Group size affects spontaneous quantity discrimination performance in wild Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis).

ABSTRACT: Animals may benefit from the ability to discriminate between quantities in their environment; for example, when choosing between foraging patches differing in food availability or assessing the size of rival groups. Numerous studies utilising spontaneous quantity discrimination tasks have found that a wide range of species possess the ability to discriminate between quantities, with large interspecific differences being found in these capabilities. However, the causes of variation in quantity discrimination have received less attention, particularly when considering intraspecific variation. Here, we use a spontaneous quantity discrimination task to (i) investigate if Western Australian magpies possess quantity discrimination abilities, and (ii) determine the factors that underlie individua

SUBMITTER: Hunter H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12106560 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature