Tool selectivity in a non-primate, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides)
Tool selectivity in a non-primate, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides)
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DOI：
10.1007/s10071-002-0130-2
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发表时间：
2002-06-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Kacelnik, A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chappell, J;Kacelnik, A
我们提出的一项实验表明，新喀里多尼亚乌鸦能够为新任务选择适当大小的工具，而无需进行试错学习。在野外使用和制造多态性工具的程度方面，该物种在所有动物物种（包括少数灵长类动物）中几乎是独一无二的。然而，到目前为止，他们的工具使用的灵活性还没有经过测试。灵活性，包括为任务选择合适工具的能力，被认为是工具使用的复杂认知适应的标志。在实验 1 中，我们测试了两只圈养鸟类（一只雄性，一只雌性）选择一根与放置在水平透明管道中的食物距离相匹配的棍子（从提供的一系列长度中）的能力。两只鸟选择与目标距离相匹配的工具的频率明显高于偶然预期。在实验2中，我们使用了类似的任务，但将工具放置在食物管道看不见的地方，这样鸟儿在选择工具之前必须记住食物的距离。这项任务仅由雄性完成，雄性选择足够长度的工具的频率显着高于偶然，但并未表现出对匹配长度的偏好。
We present an experiment showing that New Caledonian crows are able to choose tools of the appropriate size for a novel task, without trial-and-error learning. This species is almost unique amongst all animal species (together with a few primates) in the degree of use and manufacture of polymorphic tools in the wild. However, until now, the flexibility of their tool use has not been tested. Flexibility, including the ability to select an appropriate tool for a task, is considered to be a hallmark of complex cognitive adaptations for tool use. In experiment 1, we tested the ability of two captive birds (one male, one female), to select a stick (from a range of lengths provided) matching the distance to food placed in a horizontal transparent pipe. Both birds chose tools matching the distance to their target significantly more often than would be expected by chance. In experiment 2, we used a similar task, but with the tools placed out of sight of the food pipe, such that the birds had to remember the distance of the food before selecting a tool. The task was completed only by the male, who chose a tool of sufficient length significantly more often than chance but did not show a preference for a matching length.