The evolution of intelligence in corvids and sensory cognition in humans and corvids

博士项目战略主题：了解生活规则乌鸦是高度智能的动物，表现出与类人猿相同的某些认知特征。乌鸦具有极好的视力，并已被证明在视觉任务中表现出类似于心理理论的特征。这个项目将考察听觉信息在这些鸟类中的重要性，因为它们利用了大量的声音提示，这些声音是出色的模仿，它们应该有敏锐的听觉感知。之前完成了一项缓存实验，以探索在存在同种情况下决定在哪里缓存时听觉信息的重要性。进一步的实验将利用行为研究来测试这些鸟是否更信任它们的视觉或听觉输入。这些认知研究的性质将随着鸟类的季节性变化而变化。在秋季，可能会使用更多的缓存研究，而在繁殖季节以外的其他时间，将使用认知测试来调查使用杯子进行复杂推理的情况。在人类参与者身上进行的类似研究可能被用来研究认知的进化。

PhD project strategic theme: Understanding the rules of lifeCorvids are highly intelligent animals that display certain cognitive traits on a par with apes. Corvids have excellent eyesight and have been shown to demonstrate theory of mind like traits in visual tasks. This project will look at the importance of auditory information in these birds, as they utilise a large range of vocal cues being excellent mimics, they are expected to have acute auditory perception. A caching experiment was previously completed to probe the importance of auditory information when making decisions where to cache in the presence of a conspecific. Further experiments will utilise behavioural studies to test whether the birds trust their visual or auditory inputs more. The nature of these cognitive studies will vary with the seasonal changes in the birds. In autumn more caching studies may be used, whilst at other times outside breeding season cognitive tests investigating complexes inferences using cups will be used. Similar studies in human participants may be used in order to investigate the evolution of cognition.