Authors: Hiromitsu Miyata Gyula K Gajdon Ludwig Huber Kazuo Fujita
Publish Date: 2010/07/18
Volume: 14, Issue: 1, Pages: 45-58
Abstract
Keas a species of parrots from New Zealand are an interesting species for comparative studies of problem solving and cognition because they are known not only for efficient capacities for object manipulation but also for explorative and playful behaviors To what extent are they efficient or explorative and what cognitive abilities do they use We examined how keas would solve several versions of artificialfruit box problems having multiple locks After training keas to remove a metal rod from over a Plexiglas lid that had to be opened we exposed the birds to a variety of tasks having two or more locks We also introduced a preview phase during which the keas had extended opportunity to look at the tasks before the experimenter allowed the birds to solve them to examine whether the preview phase would facilitate the birds’ performance on the tasks In a large number of tests the keas showed a strong trend to solve the tasks with no positive effect of previewing the tasks When the tasks became complex however the keas corrected inappropriate responses more quickly when they had had chance to preview the problems than when they had not The results suggest that the keas primarily used explorative strategies in solving the lock problems but might have obtained some information about the tasks before starting to solve them This may reflect a good compromise of keas’ trialanderror tendency and their good cognitive ability that result from a selection pressure they have faced in their natural habitatThis study was supported by the Research Fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science JSPS for Young Scientists to Hiromitsu Miyata the Austrian Science Fund FWF Grant P19087B17 to Ludwig Huber the GrantsinAid for Scientific Research Nos 17300085 and 20220004 from JSPS to Kazuo Fujita and by the Japan Ministry of Education Culture Sport Science and Technology MEXT Global COE Program D07 to Kyoto University The experiments adhered to the Austrian law of animal keeping and research The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest
Keywords: