulling paradigm. Four birds learned to pull the correct string to retrieve a food reward when they could see the food directly, whereas none used the reflected information to accomplish the same objective. Based on these results, it cannot be concluded whether these birds understand the correspondence between the location of the reward and its reflected information, or if the relative lack of visual-perceptual motor feedback given by the setup interfered with their performance. This novel task is posited to be conceptually more difficult compared to mirror-mediated spatial locating tasks, and should be used in avian species that have previously been successful at using the mirror instrumentally. This would establish whether these species can still succeed at it, and thus whether the task does indeed pose additional cognitive demands.

Development and validation of 2 probe-hybridization quantitative PCR assays for rapid detection of a pathogenic Coxiella species in captive psittacines

Avian coxiellosis is an emerging cause of morbidity and mortality among captive psittacines, and the utility of a rapid detection test using easily obtained samples is paramount in a clinical setting. New sequences were obtained from 3 genes: groEL, dnaK, and rpoB. We developed probe-hybridization quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays using groEL and dnaK genes. Samples, including splenic aspirates, liver aspirates, whole blood, and choanal, conjunctival, and cloacal swabs, were collected from 4 psittacine species including 3 blue-and-gold macaws ( Ara ararauna), 2 scarlet-chested parrots ( Neophema splendida), 1 Timneh African grey parrot ( Psittacus timneh), and 1 yellow-naped Amazon parrot ( Amazona auropalliata). Retrospective review of postmortem findings from 3 of these psittacines included splenomegaly, hepatitis, and/or transmission electron microscopy confirmation consistent with previous reports of avian coxiellosis. There was 100% agreement between these assays and consensus PCR with sequencing. A Wilcoxon rank-sum test found a strong correlation between groEL and dnaK cycle threshold values ( p < 0.001), validating these assays for detection of this avian Coxiella sp.