Captive jays exhibit reduced problem-solving performance compared to wild conspecifics.

ABSTRACT: Animal cognitive abilities are frequently quantified in strictly controlled settings, with laboratory-reared subjects. Results from these studies have merit for clarifying proximate mechanisms of performance and the potential upper limits of certain cognitive abilities. Researchers often assume that performance on laboratory-based assessments accurately represents the abilities of wild conspecifics, but this is infrequently tested. In this experiment, we quantified the performance of wild and captive corvid subjects on an extractive foraging task. We found that performance was not equivalent, and wild subjects were faster at problem-solving to extract the food reward. By contrast, there was no difference in the time it took for captive and wild solvers to repeat the behaviour to get additi

SUBMITTER: McCune KB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6366215 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature