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

摘要: Despite recent efforts to characterize innovative individuals within a species, we still know very little about the ontogeny of innovation ability. A number studies have found that rates are correlated with personality traits, such as neophilia and exploration. Juvenile birds frequently more neophilic explorative, yet few evidence age-related differences in problem-solving success. Here, show consistently higher efficiency juveniles wild, omnivorous parrot species across variety tasks contexts. We tested 104 kaka ( Nestor meridionalis ), ranging age from four months 13 years. Twenty-four participated all three our tasks, two which involved familiar feeder one an entirely novel apparatus. Juveniles were most efficient problem-solvers tasks. By contrast, adults’ success was context dependent limited apparatus, did not require modification pre-learned behavioural response. This suggests greater flexibility juvenile birds, who also showed persistence exploratory diversity than adults. These traits may enable young discover foraging techniques, then maintained throughout adulthood.