Can you teach an old parrot new tricks? Cognitive development in wild kaka (Nestor meridionalis).

ABSTRACT: Despite recent efforts to characterize innovative individuals within a species, we still know very little about the ontogeny of innovation ability. A number of studies have found that innovation rates are correlated with personality traits, such as neophilia and exploration. Juvenile birds are frequently more neophilic and explorative, yet few studies have found evidence of age-related differences in innovative problem-solving success. Here, we show consistently higher innovation efficiency in juveniles of a wild, omnivorous parrot species across a variety of tasks and contexts. We tested 104 kaka (Nestor meridionalis), ranging in age from four months to 13 years. Twenty-four individuals participated in all three of our problem-solving tasks, two of which involved a familiar feeder and one

SUBMITTER: Loepelt J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4920306 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature