@article {pmid35774139, year = {2022}, author = {Gallego-Abenza, M and Boucherie, PH and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Early social environment affects attention to social cues in juvenile common ravens, Corvus corax.}, journal = {Royal Society open science}, volume = {9}, number = {6}, pages = {220132}, doi = {10.1098/rsos.220132}, pmid = {35774139}, issn = {2054-5703}, abstract = {Social competence, i.e. defined as the ability to adjust the expression of social behaviour to the available social information, is known to be influenced by early-life conditions. Brood size might be one of the factors determining such early conditions, particularly in species with extended parental care. We here tested in ravens whether growing up in families of different sizes affects the chicks' responsiveness to social information. We experimentally manipulated the brood size of 13 captive raven families, creating either small or large families. Simulating dispersal, juveniles were separated from their parents and temporarily housed in one of two captive non-breeder groups. After five weeks of socialization, each raven was individually tested in a playback setting with food-associated calls from three social categories: sibling, familiar unrelated raven they were housed with, and unfamiliar unrelated raven from the other non-breeder aviary. We found that individuals reared in small families were more attentive than birds from large families, in particular towards the familiar unrelated peer. These results indicate that variation in family size during upbringing can affect how juvenile ravens value social information. Whether the observed attention patterns translate into behavioural preferences under daily life conditions remains to be tested in future studies.}, }
@article {pmid35771525, year = {2022}, author = {Baciadonna, L and Jerwood, GM and Farrar, BG and Clayton, NS and Emery, NJ}, title = {Investigation of mirror-self recognition in ravens (Corvus corax).}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1037/com0000319}, pmid = {35771525}, issn = {1939-2087}, support = {//Templeton World Charity Foundation/ ; }, abstract = {Large-brained birds, such as corvids and parrots, tend to fail tests for self-recognition (mirror self-recognition [MSR]), but the limited positive evidence for MSR in these species has been questioned due to methodological limitations. In the present study, we aimed to investigate MSR in ravens by performing three mirror tests: a mirror exposure test, a mirror preference test, and a mark test. Across all three tests, the ravens' behavior was not consistent with MSR. Three out of six ravens infrequently interacted with the mirror and the nonmirror surfaces. Two birds explored the mirror and occasionally displayed contingent behaviors. Finally, the ravens made very few social displays toward the mirror, suggesting that at this stage they did not treat their reflection as a conspecific. These findings, along with the current evidence available, raise further questions on the validity of relying on one test to establish self-recognition and call for the development of methods beyond mirror tests to explore self-recognition in nonhuman animals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid35713817, year = {2022}, author = {Zhang, Y and Zhang, Z and Zhao, L and Tao, Y and Li, Z}, title = {Azure-winged Magpies would rather avoid losses than strive for benefits based on reciprocal altruism.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {35713817}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {31772470//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; }, abstract = {It is no doubt that the reciprocal altruism of humans is unparalleled in the animal world. However, how strong altruistic behavior in the non-human animal is still very controversial. Almost all previous researches allowed only one individual in the dyad for action or dyad to accomplish tasks and obtain rewards simultaneously. Here, we designed current study based on the prisoner's dilemma to investigate reciprocal altruism under interactions of Azure-winged Magpies (Cyanopica cyanus), which is direct reciprocity of allowing subjects obtain rewards, respectively. The results suggest that Azure-winged Magpies failed to show continuously altruistic behavior due to the empiricism that stemmed from interactions, that is, avoiding losses. Meanwhile, the resource exchange game paradigm, which is designed in our study, is worthwhile to study the evolution of cooperation in more species in the future.}, }
@article {pmid35681822, year = {2022}, author = {Gallup, AC and Schild, AB and Ühlein, MA and Bugnyar, T and Massen, JJM}, title = {No Evidence for Contagious Yawning in Juvenile Ravens (Corvus corax): An Observational Study.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {12}, number = {11}, pages = {}, doi = {10.3390/ani12111357}, pmid = {35681822}, issn = {2076-2615}, support = {Y366-B17, W-1234-G17, and W1262-B29 to T.B. and M1351-B17 and P26806-B22 to J.J.M.M..//Austrian Science Fund (FWF)/ ; }, abstract = {The overt and reflexive matching of behaviors among conspecifics has been observed in a growing number of social vertebrates, including avian species. In general, behavioral contagion-such as the spread of yawning-may serve important functions in group synchronization and vigilance behavior. Here, we performed an exploratory study to investigate yawn contagion among 10 captive juvenile ravens (Corvus corax), across two groups. Using observational methods, we also examined the contagiousness of three other distinct behaviors: stretching, scratching, and shaking. A total of 44 20 min observations were made across both groups, including 28 in the morning and 16 in the afternoon. The time and occurrence of all the behaviors from each bird were coded, and the temporal pattern of each behavior across both groups was then analyzed to assess the degree of social contagion. Overall, we found no evidence for contagious yawning, stretching, scratching, or shaking. However, yawns were relatively infrequent per observation (0.052 ± 0.076 yawns/bird) and thus experimental methods should be used to support this finding.}, }
@article {pmid35609544, year = {2022}, author = {Farine, DR}, title = {Collective behaviour: Jackdaws vote to leave with their voice.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {32}, number = {10}, pages = {R467-R469}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.070}, pmid = {35609544}, issn = {1879-0445}, abstract = {Making a decision as a group requires not only choosing where to go but also when to go. A new study provides experimental evidence that, in jackdaws, vocalisations facilitate synchronous early morning departures from communal roosts.}, }
@article {pmid35601199, year = {2022}, author = {Moyer, RA and Beck, CJ and Van Atter, N and McLane, A}, title = {Advocacy services for survivors of intimate partner violence: Pivots and lessons learned during the COVID-19 quarantine in Tacoma, Washington.}, journal = {Family court review}, volume = {60}, number = {2}, pages = {288-302}, doi = {10.1111/fcre.12642}, pmid = {35601199}, issn = {1531-2445}, abstract = {The Crystal Judson Family Justice Center (CJFJC), like many advocacy programs for survivors of intimate partner violence, transformed its structure and operating procedures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States was in Washington State, where CJFJC is located, and Governor Jay Inslee acted quickly with a strict stay-at-home order. This paper describes the pre-pandemic, in-person service model used at CJFJC and then the transition to a fully online service model utilizing phone, email and online procedures and platforms. The rapid transition posed many opportunities to learn how to provide services during public pandemics, and how to provide services virtually. We conclude with detailed lessons learned from the experiences of filing domestic violence protection orders online, Zoom court hearings, innovation surrounding community partnerships, and information technology development.}, }
@article {pmid35302039, year = {2022}, author = {Bravo, C and Sarasa, M and Bretagnolle, V and Pays, O}, title = {Detectability and predator strategy affect egg depredation rates: Implications for mitigating nest depredation in farmlands.}, journal = {The Science of the total environment}, volume = {829}, number = {}, pages = {154558}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154558}, pmid = {35302039}, issn = {1879-1026}, mesh = {Animals ; Farms ; *Nesting Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {Predation is a major evolutionary force in animal ecology. Mechanisms by which prey coloration provides camouflage has been widely studied. However, predator response to prey camouflage and concealment has received less attention. Understanding vegetation structure effect on depredation success could help managers design strategies to mitigate the depredation of managed species (e.g., threatened or hunted). We aimed to investigate the relationship between depredation rate, nest camouflage and concealment in ground-nesting birds of farmlands, and their predators. We set up an experiment of 2576 artificial ground nests to assess the role of egg coloration (white, light green, and dark green), egg size (small, medium, and large), and vegetation structure (vegetation height and land use) in nest survival rates. We also explored the role of predator searching strategies by analysing clumped depredation and multiple depredation events. Of the nests, 34.0% were depredated, with corvids as the predators 78.5% of the time. Corvid depredation decreased by 40-60% in grasslands and spring crops above a vegetation height of 30 cm. In contrast, vegetation height and land use may be of far less importance in avoiding depredation by other predators. The probability of depredation was spatially clumped, suggesting that predators increase search effort in areas where a nest was previously encountered. Neighboring depredation and depredation repetition were more frequent in corvids than in other predators. Our study indicates that nests in vegetation higher than 30 cm had a drastic reduction in depredation rates by corvids. Management of vegetation structure is a key tool to mitigate depredation risk, and improving the availability of alternative food resources may be a complementary tool.}, }
@article {pmid35565633, year = {2022}, author = {Kövér, L and Paládi, P and Benmazouz, I and Šorgo, A and Špur, N and Juhász, L and Czine, P and Balogh, P and Lengyel, S}, title = {Is the Hitchcock Story Really True? Public Opinion on Hooded Crows in Cities as Input to Management.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {12}, number = {9}, pages = {}, pmid = {35565633}, issn = {2076-2615}, abstract = {In recent years, the Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) has become one of the most successful wild bird species in urban environments across Europe. Hooded crows can cause several problems in cities, including trash scattering, noise disturbance, and aggressive behavior toward humans or pets, and they can be potential vectors of pathogens. To find effective solutions, the public has to be involved in the decision-making process in urban planning management, managed by the city administration. In this study, we surveyed the attitude of people in Hungary towards crows and crow management by collecting information using an online questionnaire containing 65 questions published in 14 Facebook groups. We found that many people were familiar with corvid species and had personal experience with them. In most cases, these experiences were not negative, so the crows were not or only rarely perceived to cause problems to people, such as aggressive behavior, damage to cars or stealing something. Most respondents recognized that the presence of large numbers of hooded crows is a problem to be solved and acknowledged that they do not know how to resolve it. The majority of people expressed their interest in raising public awareness of crows but not in their management actions, which they believe should be implemented by experts. Most respondents preferred passive, harmless methods. More direct methods such as egg/chick removal from the nest, control by trapping, poisoned baits or firearms, or oral contraceptives were the least acceptable. These results express the difficulty in identifying a control method for managing hooded crow populations that is both acceptable to most people and effective at the same time. This study demonstrates the importance of involving public opinion in wildlife management and providing more information to citizens to reduce human-crow conflicts.}, }
@article {pmid35527352, year = {2022}, author = {Brynychová, K and Sládeček, M and Pešková, L and Chajma, P and Firlová, V and Elhassan, E and Vozabulová, E and Janatová, V and Almuhery, A and Šálek, M}, title = {Aggressiveness in a subtropical shorebird's nest defense is adjusted to the predator species and shared by conspecifics.}, journal = {Aggressive behavior}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1002/ab.22032}, pmid = {35527352}, issn = {1098-2337}, support = {2020B0028_a (to KB, VJ, VF, EE, and MŠ)//IGA FZP/ ; 2021B0025 (to LP, VF, KB, MS, and MŠ)//IGA FZP/ ; TJ02000199 (to MS, KB, VF, VJ, EV, PC, and MŠ)//TACR ZÉTA 2/ ; }, abstract = {Aggression is an important component of an animal's defense when protecting offspring from predators. Ground nesting birds use a variety of defense strategies. However, their choice according to situation context is poorly known, especially in nonpasserines and in the subtropics and tropics. The ability to distinguish between differently dangerous predator species and the opportunity to share defense with conspecifics are potentially important but little-studied aspects of nest defense strategy. We experimentally studied the nest defense of Red-Wattled Lapwing in an individually marked population in a desert area near Dubai, UAE. We used three stuffed models representing 1) a predator dangerous both to adults and to nests (a cat), 2) a nest predator (a raven), and 3) a harmless reference model (a moorhen). We confirmed that the lapwings distinguished between predator species (being most aggressive toward the cat, and least aggressive toward the moorhen) and adjusted their defense strategy accordingly. In addition, conspecific visitors play a variety of roles in parents' defense strategy. They can strengthen the parental reaction, or they can assist in distracting a predator. The visitors included not only nesting neighbors but also nonbreeding floaters. Both parents participated in nest defense to a similar extent, regardless of incubation stage and ambient temperature. This study provides new insight into the complexity of the defensive patterns in ground-nesting birds inhabiting a hot environment. Comparative experimental research on a range of environments, with various bird species and predator models, can help us to understand the drivers of these defensive behavioral patterns.}, }
@article {pmid35476231, year = {2022}, author = {Ocañas, AR and Danoff-Burg, JA and Mulroe, K and Walton, SR}, title = {Addressing the raven food subsidy challenge by engaging restaurants to close their dumpsters.}, journal = {Zoo biology}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1002/zoo.21696}, pmid = {35476231}, issn = {1098-2361}, support = {//Southern California Edison/ ; 8006.19.064748//National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/ ; }, abstract = {Ravens have benefitted from resource subsidies provided by humans so much that their population has increased by over 800% in the western Mojave desert over the last 50 years. Our food waste is an especially large subsidy. Raven predation is one of the greatest threats to desert tortoise survival in the California desert. We sought to create and evaluate a behavioral change program among restaurants in Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, California in the western Mojave with elevated raven populations. Half of the 60 restaurants in these two communities received an intervention encouraging them to close their dumpsters while the other half served as controls with no intervention. Treatment restaurants received two in-person visits to discuss the manifold importance of dumpster closure and laminated information signs to display and extend communication to staff. We surveyed all dumpsters for open/closed status five times before the intervention and five times again 3 months after the intervention. We found a significant increase in closure rates among treatment restaurants due to the interventions, with an average of 9.5% increase toward maximum possible lid closure. Restaurants achieving 80%+ closure received "Gold Star Awards" to further stimulate community-wide behavior change by publicly recognizing and encouraging desired behaviors. We summarize dumpster closure rates from similar interventions in nearby Joshua Tree and across the Coachella Valley to illustrate how local social norms may influence behavior.}, }
@article {pmid35250755, year = {2022}, author = {Nittono, H and Ohashi, A and Komori, M}, title = {Creation and Validation of the Japanese Cute Infant Face (JCIF) Dataset.}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {13}, number = {}, pages = {819428}, pmid = {35250755}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {Research interest in cuteness perception and its effects on subsequent behavior and physiological responses has recently been increasing. The purpose of the present study was to produce a dataset of Japanese infant faces that are free of portrait rights and can be used for cuteness research. A total of 80 original facial images of 6-month-old infants were collected from their parents. The cuteness level of each picture was rated on a 7-point scale by 200 Japanese people (100 men and 100 women in their 20s-60s). Prototypical high- and low-cuteness faces were created by averaging the top 10 and bottom 10 faces according to the mean cuteness ratings. Then, 50 composite faces were made by mixing two faces randomly chosen from the 60 unused middle-cuteness faces. The normative cuteness ratings of these composite faces were obtained from 229 Japanese men and women in their 20s-60s. The shape of each composite face was transformed to be cuter (+50%) or less cute (-50%) along a continuum between the high- and low-cuteness prototypical faces. A two-alternative forced-choice task (N = 587) confirmed that cuteness discrimination was better than the chance level for all 50 face pairs. Moreover, the results showed that young men had poorer sensitivity to cuteness differences in infant faces than older men and women of any age. This Japanese Cute Infant Face (JCIF, "jay-sif") dataset, including composite face images and normative rating scores, is publicly available online.}, }
@article {pmid35201636, year = {2022}, author = {Abdel Maksoud, MKM and Ibrahim, AAH and Nabil, TM and Moawad, UK}, title = {Histomorphological, histochemical and scanning electron microscopic investigation of the proventriculus (Ventriculus glandularis) of the hooded crow (Corvus cornix).}, journal = {Anatomia, histologia, embryologia}, volume = {51}, number = {3}, pages = {380-389}, doi = {10.1111/ahe.12798}, pmid = {35201636}, issn = {1439-0264}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Electrons ; Female ; Gizzard, Avian/anatomy & histology ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning/veterinary ; *Proventriculus/anatomy & histology ; }, abstract = {The current investigation aimed to clarify the histomorphological features, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histochemistry of the proventriculus in the adult hooded crow (Corvus cornix). Twenty-two adult birds of both sexes were collected from El-Fayoum and Beni-Suef governorates, Egypt; ten were used for anatomical investigation, two were scanned using SEM, and ten were subjected to routine histological technique. The obtained anatomical results revealed a small-sized spindle-shaped proventriculus obliquely located in the left ventral part of the body cavity with an average body weight, length and diameter of 1.689 ± 0.231 gm, 1.54 ± 0.383cm and 3.51 ± 0.416cm, respectively. The histological examination revealed a typical tubular organ. The mucosa exhibited several plicae and sulci that were lined with simple columnar cells. The lamina propria was composed of collagenous connective tissue infiltrated by lymphocytes, lymphatic aggregations and tubular glands. The submucosa consisted of collagenic fibres and compound tubuloalveolar glandular lobules lined with oxynticopeptic cells and enteroendocrine cells. The oxynticopeptic cells reacted negatively with PAS and Alcian Blue stains, whereas the ductal cells reacted positively with PAS only. Enteroendocrine cells were seen singly in the lamina epithelialis mucosae and were abundant in submucosal glands. The tunica musclaris was arranged in two layers covered by serosa. The proventricular glands' openings were noticed by SEM as raised tubes with regular circular outlines surrounded by anastomosed microscopic folds. The obtained histomorphological structure of the hooded crow's proventriculus revealed some shared morphological features with most species of birds and some variations that might be attributed to their diet and feeding behaviour.}, }
@article {pmid35169186, year = {2022}, author = {McCune, KB and Valente, JJ and Jablonski, PG and Lee, SI and Ha, RR}, title = {Social behavior mediates the use of social and personal information in wild jays.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {12}, number = {1}, pages = {2494}, pmid = {35169186}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/*psychology ; Association Learning/physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Cues ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Male ; Memory/physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Social Environment ; *Social Evolution ; Social Learning/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The factors favoring the evolution of certain cognitive abilities in animals remain unclear. Social learning is a cognitive ability that reduces the cost of acquiring personal information and forms the foundation for cultural behavior. Theory predicts the evolutionary pressures to evolve social learning should be greater in more social species. However, research testing this theory has primarily occurred in captivity, where artificial environments can affect performance and yield conflicting results. We compared the use of social and personal information, and the social learning mechanisms used by wild, asocial California scrub-jays and social Mexican jays. We trained demonstrators to solve one door on a multi-door task, then measured the behavior of naïve conspecifics towards the task. If social learning occurs, observations of demonstrators will change the rate that naïve individuals interact with each door. We found both species socially learned, though personal information had a much greater effect on behavior in the asocial species while social information was more important for the social species. Additionally, both species used social information to avoid, rather than copy, conspecifics. Our findings demonstrate that while complex social group structures may be unnecessary for the evolution of social learning, it does affect the use of social versus personal information.}, }
@article {pmid35153252, year = {2022}, author = {Seguchi, A and Mogi, K and Izawa, EI}, title = {Measurement of urinary mesotocin in large-billed crows by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.}, journal = {The Journal of veterinary medical science}, volume = {84}, number = {4}, pages = {520-524}, doi = {10.1292/jvms.21-0635}, pmid = {35153252}, issn = {1347-7439}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds ; *Crows ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary ; *Oxytocin/analogs & derivatives ; }, abstract = {Mesotocin (MT) is an avian homologue of oxytocin (OT). Behavioral pharmacological studies in birds have suggested the involvement of MT in socially affiliative behavior. However, investigations of peripheral MT levels associated with social behavior are lacking because non-invasive methods to measure surrogate plasma MT have yet to be established. This study aimed to measure urinary MT in crows using a commercially available OT enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Urine samples were collected after intravenous injection of MT and centrifuged to separate urine and fecal components. We found that urinary MT was significantly elevated 15-30 min after MT injection. These results validate our method for the use of urine samples for the measurement of peripheral MT levels in crows.}, }
@article {pmid35085401, year = {2022}, author = {Suh, YH and Bowman, R and Fitzpatrick, JW}, title = {Staging to join non-kin groups in a classical cooperative breeder, the Florida scrub-jay.}, journal = {The Journal of animal ecology}, volume = {91}, number = {5}, pages = {970-982}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.13669}, pmid = {35085401}, issn = {1365-2656}, support = {BSR-8705443//National Science Foundation/ ; BSR-8996276//National Science Foundation/ ; BSR-9021902//National Science Foundation/ ; DEB97-07622//National Science Foundation/ ; //U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Female ; Male ; Reproduction/physiology ; *Songbirds/physiology ; }, abstract = {Why unrelated members form groups in animal societies remains a pertinent topic in evolutionary biology because benefits for group members often are not obvious. We studied subordinates that disperse to join unrelated social groups in the Florida scrub-jay Aphelocoma coerulescens, a cooperative breeding species mainly composed of kin-based groups. We evaluated potential adaptive benefits of dispersing to become an unrelated helper (staging) versus remaining home and dispersing only to pair and breed (direct dispersal) to understand why non-kin-based groups form. Using 35 years of demographic data, we quantified life-history aspects of staging individuals and tested associations between social and ecological factors on the natal and staging territories. We compared fitness outcomes between dispersal strategies by analysing survival, breeding recruitment and direct reproductive output. We tested for sexual asymmetry potentially driven by differences in territory acquisition patterns and female-biased dispersal for this species. Of birds that reached 1 year, 28% staged at a non-natal territory before breeding or disappearing. Staging dispersers departed at younger ages and moved greater distances than direct dispersers. When looking at proximate factors on the natal territory associated with staging, males left groups with many same-sex helpers, while females often left when their father disappeared. For both sexes, staging individuals more likely came from high-quality territories and joined groups with fewer same-sex helpers than in their natal group. While staging and direct dispersers did not differ in survival or likelihood of becoming a breeder, staging males became breeders later and had lower lifetime reproductive success than direct dispersers. In Florida scrub-jays, staging appears to be an alternative strategy for female helpers, but a best-of-a-bad-situation for males. This sexual asymmetry is consistent with males having more options than females to achieve higher reproductive success by breeding near home. Trade-offs in cost-benefits of departing the natal territory and joining unrelated groups as a helper seem to best explain alternative dispersal patterns, with optimal social queues primarily driving the benefits. This research highlights plasticity in dispersal behaviour in response to social and environmental conditions and offers a new perspective in our understanding of non-kin-based social groups.}, }
@article {pmid35000442, year = {2022}, author = {Boucherie, PH and Gallego-Abenza, M and Massen, JJM and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Dominance in a socially dynamic setting: hierarchical structure and conflict dynamics in ravens' foraging groups.}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences}, volume = {377}, number = {1845}, pages = {20200446}, pmid = {35000442}, issn = {1471-2970}, mesh = {Aggression ; Animals ; *Crows ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Social Dominance ; }, abstract = {Dominance hierarchies typically emerge in systems where group members regularly encounter and compete for resources. In birds, the 'open' and dynamic structure of foraging groups may prevent the emergence of structured hierarchies, although this assumption have hardly been tested. We report on agonistic data for ravens Corvus corax, collected over two 18-month periods for 183 marked individuals of a wild (fluid) population and 51 birds from six captive (stable) groups. We show that the dominance structure (steep and transitive) in wild foraging groups is strikingly similar to that found in captivity. In the wild, we found that higher ranks are mainly occupied by males, older and more aggressive individuals that also tend to receive fewer aggressions. Exploring the mechanisms sustaining the wild dominance structure, we confirmed that males are more aggressive than females and, with age, tend to receive fewer aggressions than females. Males that are about to leave the foraging groups for some months are less aggressive than newcomers or locals, while newcomers are specifically targeted by aggressions in their first year (as juveniles). Taken together, our results indicate that the socially dynamic conditions ravens face during foraging do not hinder, but provide opportunities for, using (advanced) social cognition. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.}, }
@article {pmid34997433, year = {2022}, author = {LaFave, SE and Suen, JJ and Seau, Q and Bergman, A and Fisher, MC and Thorpe, RJ and Szanton, SL}, title = {Racism and Older Black Americans' Health: a Systematic Review.}, journal = {Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine}, volume = {99}, number = {1}, pages = {28-54}, pmid = {34997433}, issn = {1468-2869}, support = {F31 NR019211/NR/NINR NIH HHS/United States ; TL1 TR003100/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States ; T32 AG066576/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States ; DP1 AG069874/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States ; F31 AG071353/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {African Americans/psychology ; Aged ; Blacks ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Racism/psychology ; *Social Segregation ; Systemic Racism ; }, abstract = {We reviewed research that examines racism as an independent variable and one or more health outcomes as dependent variables in Black American adults aged 50 years and older in the USA. Of the 43 studies we reviewed, most measured perceived interpersonal racism, perceived institutional racism, or residential segregation. The only two measures of structural racism were birth and residence in a "Jim Crow state." Fourteen studies found associations between racism and mental health outcomes, five with cardiovascular outcomes, seven with cognition, two with physical function, two with telomere length, and five with general health/other health outcomes. Ten studies found no significant associations in older Black adults. All but six of the studies were cross-sectional. Research to understand the extent of structural and multilevel racism as a social determinant of health and the impact on older adults specifically is needed. Improved measurement tools could help address this gap in science.}, }
@article {pmid34990824, year = {2022}, author = {Martin, RJ and Dick, MF and Sherry, DF}, title = {Canada jays (Perisoreus canadensis) balance protein and energy targets simultaneously in both consumed and cached food.}, journal = {Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology}, volume = {266}, number = {}, pages = {111142}, doi = {10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.111142}, pmid = {34990824}, issn = {1531-4332}, mesh = {Animals ; Canada ; *Feeding Behavior/physiology ; Food ; Seasons ; *Songbirds/physiology ; }, abstract = {Food scarce periods pose serious physiological challenges for birds, especially in energetically demanding conditions. For species in the northern hemisphere, a decrease in available resources during winter adds further physiological stress to the energetic demands of life at low temperatures. Some species cache food to provide a reliable energy and nutrient resource during scarcity. Canada Jays are a year-round food-caching resident of the North American boreal forest. Canada Jays also rear their young prior to spring green up, making food caching not only essential for adult winter survival, but also potentially important for meeting the requirements of growing offspring in late winter and early spring. We examined the diet choices of Canada Jays immediately prior to winter, and the macronutrient composition of the foods Canada Jay consumed and cached at this time. We found that Canada Jays cache the same relative amounts of macronutrients as they consume but did not vary macronutrients seasonally. The similarities in the macronutrient proportions cached and consumed suggest a consistent nutrient intake pattern, and that Canada Jays are foraging to simultaneously meet similar minimum energy and minimum protein targets for both the present and future. These simultaneous targets constrain the caching decisions of jays when presented with dietary choices.}, }
@article {pmid34930523, year = {2021}, author = {Klump, BC and St Clair, JJ and Rutz, C}, title = {New Caledonian crows keep 'valuable' hooked tools safer than basic non-hooked tools.}, journal = {eLife}, volume = {10}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {34930523}, issn = {2050-084X}, support = {BB/G023913/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/G023913/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/S018484/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Female ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The temporary storage and re-use of tools can significantly enhance foraging efficiency. New Caledonian crows in one of our study populations use two types of stick tools - hooked and non-hooked - which differ in raw material, manufacture costs, and foraging performance. Using a large sample of wild-caught, temporarily captive New Caledonian crows, we investigated experimentally whether individuals prefer one tool type over the other when given a choice and whether they take better care of their preferred tools between successive episodes of use, safely storing them underfoot or in nearby holes. Crows strongly preferred hooked stick tools made from Desmanthus virgatus stems over non-hooked stick tools. Importantly, this preference was also reflected in subsequent tool-handling behaviour, with subjects keeping hooked stick tools safe more often than non-hooked stick tools sourced from leaf litter. These results suggest that crows 'value' hooked stick tools, which are both costlier to procure and more efficient to use, more than non-hooked stick tools. Results from a series of control treatments suggested that crows altered their tool 'safekeeping' behaviour in response to a combination of factors, including tool type and raw material. To our knowledge, our study is the first to use safekeeping behaviour as a proxy for assessing how non-human animals value different tool types, establishing a novel paradigm for productive cross-taxonomic comparisons.}, }
@article {pmid34875182, year = {2021}, author = {Martin, RJ and Martin, GK and Roberts, WA and Sherry, DF}, title = {No evidence for future planning in Canada jays (Perisoreus canadensis).}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {17}, number = {12}, pages = {20210504}, pmid = {34875182}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Animals ; Canada ; Feeding Behavior ; Food ; Humans ; *Passeriformes ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {In the past 20 years, research in animal cognition has challenged the belief that complex cognitive processes are uniquely human. At the forefront of these challenges has been research on mental time travel and future planning in jays. We tested whether Canada jays (Perisoreus canadensis) demonstrated future planning, using a procedure that has produced evidence of future planning in California scrub-jays. Future planning in this procedure is caching in locations where the bird will predictably experience a lack of food in the future. Canada jays showed no evidence of future planning in this sense and instead cached in the location where food was usually available, opposite to the behaviour described for California scrub-jays. We provide potential explanations for these differing results adding to the recent debates about the role of complex cognition in corvid caching strategies.}, }
@article {pmid34827796, year = {2021}, author = {Schneider, S and Goettlich, S and Diercks, C and Dierkes, PW}, title = {Discrimination of Acoustic Stimuli and Maintenance of Graded Alarm Call Structure in Captive Meerkats.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {11}, number = {11}, pages = {}, pmid = {34827796}, issn = {2076-2615}, abstract = {Animals living in human care for several generations face the risk of losing natural behaviors, which can lead to reduced animal welfare. The goal of this study is to demonstrate that meerkats (Suricata suricatta) living in zoos can assess potential danger and respond naturally based on acoustic signals only. This includes that the graded information of urgency in alarm calls as well as a response to those alarm calls is retained in captivity. To test the response to acoustic signals with different threat potential, meerkats were played calls of various animals differing in size and threat (e.g., robin, raven, buzzard, jackal) while their behavior was observed. The emitted alarm calls were recorded and examined for their graded structure on the one hand and played back to them on the other hand by means of a playback experiment to see whether the animals react to their own alarm calls even in the absence of danger. A fuzzy clustering algorithm was used to analyze and classify the alarm calls. Subsequently, the features that best described the graded structure were isolated using the LASSO algorithm and compared to features already known from wild meerkats. The results show that the graded structure is maintained in captivity and can be described by features such as noise and duration. The animals respond to new threats and can distinguish animal calls that are dangerous to them from those that are not, indicating the preservation of natural cooperative behavior. In addition, the playback experiments show that the meerkats respond to their own alarm calls with vigilance and escape behavior. The findings can be used to draw conclusions about the intensity of alertness in captive meerkats and to adapt husbandry conditions to appropriate welfare.}, }
@article {pmid34813525, year = {2022}, author = {Leopold, SS}, title = {A Conversation with … Jay Nordlinger, the Writer Who Sees Both Sides.}, journal = {Clinical orthopaedics and related research}, volume = {480}, number = {2}, pages = {217-219}, doi = {10.1097/CORR.0000000000002048}, pmid = {34813525}, issn = {1528-1132}, mesh = {*Communication ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; *Journalism ; Male ; *Periodicals as Topic ; *Physician-Patient Relations ; }, }
@article {pmid34793696, year = {2022}, author = {Miller, R and Lambert, ML and Frohnwieser, A and Brecht, KF and Bugnyar, T and Crampton, I and Garcia-Pelegrin, E and Gould, K and Greggor, AL and Izawa, EI and Kelly, DM and Li, Z and Luo, Y and Luong, LB and Massen, JJM and Nieder, A and Reber, SA and Schiestl, M and Seguchi, A and Sepehri, P and Stevens, JR and Taylor, AH and Wang, L and Wolff, LM and Zhang, Y and Clayton, NS}, title = {Socio-ecological correlates of neophobia in corvids.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {32}, number = {1}, pages = {74-85.e4}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.045}, pmid = {34793696}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; Fear ; Humans ; *Passeriformes/physiology ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Behavioral responses to novelty, including fear and subsequent avoidance of novel stimuli, i.e., neophobia, determine how animals interact with their environment. Neophobia aids in navigating risk and impacts on adaptability and survival. There is variation within and between individuals and species; however, lack of large-scale, comparative studies critically limits investigation of the socio-ecological drivers of neophobia. In this study, we tested responses to novel objects and food (alongside familiar food) versus a baseline (familiar food alone) in 10 corvid species (241 subjects) across 10 labs worldwide. There were species differences in the latency to touch familiar food in the novel object and novel food conditions relative to the baseline. Four of seven socio-ecological factors influenced object neophobia: (1) use of urban habitat (versus not), (2) territorial pair versus family group sociality, (3) large versus small maximum flock size, and (4) moderate versus specialized caching (whereas range, hunting live animals, and genus did not), while only maximum flock size influenced food neophobia. We found that, overall, individuals were temporally and contextually repeatable (i.e., consistent) in their novelty responses in all conditions, indicating neophobia is a stable behavioral trait. With this study, we have established a network of corvid researchers, demonstrating potential for further collaboration to explore the evolution of cognition in corvids and other bird species. These novel findings enable us, for the first time in corvids, to identify the socio-ecological correlates of neophobia and grant insight into specific elements that drive higher neophobic responses in this avian family group. VIDEO ABSTRACT.}, }
@article {pmid34738933, year = {2021}, author = {Kas, JJ and Vila, FD and Pemmaraju, CD and Tan, TS and Rehr, JJ}, title = {Advanced calculations of X-ray spectroscopies with FEFF10 and Corvus.}, journal = {Journal of synchrotron radiation}, volume = {28}, number = {Pt 6}, pages = {1801-1810}, doi = {10.1107/S1600577521008614}, pmid = {34738933}, issn = {1600-5775}, support = {DE-AC02-76SF00515//US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering/ ; DEFG02-97ER45623//US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences/ ; DE-AC02-05CH11231//US Department of Energy, Office of Science, National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; X-Rays ; }, abstract = {The real-space Green's function code FEFF has been extensively developed and used for calculations of X-ray and related spectra, including X-ray absorption (XAS), X-ray emission (XES), inelastic X-ray scattering, and electron energy-loss spectra. The code is particularly useful for the analysis and interpretation of the XAS fine-structure (EXAFS) and the near-edge structure (XANES) in materials throughout the periodic table. Nevertheless, many applications, such as non-equilibrium systems, and the analysis of ultra-fast pump-probe experiments, require extensions of the code including finite-temperature and auxiliary calculations of structure and vibrational properties. To enable these extensions, we have developed in tandem a new version FEFF10 and new FEFF-based workflows for the Corvus workflow manager, which allow users to easily augment the capabilities of FEFF10 via auxiliary codes. This coupling facilitates simplified input and automated calculations of spectra based on advanced theoretical techniques. The approach is illustrated with examples of high-temperature behavior, vibrational properties, many-body excitations in XAS, super-heavy materials, and fits of calculated spectra to experiment.}, }
@article {pmid34725818, year = {2022}, author = {Séguin, K and Durand-Guévin, A and Lavallée, C and Ouimet, F and Maisonhaute, JÉ and Watson, CJ and Forbes, SL}, title = {The taphonomic impact of scavenger guilds in southern Quebec during summer and fall in two distinct habitats.}, journal = {Journal of forensic sciences}, volume = {67}, number = {2}, pages = {460-470}, doi = {10.1111/1556-4029.14929}, pmid = {34725818}, issn = {1556-4029}, support = {C150-2017-12//Canada 150 Research Chair in Forensic Thanatology/ ; RGPIN/6098/2019//Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Birds ; *Ecosystem ; *Feeding Behavior ; Postmortem Changes ; Quebec ; Seasons ; Swine ; }, abstract = {Decomposition of human remains is a complex process impacted by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors. A less-studied extrinsic factor in forensic taphonomy are the scavengers that consume soft and hard tissue. Scavengers physically degrade and remove soft tissue, disperse, and destroy skeletal elements, which can make locating remains challenging. While invertebrate activity has been largely investigated, there is limited quantitative data available on vertebrate activity, particularly in Canada. This study aimed to determine which species (vertebrate and invertebrate) belong to the scavenger guilds in southern Quebec, and their potential taphonomic impact on the decomposition process. Two independent trials were conducted in 2020 using pig carcasses: one during summer in a forest habitat and one during fall in a grassland habitat. Each carcass was placed a minimum 100 m apart in semi-rural land. Vertebrate scavenger activity was recorded by continuous surveillance using trail cameras. Carcasses were also regularly visited to monitor the decomposition process and the activity of invertebrate scavengers. Overall, the vertebrate scavenger guilds included a narrow range of corvids, turkey vultures, coyotes, and skunks. The intensity of vertebrate scavengers was greater in the grassland habitat (fall), while the intensity of invertebrate scavengers was greater in the forest habitat (summer). With the exception of invertebrate scavengers, very few species visited during the fresh stage of decomposition, and the probability of body displacement increased as decomposition progressed. These results identify which scavengers have the greatest taphonomic impact and highlight the importance of incorporating scavenger impact when searching for human remains.}, }
@article {pmid34677128, year = {2021}, author = {Zeiträg, C and Jacobs, I}, title = {The elusive perspective of a food thief.}, journal = {eLife}, volume = {10}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {34677128}, issn = {2050-084X}, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior ; Food ; *Passeriformes ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {Eurasian jays fail to take into account the point of view and desire of other jays when hiding food they can eat later.}, }
@article {pmid34641734, year = {2021}, author = {Baciadonna, L and Solvi, C and La Cava, S and Pilenga, C and Gamba, M and Favaro, L}, title = {Cross-modal individual recognition in the African penguin and the effect of partnership.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {288}, number = {1960}, pages = {20211463}, pmid = {34641734}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Cues ; Endangered Species ; Humans ; Recognition, Psychology ; *Spheniscidae ; Territoriality ; }, abstract = {An animal's ability to recognize another individual by matching their image to their voice suggests they form internal representations of other individuals. To what extent this ability, termed cross-modal individual recognition, extends to birds other than corvids is unknown. Here, we used an expectancy violation paradigm to determine whether a monogamous territorial seabird (Spheniscus demersus) can cross-modally recognize familiar conspecifics (partners or colony-mates). After pairs of penguins spent time together in an isolated area, one of the penguins was released from the area leaving the focal penguin alone. Subsequently, we played contact calls of the released penguin (congruent condition) or a different penguin (incongruent condition). After being paired with a colony-mate, focal penguins' response latency to the auditory stimulus was faster in the incongruent compared to congruent condition, indicating the mismatch violated their expectations. This behavioural pattern was not observed in focal penguins after being paired with their partner. We discuss these different results in the light of penguins' natural behaviour and the evolution of social communication strategies. Our results suggest that cross-modal individual recognition extends to penguins and reveals, in contrast with previously thought, that social communication between members of this endangered species can also use visual cues.}, }
@article {pmid34636975, year = {2021}, author = {Tomita, K}, title = {Camera traps reveal interspecific differences in the diel and seasonal patterns of cicada nymph predation.}, journal = {Die Naturwissenschaften}, volume = {108}, number = {6}, pages = {52}, pmid = {34636975}, issn = {1432-1904}, support = {21J1301901//the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Hemiptera ; Nymph ; Predatory Behavior ; Seasons ; *Ursidae ; }, abstract = {Cicadas, a group of large-bodied insects, are preyed upon at both nymphal and adult stages by diverse range of vertebrates such as birds and mammals. Although the behavior of predators toward adult cicadas is well documented, there is a lack of research on the predation on cicada nymphs. In this study, camera traps deployed in conifer plantations, in which high population densities of cicadas Lyristes bihamatus emerge, were used to evaluate the seasonal and diel patterns of predation upon cicada nymphs by three predator species, namely brown bears, red foxes, and jungle crows, from May to September in 2018 and 2019 in northern Japan. Among all three species, cicada nymph predation occurred until early August when the final instar nymphs fully emerged. Bears were observed to constantly dig for cicada nymphs until early August, whereas foxes and crows were frequently observed foraging from late July to early August, during the season of L. bihamatus emergence. In contract to the powerful digging ability of bears, which facilitates efficient predation upon subterranean cicada nymphs, it is generally difficult for foxes and crows with limited or no digging ability to gain access these nymphs until the period of emergence. Cicada nymph predation by bears and crows was observed primarily during the daytime, despite the typical crepuscular/nocturnal emergence schedules of these insects. Contrastingly, the predatory activities of foxes tended to be nocturnal during the period prior to the beginning of cicada emergence, although subsequently became diurnal during the cicada emergence period. These observations indicate that the temporal activity patterns of cicada nymph predators are determined by interspecific differences in predation abilities and cicada emergence schedules. Accordingly, the findings of this study provide evidence to indicate that the timing and duration of trophic interactions between above- and belowground communities might vary among predator species, depending on their predation abilities.}, }
@article {pmid34618523, year = {2021}, author = {Delamater, AR and Wasserman, EA}, title = {Comparative cognition-Conceptual and methodological advancements.}, journal = {Journal of experimental psychology. Animal learning and cognition}, volume = {47}, number = {3}, pages = {219-222}, doi = {10.1037/xan0000309}, pmid = {34618523}, issn = {2329-8464}, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; *Concept Formation ; Dogs ; Mice ; Pan troglodytes ; Rats ; }, abstract = {This special issue originally placed a Call for Papers that emphasized the importance of "Conceptual and Methodological" advances in the field of Comparative Cognition. Represented here is a collection of 14 papers that helps to display some of the diversity of ideas and approaches within this flourishing research area. The first paper in this issue, by Gazes and Lazareva (2021), discusses transitive inference learning from the perspectives of: identifying the problems of contextual variables in studying different species; whether associative processes can or cannot fully account for the behavior and, if not, what alternative representational mechanisms might be at work; and, finally, how ecological considerations may support comparative research by suggesting novel theoretical and empirical questions. The next paper, by Loy et al. (2021) investigates questions related to the complexity of learning in invertebrate species, single-celled organisms, and plants. The paper by Rawlings et al. (2021) reviews the literature on cumulative cultural evolution, primarily in nonhuman primate species, and critically evaluates the importance of identifying the essential conceptual and methodological issues in what many have deemed to be a uniquely human form of behavior. The paper by Goto and Watanabe (2021) explores whether the mouse visual system is sensitive to Gestalt principles, using operant discrimination learning tasks similar to those used previously to document Gestalt processing in chimpanzees and humans. Qadri and Cook (2021) use the innovative approach of "adaptive genetic algorithms" to assess the relative importance of different features of a stimulus in controlling organisms' discrimination learning performance. Wittek et al. (2021) introduce a novel method for studying the importance of visual accumulation processes in pigeons when information is presented to a single hemisphere at a time. The paper by Cowie et al. (2021) focuses on a misallocation model of two-step sequence learning in young children and explores from a behavioranalytic viewpoint the implications of assuming that reinforcement might be misattributed to a misremembered response at the beginning of the behavioral sequence. The paper by López-Tolsa and Pellón (2021) explores whether the opportunity to display schedule-induced drinking as an early response within a behavioral sequence might alter the accuracy of temporal control in different-length fixed-interval schedule tasks with rats. Crystal (2021) reviews the literature examining episodic memory in nonhuman species and considers a variety of criteria and methods thought to be crucial for establishing empirical evidence for episodic memory in nonhumans, in general, and rats, in particular. Vila et al. (2021) discuss the use a novel 'hide-and-seek' task in preschool age children to study episodic-like memory; their work illustrates how memory dynamics can change over time in a manner not very unlike what has been demonstrated in other nonhuman research paradigms. The paper by Krichbaum et al. (2021) discusses some of the methodological difficulties one faces in studying spatial cognition in canines. The paper by Castro et al. (2021) uses a complex categorization learning task in which different sets of display features are diagnostic, or not, of category mastery depending upon context. The paper by Vernouillet et al. (2021) explores the formation of same/different concept learning in two species of corvids (pinyon jays and California scrub jays). The final paper, by Lazarowski et al. (2021) examines the possibility of abstract same/different learning in canines using a trial-unique training matching-to-sample procedure with olfactory stimuli. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid34613989, year = {2021}, author = {Raymond, S and Schwartz, ALW and Thomas, RJ and Chadwick, E and Perkins, SE}, title = {Temporal patterns of wildlife roadkill in the UK.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {10}, pages = {e0258083}, pmid = {34613989}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Accidents, Traffic/*prevention & control ; Animals ; Animals, Wild/*physiology ; Deer ; *Ecosystem ; Female ; Foxes/physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Rabbits ; Reproduction/*physiology ; Seasons ; United Kingdom/epidemiology ; }, abstract = {Wildlife-vehicle collisions are one of the main causes of mortality for wild mammals and birds in the UK. Here, using a dataset of 54,000+ records collated by a citizen science roadkill recording scheme between 2014-2019, we analyse and present temporal patterns of wildlife roadkill of the 19 most commonly reported taxa in the UK (84% of all reported roadkill). Most taxa (13 out of 19) showed significant and consistent seasonal variations in road mortality and fitted one of two seasonal patterns; bimodal or unimodal: only three species (red fox Vulpes vulpes, European polecat Mustela putorius and Reeves' muntjac deer Muntiacus reevesi) showed no significant seasonality. Species that increase movement in spring and autumn potentially have bimodal patterns in roadkill due to the increase in mate-searching and juvenile dispersal during these respective time periods (e.g. European badger Meles meles). Unimodal patterns likely represent increased mortality due to a single short pulse in activity associated with breeding (e.g. birds) or foraging (e.g. grey squirrels Sciurus carolinensis in autumn). Importantly, these patterns also indicate periods of increased risk for drivers, potentially posing a greater threat to human welfare. In addition to behaviour-driven annual patterns, abiotic factors (temperature and rainfall) explained some variance in roadkill. Notably, high rainfall was associated with decreased observations of two bird taxa (gulls and Eurasian magpies Pica pica) and European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. By quantifying seasonal patterns in roadkill, we highlight a significant anthropogenic impact on wild species, which is important in relation to conservation, animal welfare, and human safety.}, }
@article {pmid34532917, year = {2021}, author = {Bauch, C and Boonekamp, JJ and Korsten, P and Mulder, E and Verhulst, S}, title = {High heritability of telomere length and low heritability of telomere shortening in wild birds.}, journal = {Molecular ecology}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1111/mec.16183}, pmid = {34532917}, issn = {1365-294X}, support = {823.01.009//Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek/ ; BA 5422/1-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; }, abstract = {Telomere length and telomere shortening predict survival in many organisms. This raises the question of the contribution of genetic and environmental effects to variation in these traits, which is still poorly known, particularly for telomere shortening. We used experimental (cross-fostering) and statistical (quantitative genetic "animal models") means to disentangle and estimate genetic and environmental contributions to telomere length variation in pedigreed free-living jackdaws (Corvus monedula). Telomere length was measured twice in nestlings, at ages 4 (n = 715) and 29 days (n = 474), using telomere restriction fragment (TRF) analysis, adapted to exclude interstitial telomeric sequences. Telomere length shortened significantly over the nestling period (10.4 ± 0.3 bp day-1) and was highly phenotypically (rP = 0.95 ± 0.01) and genetically (rG > 0.99 ± 0.01) correlated within individuals. Additive genetic effects explained a major part of telomere length variation among individuals, with its heritability estimated at h2 = 0.74 on average. We note that TRF-based studies reported higher heritabilities than qPCR-based studies, and we discuss possible explanations. Parent-offspring regressions yielded similar heritability estimates for mothers and fathers when accounting for changes in paternal telomere length over life. Year effects explained a small but significant part of telomere length variation. Heritable variation for telomere shortening was low (h2 = 0.09 ± 0.11). The difference in heritability between telomere length (high) and telomere shortening (low) agrees with evolutionary theory, in that telomere shortening has stronger fitness consequences in this population. Despite the high heritability of telomere length, its evolvability, which scales the additive genetic variance by mean telomere length, was on average 0.48%. Hence, evolutionary change of telomere length due to selection is likely to be slow.}, }
@article {pmid34522959, year = {2022}, author = {Rodríguez, JM and Bae, B and Geronimus, AT and Bound, J}, title = {The Political Realignment of Health: How Partisan Power Shaped Infant Health in the United States, 1915-2017.}, journal = {Journal of health politics, policy and law}, volume = {47}, number = {2}, pages = {201-224}, doi = {10.1215/03616878-9517191}, pmid = {34522959}, issn = {1527-1927}, mesh = {Government Agencies ; Humans ; Infant ; *Infant Health ; Mass Gatherings ; Policy ; *Politics ; United States ; }, abstract = {The US two-party system was transformed in the 1960s when the Democratic Party abandoned its Jim Crow protectionism to incorporate the policy agenda fostered by the civil rights movement, and the Republican Party redirected its platform toward socioeconomic and racial conservatism. The authors argue that the policy agendas promoted by the two parties through presidents and state legislatures codify a racially patterned access to resources and power detrimental to the health of all. To test the hypothesis that fluctuations in overall and race-specific infant mortality rates (IMRs) shift between the parties in power before and after the political realignment (PR), the authors apply panel data analysis methods to state-level data from the National Center for Health Statistics for the period 1915 through 2017. Net of trend, overall, and race-specific IMRs were not statistically different between presidential parties before the PR. This pattern, however, changed after the PR, with Republican administrations consistently underperforming Democratic ones. Net of trend, non-Southern state legislatures controlled by Republicans underperform Democratic ones in overall and racial IMRs in both periods.}, }
@article {pmid34505575, year = {2021}, author = {Amodio, P and Farrar, BG and Krupenye, C and Ostojić, L and Clayton, NS}, title = {Little evidence that Eurasian jays protect their caches by responding to cues about a conspecific's desire and visual perspective.}, journal = {eLife}, volume = {10}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {34505575}, issn = {2050-084X}, support = {BB/M011194/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Cues ; *Feeding Behavior ; Food ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Eurasian jays have been reported to protect their caches by responding to cues about either the visual perspective or current desire of an observing conspecific, similarly to other corvids. Here, we used established paradigms to test whether these birds can - like humans - integrate multiple cues about different mental states and perform an optimal response accordingly. Across five experiments, which also include replications of previous work, we found little evidence that our jays adjusted their caching behaviour in line with the visual perspective and current desire of another agent, neither by integrating these social cues nor by responding to only one type of cue independently. These results raise questions about the reliability of the previously reported effects and highlight several key issues affecting reliability in comparative cognition research.}, }
@article {pmid34465241, year = {2021}, author = {Boeckle, M and Schiestl, M and Frohnwieser, A and Gruber, R and Miller, R and Suddendorf, T and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH and Clayton, NS}, title = {New Caledonian crows' planning behaviour: a reply to de Mahy et al.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {288}, number = {1958}, pages = {20211271}, pmid = {34465241}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; *Crows ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, }
@article {pmid34465238, year = {2021}, author = {de Mahy, D and Esteve, NA and Santariello, A}, title = {New test, old problems: comment on 'New Caledonian crows plan for specific future tool use'.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {288}, number = {1958}, pages = {20210186}, pmid = {34465238}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Cognition ; *Crows ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, }
@article {pmid34427802, year = {2022}, author = {Veselý, P and Syrová, M and Voháňková, M and Havlíček, J and Nácarová, J and Fuchs, R}, title = {Cowards or clever guys: an alternative nest defence strategy employed by shrikes against magpies.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {25}, number = {2}, pages = {307-317}, pmid = {34427802}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {048/2019/P//Jihočeská Univerzita v Českých Budějovicích/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Male ; *Passeriformes/physiology ; *Predatory Behavior/physiology ; }, abstract = {Red-backed shrikes (Lanius collurio) show a substantial variability in their nest defence behaviour, which usually follows the rules of optimal parental behaviour, vigorously attacking egg and chick predators and only passively guarding against harmless animals. Nevertheless, shrikes hesitate to attack the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica), which specializes in plundering passerine nests. Our previous studies have suggested that this behaviour may be the result of an alternative defence strategy, relying on nest crypsis. To test this hypothesis, at the shrike nests, we presented a magpie dummy associated with playbacks drawing the predators' attention to the presence of the nest. We predicted that the presentation of a magpie dummy associated with shrike alarm calls moves the parents to action, causing them to chase the magpie away from the nest. We showed that the presence of a magpie dummy associated with shrike alarm calls elicits a significantly more active response in shrike parents compared to a magpie dummy associated with neutral song. Parents actively moved around the dummy and produced alarm calls; nevertheless, most of the tested pairs hesitated to attack the dummy. We may conclude that the low nest defence activity of shrike parents towards magpie dummy was partly the result of an alternative strategy, which may be cancelled out by alerting the predator to the location of the nest; nevertheless, shrikes seem to be afraid of the magpie and hesitate to attack it physically.}, }
@article {pmid34379642, year = {2021}, author = {Wang, H and Parris, JJ}, title = {Popular media as a double-edged sword: An entertainment narrative analysis of the controversial Netflix series 13 Reasons Why.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {8}, pages = {e0255610}, pmid = {34379642}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Bullying ; *Communication ; Drama ; Humans ; Motion Pictures/*statistics & numerical data ; Social Media/*statistics & numerical data ; Suicide/*prevention & control/*psychology ; Television/*standards/trends ; }, abstract = {13 Reasons Why is a Netflix original series adapted from Jay Asher's 2007 young adult novel with the same title. Season 1 premiered on March 31, 2017 and featured the sensitive issue of teen suicide along with bullying, substance use, depression, and sexual assault. Unlike the typical teen dramas on popular streaming platforms, this show was created not only for entertainment, but also to stimulate conversations about taboo topics that people often shy away from. However, it also caused significant controversy, especially criticism around the main character Hannah's suicide scene. More than three years into the initial controversy and at least two dozen scholarly publications later, this study is the first to examine the entertainment narrative content of 13 Reasons Why Season 1 to better understand how these health and social issues were portrayed in the show, what specific examples we could identify as potential behavioral modeling, and to what degree it complied with the 2017 WHO guidelines for media professionals. We used the framing theory and social cognitive theory in communication research and media studies as our guiding conceptual frameworks and a narrative analysis approach to investigate a total of 660 cut scenes in all 13 episodes. Our findings provided empirical evidence, along with contextual information and detailed examples, to demonstrate that a popular entertainment program like the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why serves as a double-edged sword. The production team's good will and due diligence are commendable. Yet, additional steps can be taken in the future to effectively promote professional resources and reduce viewers' risks, especially the most vulnerable groups.}, }
@article {pmid34358575, year = {2021}, author = {Tobari, Y and Masuzawa, A and Harada, N and Suzuki, K and Meddle, SL}, title = {Noradrenergic alpha-2A receptor activation suppresses courtship vocalization in male Japanese quail.}, journal = {Behavioural brain research}, volume = {414}, number = {}, pages = {113513}, doi = {10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113513}, pmid = {34358575}, issn = {1872-7549}, support = {BB/P013759/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/M027805/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Clonidine/pharmacology ; Coturnix ; *Courtship ; Male ; Mesencephalon/drug effects/*metabolism ; Norepinephrine/*physiology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/*physiology ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects/*physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/drug effects/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Male Japanese quail produce high-frequency crow vocalizations to attract females during the breeding season. The nucleus of intercollicularis (ICo) is the midbrain vocal center in birds and electrical stimulation of the ICo produces calls that include crowing. Noradrenaline plays a significant role in sexual behavior but the contribution of noradrenaline in the control of courtship vocalizations in quail has not been well established. Using dose-dependent intracerebroventricular injection of clonidine, an α2-adrenergic receptor-specific agonist, crowing vocalization was immediately suppressed. At the same time as crow suppression by clonidine there was a reduction of immediate early gene, zenk mRNA, in the ICo; no zenk mRNA expression was detected in the dorsomedial division of the nucleus. Using histochemistry, we determined that the ICo receives noradrenergic innervation and expresses α2A-adrenergic receptor mRNA. Taken together, these data suggest that noradrenaline regulates courtship vocalization in quail, possibly via the α2A-adrenergic receptor expressed on ICo neurons.}, }
@article {pmid34311037, year = {2022}, author = {Berry, OO}, title = {Editorial: Race-Based Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Racism Within the Parent-Child Dyad: Opportunities for Intervention.}, journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry}, volume = {61}, number = {3}, pages = {362-363}, doi = {10.1016/j.jaac.2021.07.007}, pmid = {34311037}, issn = {1527-5418}, mesh = {*COVID-19 ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Parent-Child Relations ; *Racism ; SARS-CoV-2 ; United States ; }, abstract = {With every disaster, there are fault lines that deepen our understanding of what has happened and what needs to come. The events over the past 18 months including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as well as the murder of George Floyd and the associated protests throughout the United States brought those fault lines into stark relief by highlighting the history of systemic racism that has fostered marginalization and discrimination against Black Americans. These clouds of systemic racism and discrimination-encompassing 250 years of slavery, 100 years of Jim Crow, police brutality, redlining, and the resulting high rates of poverty and poorer health outcomes-have created systems in which Black Americans face unequal and unequitable stressful situations. The medical community is now beginning to take notice of this race-based traumatic stress, a term coined by Carter in 2007,1 to describe how social determinants of health impacted by racial discrimination can "get under the skin" through the accumulative effects of ongoing exposure to toxic stress.2.}, }
@article {pmid34287804, year = {2022}, author = {Roberts, WA}, title = {An operant analog of food caching in the pigeon (Columba livia).}, journal = {Learning & behavior}, volume = {50}, number = {1}, pages = {82-88}, pmid = {34287804}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; Columbidae/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Reinforcement Schedule ; *Reinforcement, Psychology ; }, abstract = {Although pigeons do not naturally cache and recover food items as found in members of the corvid and parid families, an operant analog of food caching and recovery in pigeons was studied in four experiments. Pigeons were trained to peck a caching key that added a fixed increment of time to the final duration of reinforcement obtained by pecking a payoff key. The same key served as the caching and payoff keys in Experiment 1, but separate caching and payoff keys were used in Experiments 2-4. In Experiments 2-3, each peck on a left red caching key added 0.5 s of reinforcement earned by pecking a right white payoff key. In Experiment 4, red or green caching keys appeared on different trials, with 0.5 s of reinforcement earned for pecking the red key and 1.0 s of reinforcement earned for pecking the green key. Pigeons showed an increased number of pecks on the caching key over ten sessions in Experiments 1-3 and more pecks on the green caching key than on the red caching key in Experiment 4.}, }
@article {pmid34256579, year = {2021}, author = {Breen, AJ}, title = {Animal culture research should include avian nest construction.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {17}, number = {7}, pages = {20210327}, pmid = {34256579}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Animals ; *Finches ; *Nesting Behavior ; }, abstract = {Material culture-that is, group-shared and socially learned object-related behaviour(s)-is a widespread and diverse phenomenon in humans. For decades, researchers have sought to confirm the existence of material culture in non-human animals; however, the main study systems of interest-namely, tool making and/or using non-human primates and corvids-cannot provide such confirmatory evidence: because long-standing ethical and logistical constraints handicap the collection of necessary experimental data. Synthesizing evidence across decades and disciplines, here, I present a novel framework for (mechanistic, developmental, behavioural, and comparative) study on animal material culture: avian nest construction.}, }
@article {pmid34253607, year = {2021}, author = {Steele, MP and Neaves, LE and Klump, BC and St Clair, JJH and Fernandes, JRSM and Hequet, V and Shaw, P and Hollingsworth, PM and Rutz, C}, title = {DNA barcoding identifies cryptic animal tool materials.}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {118}, number = {29}, pages = {}, pmid = {34253607}, issn = {1091-6490}, support = {BB/G023913/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/G023913/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; RPG-2015-273/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Crows ; *DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Plant/genetics ; Nesting Behavior/physiology ; Phylogeny ; Plant Structures/anatomy & histology/classification/genetics ; Tool Use Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Some animals fashion tools or constructions out of plant materials to aid foraging, reproduction, self-maintenance, or protection. Their choice of raw materials can affect the structure and properties of the resulting artifacts, with considerable fitness consequences. Documenting animals' material preferences is challenging, however, as manufacture behavior is often difficult to observe directly, and materials may be processed so heavily that they lack identifying features. Here, we use DNA barcoding to identify, from just a few recovered tool specimens, the plant species New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) use for crafting elaborate hooked stick tools in one of our long-term study populations. The method succeeded where extensive fieldwork using an array of conventional approaches-including targeted observations, camera traps, radio-tracking, bird-mounted video cameras, and behavioral experiments with wild and temporarily captive subjects-had failed. We believe that DNA barcoding will prove useful for investigating many other tool and construction behaviors, helping to unlock significant research potential across a wide range of study systems.}, }
@article {pmid34242287, year = {2021}, author = {Nahid, MI and Fossøy, F and Stokke, BG and Abernathy, V and Begum, S and Langmore, NE and Røskaft, E and Ranke, PS}, title = {No evidence of host-specific egg mimicry in Asian koels.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {7}, pages = {e0253985}, pmid = {34242287}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Color ; Egg Shell/physiology ; Host-Parasite Interactions/*physiology ; Linear Models ; Nesting Behavior/physiology ; Ovum/*physiology ; Parasites/physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Avian brood parasitism is costly for the host, in many cases leading to the evolution of defenses like discrimination of parasitic eggs. The parasite, in turn, may evolve mimetic eggs as a counter-adaptation to host egg rejection. Some generalist parasites have evolved host-specific races (gentes) that may mimic the eggs of their main hosts, while others have evolved 'jack-of-all-trades' egg phenotypes that mimic key features of the eggs of several different host species. The Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) is a widely distributed generalist brood parasite that exploits a wide range of host species. Based on human vision, previous studies have described Asian koel eggs as resembling those of its main host, the house crow (Corvus splendens). Using measurements of egg length and breadth, digital image analysis, reflectance spectrophotometry and avian visual modelling, we examined Asian koel egg variation and potential mimicry in egg size and shape, and eggshell pattern and color in three sympatrically occurring host species in Bangladesh: the common myna (Acridotheres tristis), house crow, and long-tailed shrike (Lanius schach). We found some differences among Asian koel eggs laid in different host nests: a) Asian koel eggs in long-tailed shrike nests were larger than those laid in common myna and house crow nests, and b) Asian koel eggs in house crow nests were less elongated than those in common myna nests. However, these changes in Asian koel egg volume and shape were in the opposite direction with respect to their corresponding host egg characteristics. Thus, our study found no evidence for Asian koel host-specific egg mimicry in three sympatrically occurring host species.}, }
@article {pmid34211049, year = {2021}, author = {Amor, N and Noman, MT and Petru, M and Mahmood, A and Ismail, A}, title = {Neural network-crow search model for the prediction of functional properties of nano TiO2 coated cotton composites.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {11}, number = {1}, pages = {13649}, pmid = {34211049}, issn = {2045-2322}, abstract = {This paper presents a new hybrid approach for the prediction of functional properties i.e., self-cleaning efficiency, antimicrobial efficiency and ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) coated cotton fabric. The proposed approach is based on feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) model called a multilayer perceptron (MLP), trained by an optimized algorithm known as crow search algorithm (CSA). ANN is an effective and widely used approach for the prediction of extremely complex problems. Various studies have been proposed to improve the weight training of ANN using metaheuristic algorithms. CSA is a latest and an effective metaheuristic method relies on the intelligent behavior of crows. CSA has been never proposed to improve the weight training of ANN. Therefore, CSA is adopted to optimize the initial weights and thresholds of the ANN model, in order to improve the training accuracy and prediction performance of functional properties of TiO2 NPs coated cotton composites. Furthermore, our proposed algorithm i.e., multilayer perceptron with crow search algorithm (MLP-CSA) was applied to map out the complex input-output conditions to predict the optimal results. The amount of chemicals and reaction time were selected as input variables and the amount of titanium dioxide coated on cotton, self-cleaning efficiency, antimicrobial efficiency and UPF were evaluated as output results. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to assess the performance of CSA in prediction process. MLP-CSA provided excellent result that were statistically significant and highly accurate as compared to standard MLP model and other metaheuristic algorithms used in the training of ANN reported in the literature.}, }
@article {pmid34185776, year = {2021}, author = {Laumer, IB and Massen, JJM and Boehm, PM and Boehm, A and Geisler, A and Auersperg, AMI}, title = {Individual Goffin´s cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana) show flexible targeted helping in a tool transfer task.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {6}, pages = {e0253416}, pmid = {34185776}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Cockatoos/*physiology ; *Creativity ; Female ; Learning/*physiology ; Male ; *Reward ; }, abstract = {Flexible targeted helping is considered an advanced form of prosocial behavior in hominoids, as it requires the actor to assess different situations that a conspecific may be in, and to subsequently flexibly satisfy different needs of that partner depending on the nature of those situations. So far, apart from humans such behaviour has only been experimentally shown in chimpanzees and in Eurasian jays. Recent studies highlight the prosocial tendencies of several bird species, yet flexible targeted helping remained untested, largely due to methodological issues as such tasks are generally designed around tool-use, and very few bird species are capable of tool-use. Here, we tested Goffin's cockatoos, which proved to be skilled tool innovators in captivity, in a tool transfer task in which an actor had access to four different objects/tools and a partner to one of two different apparatuses that each required one of these tools to retrieve a reward. As expected from this species, we recorded playful object transfers across all conditions. Yet, importantly and similar to apes, three out of eight birds transferred the correct tool more often in the test condition than in a condition that also featured an apparatus but no partner. Furthermore, one of these birds transferred that correct tool first more often before transferring any other object in the test condition than in the no-partner condition, while the other two cockatoos were marginally non-significantly more likely to do so. Additionally, there was no difference in the likelihood of the correct tool being transferred first for either of the two apparatuses, suggesting that these birds flexibly adjusted what to transfer based on their partner´s need. Future studies should focus on explanations for the intra-specific variation of this behaviour, and should test other parrots and other large-brained birds to see how this can be generalized across the class and to investigate the evolutionary history of this trait.}, }
@article {pmid34166533, year = {2021}, author = {Agrawal, AA and Zhang, X}, title = {The evolution of coevolution in the study of species interactions.}, journal = {Evolution; international journal of organic evolution}, volume = {75}, number = {7}, pages = {1594-1606}, doi = {10.1111/evo.14293}, pmid = {34166533}, issn = {1558-5646}, mesh = {*Biological Evolution ; Herbivory ; Phylogeny ; Plants ; *Selection, Genetic ; }, abstract = {The study of reciprocal adaptation in interacting species has been an active and inspiring area of evolutionary research for nearly 60 years. Perhaps owing to its great natural history and potential consequences spanning population divergence to species diversification, coevolution continues to capture the imagination of biologists. Here we trace developments following Ehrlich and Raven's classic paper, with a particular focus on the modern influence of two studies by Dr. May Berenbaum in the 1980s. This series of classic work presented a compelling example exhibiting the macroevolutionary patterns predicted by Ehrlich and Raven and also formalized a microevolutionary approach to measuring selection, functional traits, and understanding reciprocal adaptation between plants and their herbivores. Following this breakthrough was a wave of research focusing on diversifying macroevolutionary patterns, mechanistic chemical ecology, and natural selection on populations within and across community types. Accordingly, we breakdown coevolutionary theory into specific hypotheses at different scales: reciprocal adaptation between populations within a community, differential coevolution among communities, lineage divergence, and phylogenetic patterns. We highlight progress as well as persistent gaps, especially the link between reciprocal adaptation and diversification.}, }
@article {pmid34158103, year = {2021}, author = {Wheeler, SS and Taff, CC and Reisen, WK and Townsend, AK}, title = {Mosquito blood-feeding patterns and nesting behavior of American crows, an amplifying host of West Nile virus.}, journal = {Parasites &amp; vectors}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, pages = {331}, pmid = {34158103}, issn = {1756-3305}, support = {13-2735//Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/*physiopathology/virology ; Crows/blood/*physiology/*virology ; Culex/*physiology/*virology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Nesting Behavior ; West Nile Fever/physiopathology/*veterinary/virology ; West Nile virus/genetics/isolation &amp; purification/*physiology ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Although American crows are a key indicator species for West Nile virus (WNV) and mount among the highest viremias reported for any host, the importance of crows in the WNV transmission cycle has been called into question because of their consistent underrepresentation in studies of Culex blood meal sources. Here, we test the hypothesis that this apparent underrepresentation could be due, in part, to underrepresentation of crow nesting habitat from mosquito sampling designs. Specifically, we examine how the likelihood of a crow blood meal changes with distance to and timing of active crow nests in a Davis, California, population.<br><br>METHODS: Sixty artificial mosquito resting sites were deployed from May to September 2014 in varying proximity to known crow nesting sites, and Culex blood meal hosts were identified by DNA barcoding. Genotypes from crow blood meals and local crows (72 nestlings from 30 broods and 389 local breeders and helpers) were used to match mosquito blood meals to specific local crows.<br><br>RESULTS: Among the 297 identified Culex blood meals, 20 (6.7%) were attributable to crows. The mean percentage of blood meals of crow origin was 19% in the nesting period (1 May-18 June 2014), but 0% in the weeks after fledging (19 June-1 September 2014), and the likelihood of a crow blood meal increased with proximity to an active nest: the odds that crows hosted a Culex blood meal were 38.07 times greater within 10 m of an active nest than > 10 m from an active nest. Nine of ten crow blood meals that could be matched to a genotype of a specific crow belonged to either nestlings in these nests or their mothers. Six of the seven genotypes that could not be attributed to sampled birds belonged to females, a sex bias likely due to mosquitoes targeting incubating or brooding females.<br><br>CONCLUSION: Data herein indicate that breeding crows serve as hosts for Culex in the initial stages of the WNV spring enzootic cycle. Given their high viremia, infected crows could thereby contribute to the re-initiation and early amplification of the virus, increasing its availability as mosquitoes shift to other moderately competent later-breeding avian hosts.}, }
@article {pmid34144393, year = {2021}, author = {Stocker, M and Prosl, J and Vanhooland, LC and Horn, L and Bugnyar, T and Canoine, V and Massen, JJM}, title = {Measuring salivary mesotocin in birds - Seasonal differences in ravens' peripheral mesotocin levels.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {134}, number = {}, pages = {105015}, doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105015}, pmid = {34144393}, issn = {1095-6867}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds ; *Crows ; *Oxytocin/analogs &amp; derivatives ; Seasons ; }, abstract = {Oxytocin is involved in a broad array of social behaviours. While saliva has been used regularly to investigate the role of oxytocin in social behaviour of mammal species, so far, to our knowledge, no-one has tried to measure its homolog, mesotocin, in birds' saliva. Therefore, in this study we measured salivary mesotocin in common ravens (Corvus corax), and subsequently explored its link to three aspects of raven sociality. We trained ravens (n = 13) to voluntarily provide saliva samples and analysed salivary mesotocin with a commercial oxytocin enzyme-immunoassay kit, also suitable for mesotocin. After testing parallelism and recovery, we investigated the effect of bonding status, sex and season on mesotocin levels. We found that mesotocin was significantly more likely to be detected in samples taken during the breeding season (spring) than during the mating season (winter). In those samples in which mesotocin was detected, concentrations were also significantly higher during the breeding than during the mating season. In contrast, bonding status and sex were not found to relate to mesotocin detectability and concentrations. The seasonal differences in mesotocin correspond to behavioral patterns known to be associated with mesotocin/oxytocin, with ravens showing much more aggression during the mating season while being more tolerant of conspecifics in the breeding season. We show for the first time that saliva samples can be useful for the non-invasive determination of hormone levels in birds. However, the rate of successfully analysed samples was very low, and collection and analysis methods will benefit from further improvements.}, }
@article {pmid34086914, year = {2021}, author = {Freeman, NE and Norris, DR and Sutton, AO and Strickland, D and Kyser, TK and Newman, AEM}, title = {Early-Life Corticosterone Body Condition Influence Social Status and Survival in a Food-Caching Passerine.}, journal = {Integrative and comparative biology}, volume = {61}, number = {1}, pages = {9-19}, doi = {10.1093/icb/icab038}, pmid = {34086914}, issn = {1557-7023}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Corticosterone ; Feathers ; Social Behavior ; *Songbirds/physiology ; }, abstract = {Individuals undergo profound changes throughout their early life as they grow and transition between life-history stages. As a result, the conditions that individuals experience during development can have both immediate and lasting effects on their physiology, behavior, and, ultimately, fitness. In a population of Canada jays in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, we characterized the diet composition and physiological profile of young jays at three key time points during development (nestling, pre-fledge, and pre-dispersal) by quantifying stable-carbon (δ13C) and -nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes and corticosterone concentrations in feathers. We then investigated the downstream effects of early-life diet composition, feather corticosterone, and environmental conditions on a juvenile's social status, body condition, and probability of being observed in the fall following hatch. Across the three time points, the diet of Canada jay young was composed primarily of vertebrate tissue and human food with the proportion of these food items increasing as the jays neared dispersal. Feather corticosterone concentrations also shifted across the three time points, decreasing from nestling to pre-dispersal. Dominant juveniles had elevated corticosterone concentrations in their feathers grown pre-dispersal compared with subordinates. High body condition as nestlings was associated with high body condition as juveniles and an increased probability of being observed in the fall. Together, our results demonstrate that nestling physiology and body condition influence the social status and body condition once individuals are independent, with potential long-term consequences on survival and fitness.}, }
@article {pmid34082829, year = {2021}, author = {Chakarov, N and Veiga, J and Ruiz-Arrondo, I and Valera, F}, title = {Atypical behavior of a black fly species connects cavity-nesting birds with generalist blood parasites in an arid area of Spain.}, journal = {Parasites &amp; vectors}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, pages = {298}, pmid = {34082829}, issn = {1756-3305}, support = {CGL2014-55969//Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/ ; BES-2015-075951//Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/ ; PGC2018-097426-B-C22//Agencia Estatal de Investigación (ES)/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/*blood/etiology/*parasitology ; Blood ; Desert Climate ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Insect Vectors/anatomy &amp; histology/genetics/*parasitology/physiology ; Meals ; Nesting Behavior ; Phylogeny ; Simuliidae/anatomy &amp; histology/genetics/*parasitology/physiology ; Spain ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: The feeding behavior of bloodsucking insects determines the transmission, distribution, host spectrum and evolution of blood parasites in the wild. Conventional wisdom suggests that some vector groups (e.g. black flies, family Simuliidae) are consistently exophagous daytime biters. We aimed to understand more about the exceptions to this pattern by combining targeted trapping and molecular identification of parasites in vectors.<br><br>METHODS: In this study, we collected black flies in nest boxes used by European rollers Coracias garrulus in southeastern Spain. We molecularly analyzed 434 individual insects, identifying the black fly species caught in the nest boxes, their potential vertebrate blood meals, and the haemosporidian parasite lineages that they carried.<br><br>RESULTS: Only one black fly species, Simulium rubzovianum, appeared to enter the nest boxes of rollers. Among the trapped specimens, 15% contained vertebrate DNA, which always belonged to rollers, even though only half of those specimens were visibly engorged. Furthermore, 15% of all black flies contained Leucocytozoon lineages, indicating previous feeding on avian hosts but probably not on infected adult rollers. The known vertebrate hosts of the recorded Leucocytozoon lineages suggested that large and/or abundant birds are their hosts. Particularly represented were cavity-nesting species breeding in the vicinity, such as pigeons, corvids and owls. Open-nesting species such as thrushes and birds of prey were also represented.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our data strongly suggest that S. rubzovianum bites uninfected roller nestlings and infected individuals of other species, potentially incubating adults, inside nest boxes and natural cavities. This simuliid does not appear to have a strong preference for specific host clades. Contrary to the general pattern for the group, and possibly enhanced by the harsh environmental conditions in the study area, this black fly appeared to intensively use and may even have a preference for confined spaces such as cavities for feeding and resting. Preferences of vectors for atypical microhabitat niches where hosts are less mobile may enable social and within-family transmission and parasite speciation in the long term. At the same time, a lack of host preference in concentrated multispecies communities can lead to host switches. Both processes may be underappreciated driving forces in the evolution of avian blood parasites.}, }
@article {pmid34074798, year = {2021}, author = {Garcia-Pelegrin, E and Schnell, AK and Wilkins, C and Clayton, NS}, title = {Exploring the perceptual inabilities of Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) using magic effects.}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {118}, number = {24}, pages = {}, pmid = {34074798}, issn = {1091-6490}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Choice Behavior ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; *Magic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Perception/*physiology ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {In recent years, scientists have begun to use magic effects to investigate the blind spots in our attention and perception [G. Kuhn, Experiencing the Impossible: The Science of Magic (2019); S. Macknik, S. Martinez-Conde, S. Blakeslee, Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions (2010)]. Recently, we suggested that similar techniques could be transferred to nonhuman animal observers and that such an endeavor would provide insight into the inherent commonalities and discrepancies in attention and perception in human and nonhuman animals [E. Garcia-Pelegrin, A. K. Schnell, C. Wilkins, N. S. Clayton, Science 369, 1424-1426 (2020)]. Here, we performed three different magic effects (palming, French drop, and fast pass) to a sample of six Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius). These magic effects were specifically chosen as they utilize different cues and expectations that mislead the spectator into thinking one object has or has not been transferred from one hand to the other. Results from palming and French drop experiments suggest that Eurasian jays have different expectations from humans when observing some of these effects. Specifically, Eurasian jays were not deceived by effects that required them to expect an object to move between hands when observing human hand manipulations. However, similar to humans, Eurasian jays were misled by magic effects that utilize fast movements as a deceptive action. This study investigates how another taxon perceives the magician's techniques of deception that commonly deceive humans.}, }
@article {pmid34073851, year = {2021}, author = {Horn, L and Zewald, JS and Bugnyar, T and Massen, JJM}, title = {Carrion Crows and Azure-Winged Magpies Show No Prosocial Tendencies When Tested in a Token Transfer Paradigm.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {11}, number = {6}, pages = {}, pmid = {34073851}, issn = {2076-2615}, support = {Marie Jahoda grant//Universität Wien/ ; Higher Education Traineeship//Erasmus+/ ; P26806//Austrian Science Fund/ ; Y366-B17//Austrian Science Fund/ ; W1234-G17//Austrian Science Fund/ ; }, abstract = {To study the evolution of humans' cooperative nature, researchers have recently sought comparisons with other species. Studies investigating corvids, for example, showed that carrion crows and azure-winged magpies delivered food to group members when tested in naturalistic or simple experimental paradigms. Here, we investigated whether we could replicate these positive findings when testing the same two species in a token transfer paradigm. After training the birds to exchange tokens with an experimenter for food rewards, we tested whether they would also transfer tokens to other birds, when they did not have the opportunity to exchange the tokens themselves. To control for the effects of motivation, and of social or stimulus enhancement, we tested each individual in three additional control conditions. We witnessed very few attempts and/or successful token transfers, and those few instances did not occur more frequently in the test condition than in the controls, which would suggest that the birds lack prosocial tendencies. Alternatively, we propose that this absence of prosociality may stem from the artificial nature and cognitive complexity of the token transfer task. Consequently, our findings highlight the strong impact of methodology on animals' capability to exhibit prosocial tendencies and stress the importance of comparing multiple experimental paradigms.}, }
@article {pmid34049884, year = {2021}, author = {Cunha, FCR and Griesser, M}, title = {Who do you trust? Wild birds use social knowledge to avoid being deceived.}, journal = {Science advances}, volume = {7}, number = {22}, pages = {}, pmid = {34049884}, issn = {2375-2548}, abstract = {Many species give deceptive warning calls, enabled by the high risk of ignoring them. In Siberian jays, a territorial, group-living bird, individuals give warning calls toward perched predators and mob them. However, intruding neighbors can emit these warning calls in the absence of predators to access food, but breeders often ignore these calls. Playback field experiments show that breeders flee sooner and return later after warning calls of former group members than those of neighbors or unknown individuals. Thus, breeders respond appropriately only to warning calls of previous cooperation partners. This mechanism facilitates the evolution and maintenance of communication vulnerable to deceptive signaling. This conclusion also applies to human language because of its cooperative nature and thus, its vulnerability to deception.}, }
@article {pmid34013520, year = {2021}, author = {Fielding, MW and Buettel, JC and Brook, BW and Stojanovic, D and Yates, LA}, title = {Roadkill islands: Carnivore extinction shifts seasonal use of roadside carrion by generalist avian scavenger.}, journal = {The Journal of animal ecology}, volume = {90}, number = {10}, pages = {2268-2276}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.13532}, pmid = {34013520}, issn = {1365-2656}, mesh = {Animals ; Bayes Theorem ; *Carnivora ; *Ecosystem ; Food Chain ; Islands ; Seasons ; }, abstract = {Global road networks facilitate habitat modification and are integral to human expansion. Many animals, particularly scavengers, use roads as they provide a reliable source of food, such as carrion left after vehicle collisions. Tasmania is often cited as the 'roadkill capital of Australia', with the isolated offshore islands in the Bass Strait experiencing similar, if not higher, levels of roadkill. However, native mammalian predators on the islands are extirpated, meaning the remaining scavengers are likely to experience lower interference competition. In this study, we used a naturally occurring experiment to examine how the loss of mammalian carnivores within a community impacts roadside foraging behaviour by avian scavengers. We monitored the locations of roadkill and forest ravens Corvus tasmanicus, an abundant scavenger species, on eight road transects across the Tasmanian mainland (high scavenging competition) and the Bass Strait islands (low scavenging competition). We represented raven observations as one-dimensional point patterns, using hierarchical Bayesian models to investigate the dependence of raven spatial intensity on habitat, season, distance to roadkill and route location. We found that roadkill carcasses were a strong predictor of raven presence along road networks. The effect of roadkill was amplified on roads on the Bass Strait islands, where roadside carrion was a predictor of raven presence across the entire year. In contrast, ravens were more often associated with roadkill on Tasmanian mainland roads in the autumn, when other resources were low. This suggests that in the absence of competing mammalian scavengers, ravens choose to feed on roadside carrion throughout the year, even in seasons when other resources are available. This lack of competition could be disproportionately benefiting forest ravens, leading to augmented raven populations and changes to the vertebrate community structure. Our study provides evidence that scavengers modify their behaviour in response to reduced scavenger species diversity, potentially triggering trophic shifts and highlighting the importance of conserving or reintroducing carnivores within ecosystems.}, }
@article {pmid34010302, year = {2021}, author = {Bladon, AJ and Donald, PF and Collar, NJ and Denge, J and Dadacha, G and Wondafrash, M and Green, RE}, title = {Climatic change and extinction risk of two globally threatened Ethiopian endemic bird species.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {5}, pages = {e0249633}, pmid = {34010302}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; *Climate Change ; Crows/*physiology ; Ecosystem ; Endangered Species/*trends ; Ethiopia ; Models, Statistical ; Swallows/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Climate change is having profound effects on the distributions of species globally. Trait-based assessments predict that specialist and range-restricted species are among those most likely to be at risk of extinction from such changes. Understanding individual species' responses to climate change is therefore critical for informing conservation planning. We use an established Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) protocol to describe the curious range-restriction of the globally threatened White-tailed Swallow (Hirundo megaensis) to a small area in southern Ethiopia. We find that, across a range of modelling approaches, the distribution of this species is well described by two climatic variables, maximum temperature and dry season precipitation. These same two variables have been previously found to limit the distribution of the unrelated but closely sympatric Ethiopian Bush-crow (Zavattariornis stresemanni). We project the future climatic suitability for both species under a range of climate scenarios and modelling approaches. Both species are at severe risk of extinction within the next half century, as the climate in 68-84% (for the swallow) and 90-100% (for the bush-crow) of their current ranges is predicted to become unsuitable. Intensive conservation measures, such as assisted migration and captive-breeding, may be the only options available to safeguard these two species. Their projected disappearance in the wild offers an opportunity to test the reliability of SDMs for predicting the fate of wild species. Monitoring future changes in the distribution and abundance of the bush-crow is particularly tractable because its nests are conspicuous and visible over large distances.}, }
@article {pmid33999415, year = {2021}, author = {Hancock, ZB and Lehmberg, ES and Bradburd, GS}, title = {Neo-darwinism still haunts evolutionary theory: A modern perspective on Charlesworth, Lande, and Slatkin (1982).}, journal = {Evolution; international journal of organic evolution}, volume = {75}, number = {6}, pages = {1244-1255}, pmid = {33999415}, issn = {1558-5646}, support = {R35 GM137919/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {*Biological Evolution ; Biology/*history ; History, 20th Century ; Models, Biological ; Phylogeny ; *Selection, Genetic ; }, abstract = {The Modern Synthesis (or "Neo-Darwinism"), which arose out of the reconciliation of Darwin's theory of natural selection and Mendel's research on genetics, remains the foundation of evolutionary theory. However, since its inception, it has been a lightning rod for criticism, which has ranged from minor quibbles to complete dismissal. Among the most famous of the critics was Stephen Jay Gould, who, in 1980, proclaimed that the Modern Synthesis was "effectively dead." Gould and others claimed that the action of natural selection on random mutations was insufficient on its own to explain patterns of macroevolutionary diversity and divergence, and that new processes were required to explain findings from the fossil record. In 1982, Charlesworth, Lande, and Slatkin published a response to this critique in Evolution, in which they argued that Neo-Darwinism was indeed sufficient to explain macroevolutionary patterns. In this Perspective for the 75th Anniversary of the Society for the Study of Evolution, we review Charlesworth et al. in its historical context and provide modern support for their arguments. We emphasize the importance of microevolutionary processes in the study of macroevolutionary patterns. Ultimately, we conclude that punctuated equilibrium did not represent a major revolution in evolutionary biology - although debate on this point stimulated significant research and furthered the field - and that Neo-Darwinism is alive and well.}, }
@article {pmid33989896, year = {2021}, author = {Sharma, S and Singh, G and Sharma, M}, title = {A comprehensive review and analysis of supervised-learning and soft computing techniques for stress diagnosis in humans.}, journal = {Computers in biology and medicine}, volume = {134}, number = {}, pages = {104450}, doi = {10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104450}, pmid = {33989896}, issn = {1879-0534}, mesh = {Algorithms ; *Artificial Intelligence ; Bayes Theorem ; Fuzzy Logic ; Humans ; *Neural Networks, Computer ; }, abstract = {Stress is the most prevailing and global psychological condition that inevitably disrupts the mood and behavior of individuals. Chronic stress may gravely affect the physical, mental, and social behavior of victims and consequently induce myriad critical human disorders. Herein, a review has been presented where supervised learning (SL) and soft computing (SC) techniques used in stress diagnosis have been meticulously investigated to highlight the contributions, strengths, and challenges faced in the implementation of these methods in stress diagnostic models. A three-tier review strategy comprising of manuscript selection, data synthesis, and data analysis was adopted. The issues in SL strategies and the potential possibility of using hybrid techniques in stress diagnosis have been intensively investigated. The strengths and weaknesses of different SL (Bayesian classifier, random forest, support vector machine, and nearest neighbours) and SC (fuzzy logic, nature-inspired, and deep learning) techniques have been presented to obtain clear insights into these optimization strategies. The effects of social, behavioral, and biological stresses have been highlighted. The psychological, biological, and behavioral responses to stress have also been briefly elucidated. The findings of the study confirmed that different types of data/signals (related to skin temperature, electro-dermal activity, blood circulation, heart rate, facial expressions, etc.) have been used in stress diagnosis. Moreover, there is a potential scope for using distinct nature-inspired computing techniques (Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, Ant Colony Optimization, Whale Optimization Algorithm, Butterfly Optimization, Harris Hawks Optimizer, and Crow Search Algorithm) and deep learning techniques (Deep-Belief Network, Convolutional-Neural Network, and Recurrent-Neural Network) on multimodal data compiled using behavioral testing, electroencephalogram signals, finger temperature, respiration rate, pupil diameter, galvanic-skin-response, and blood pressure. Likewise, there is a wider scope to investigate the use of SL and SC techniques in stress diagnosis using distinct dimensions such as sentiment analysis, speech recognition, handwriting recognition, and facial expressions. Finally, a hybrid model based on distinct computational methods influenced by both SL and SC techniques, adaption, parameter tuning, and the use of chaos, levy, and Gaussian distribution may address exploration and exploitation issues. However, factors such as real-time data collection, bias, integrity, multi-dimensional data, and data privacy make it challenging to design precise and innovative stress diagnostic systems based on artificial intelligence.}, }
@article {pmid33935888, year = {2021}, author = {Parishar, P and Mohapatra, AN and Iyengar, S}, title = {Investigating Behavioral Responses to Mirrors and the Mark Test in Adult Male Zebra Finches and House Crows.}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {12}, number = {}, pages = {637850}, pmid = {33935888}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {Earlier evidence suggests that besides humans, some species of mammals and birds demonstrate visual self-recognition, assessed by the controversial "mark" test. Whereas, there are high levels of inter-individual differences amongst a single species, some species such as macaques and pigeons which do not spontaneously demonstrate mirror self-recognition (MSR) can be trained to do so. We were surprised to discover that despite being widely used as a model system for avian research, the performance of zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata) on the mark test had not been studied earlier. Additionally, we studied the behavioral responses of another species of passerine songbirds (Indian house crows; Corvus splendens) to a mirror and the MSR mark test. Although a small number of adult male zebra finches appeared to display heightened responses toward the mark while observing their reflections, we could not rule out the possibility that these were a part of general grooming rather than specific to the mark. Furthermore, none of the house crows demonstrated mark-directed behavior or increased self-exploratory behaviors when facing mirrors. Our study suggests that self-directed behaviors need to be tested more rigorously in adult male zebra finches while facing their reflections and these findings need to be replicated in a larger population, given the high degree of variability in mirror-directed behaviors.}, }
@article {pmid33917146, year = {2021}, author = {Shrader-Frechette, K and Biondo, AM}, title = {Health Misinformation about Toxic-Site Harm: The Case for Independent-Party Testing to Confirm Safety.}, journal = {International journal of environmental research and public health}, volume = {18}, number = {8}, pages = {}, pmid = {33917146}, issn = {1660-4601}, mesh = {*Air Pollutants/analysis ; *Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis ; Child ; Communication ; Environmental Monitoring ; *Environmental Restoration and Remediation ; Gases ; Humans ; Soil ; *Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis ; }, abstract = {Health misinformation can cause harm if regulators or private remediators falsely claim that a hazardous facility is safe. This misinformation especially threatens the health of children, minorities, and poor people, disproportionate numbers of whom live near toxic facilities. Yet, perhaps because of financial incentives, private remediators may use safety misinformation to justify reduced cleanup. Such incentives exist in nations like the United States, where most toxic-site testing/remediation is semi-privatized or voluntary, conducted by private parties, commercial redevelopers, who can increase profits by underestimating health harm, thus decreasing required testing/remediation. Our objective is to begin to determine whether or not interested parties misrepresent health harm (at hazardous facilities that they test/remediate/redevelop) when they use traditional and social media to claim that these sites are safe. Our hypothesis is that, contrary to the safety claims of the world's largest commercial developer, Coldwell Banker Real Estate/Trammell Crow (CBRE/TCC), the authors' screening assessment, especially its lab-certified, toxic-site, indoor-air tests, show violations of all three prominent government, cancer-safety benchmarks. If so, these facilities require additional testing/remediation, likely put site renters at risk, and may reveal problems with privatized hazardous cleanup. To our knowledge, we provide the first independent tests of privatized, toxic-site assessments before cancer reports occur. Our screening assessment of this hypothesis tests indoor air in rental units on a prominent former weapons-testing site (the US Naval Ordnance Testing Station, Pasadena, California (NOTSPA) that is subject to carcinogenic vapor intrusion by volatile organic compounds, VOCs), then compares test results to the redeveloper's site-safety claims, made to government officials and citizens through traditional and social media. Although NOTSPA toxic soil-gas concentrations are up to nearly a million times above allowed levels, and indoor air was never tested until now, both the regulator and the remediator (CBRE/TCC) have repeatedly claimed on social media that "the site is safe at this time." We used mainly Method TO-17 and two-week sampling with passive, sorbent tubes to assess indoor-air VOCs. Our results show that VOC levels at every location sampled-all in occupied site-rental units-violate all three government-mandated safety benchmarks: environmental screening levels (ESLs), No Significant Risk Levels (NSRLs), and inhalation risks based on the Inhalation Unit Risk (IUR); some violations are two orders of magnitude above multiple safety benchmarks. These results support our hypothesis and suggest a need for independent assessment of privatized cleanups and media-enhanced safety claims about them. If our results can be replicated at other sites, then preventing health misinformation and toxic-facility safety threats may require new strategies, one of which we outline.}, }
@article {pmid33776175, year = {2020}, author = {Pendergraft, LT and Lehnert, AL and Marzluff, JM}, title = {Individual and social factors affecting the ability of American crows to solve and master a string pulling task.}, journal = {Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie}, volume = {126}, number = {2}, pages = {229-245}, pmid = {33776175}, issn = {0179-1613}, support = {S10 RR024689/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States ; }, abstract = {Crows and other birds in the family Corvidae regularly share information to learn the identity and whereabouts of dangerous predators, but can they use social learning to solve a novel task for a food reward? Here we examined the factors affecting the ability of 27 wild-caught American crows to solve a common string-pulling task in a laboratory setting. We split crows into two groups; one group was given the task after repeatedly observing a conspecific model the solution, the other solved in the absence of conspecific models. We recorded the crows' estimated age, sex, size, body condition, level of nervousness, and brain volume using DICOM images from a CT scan. Although none of these variables were statistically significant, crows without a conspecific model and large brain volumes consistently mastered the task in the minimum number of days, whereas those with conspecific models and smaller brain volumes required varying and sometimes a substantial number of days to master the task. We found indirect evidence that body condition might also be important for motivating crows to solve the task. Crows with conspecific models were no more likely to initially solve the task than those working the puzzle without social information, but those that mastered the task usually copied the method most frequently demonstrated by their knowledgeable neighbors. These findings suggest that brain volume and possibly body condition may be factors in learning new tasks, and that crows can use social learning to refine their ability to obtain a novel food source, although they must initially learn to access it themselves.}, }
@article {pmid33664383, year = {2021}, author = {Kolkert, HL and Smith, R and Rader, R and Reid, N}, title = {Prey removal in cotton crops next to woodland reveals periodic diurnal and nocturnal invertebrate predation gradients from the crop edge by birds and bats.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {11}, number = {1}, pages = {5256}, pmid = {33664383}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Agriculture ; Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Chiroptera/*physiology ; Coleoptera/pathogenicity ; Crops, Agricultural/parasitology ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Forests ; Gossypium/parasitology ; Predatory Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Factors influencing the efficacy of insectivorous vertebrates in providing natural pest control services inside crops at increasing distances from the crop edge are poorly understood. We investigated the identity of vertebrate predators (birds and bats) and removal of sentinel prey (mealworms and beetles) from experimental feeding trays in cotton crops using prey removal trials, camera traps and observations. More prey was removed during the day than at night, but prey removal was variable at the crop edge and dependent on the month (reflecting crop growth and cover) and time of day. Overall, the predation of mealworms and beetles was 1-times and 13-times greater during the day than night, respectively, with predation on mealworms 3-5 times greater during the day than night at the crop edge compared to 95 m inside the crop. Camera traps identified many insectivorous birds and bats over crops near the feeding trays, but there was no evidence of bats or small passerines removing experimental prey. A predation gradient from the crop edge was evident, but only in some months. This corresponded to the foraging preferences of open-space generalist predators (magpies) in low crop cover versus the shrubby habitat preferred by small passerines, likely facilitating foraging away from the crop edge later in the season. Our results are in line with Optimal Foraging Theory and suggest that predators trade-off foraging behaviour with predation risk at different distances from the crop edge and levels of crop cover. Understanding the optimal farm configuration to support insectivorous bird and bat populations can assist farmers to make informed decisions regarding in-crop natural pest control and maximise the predation services provided by farm biodiversity.}, }
@article {pmid33626062, year = {2021}, author = {Brooks, J and Onishi, E and Clark, IR and Bohn, M and Yamamoto, S}, title = {Uniting against a common enemy: Perceived outgroup threat elicits ingroup cohesion in chimpanzees.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {2}, pages = {e0246869}, pmid = {33626062}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Aggression/*physiology ; Animals ; *Cooperative Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Pan troglodytes/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Outgroup threat has been identified as an important driver of ingroup cohesion in humans, but the evolutionary origin of such a relationship is unclear. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in the wild are notably aggressive towards outgroup members but coordinate complex behaviors with many individuals in group hunting and border patrols. One hypothesis claims that these behaviors evolve alongside one another, where outgroup threat selects for ingroup cohesion and group coordination. To test this hypothesis, 5 groups of chimpanzees (N = 29 individuals) were observed after hearing either pant-hoots of unfamiliar wild chimpanzees or control crow vocalizations both in their typical daily environment and in a context of induced feeding competition. We observed a behavioral pattern that was consistent both with increased stress and vigilance (self-directed behaviors increased, play decreased, rest decreased) and increased ingroup cohesion (interindividual proximity decreased, aggression over food decreased, and play during feeding competition increased). These results support the hypothesis that outgroup threat elicits ingroup tolerance in chimpanzees. This suggests that in chimpanzees, like humans, competition between groups fosters group cohesion.}, }
@article {pmid33608384, year = {2021}, author = {Rinnert, P and Nieder, A}, title = {Neural Code of Motor Planning and Execution during Goal-Directed Movements in Crows.}, journal = {The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience}, volume = {41}, number = {18}, pages = {4060-4072}, pmid = {33608384}, issn = {1529-2401}, mesh = {Animals ; Brain Mapping ; Conditioning, Operant ; Crows/*physiology ; Decision Making/*physiology ; Goals ; Head Movements/physiology ; Male ; Movement/*physiology ; Neurons/physiology ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Telencephalon/physiology ; }, abstract = {The planning and execution of head-beak movements are vital components of bird behavior. They require integration of sensory input and internal processes with goal-directed motor output. Despite its relevance, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying action planning and execution outside of the song system are largely unknown. We recorded single-neuron activity from the associative endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) of two male carrion crows (Corvus corone) trained to plan and execute head-beak movements in a spatial delayed response task. The crows were instructed to plan an impending movement toward one of eight possible targets on the left or right side of a touchscreen. In a fraction of trials, the crows were prompted to plan a movement toward a self-chosen target. NCL neurons signaled the impending motion direction in instructed trials. Tuned neuronal activity during motor planning categorically represented the target side, but also specific target locations. As a marker of intentional movement preparation, neuronal activity reliably predicted both target side and specific target location when the crows were free to select a target. In addition, NCL neurons were tuned to specific target locations during movement execution. A subset of neurons was tuned during both planning and execution period; these neurons experienced a sharpening of spatial tuning with the transition from planning to execution. These results show that the avian NCL not only represents high-level sensory and cognitive task components, but also transforms behaviorally-relevant information into dynamic action plans and motor execution during the volitional perception-action cycle of birds.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Corvid songbirds have become exciting new models for understanding complex cognitive behavior. As a key neural underpinning, the endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) represents sensory and memory-related task components. How such representations are converted into goal-directed motor output remained unknown. In crows, we report that NCL neurons are involved in the planning and execution of goal-directed movements. NCL neurons prospectively signaled motion directions in instructed trials, but also when the crows were free to choose a target. NCL neurons showed a target-specific sharpening of tuning with the transition from the planning to the execution period. Thus, the avian NCL not only represents high-level sensory and cognitive task components, but also transforms relevant information into action plans and motor execution.}, }
@article {pmid33604599, year = {2021}, author = {Lozano-Ruiz, A and Fasfous, AF and Ibanez-Casas, I and Cruz-Quintana, F and Perez-Garcia, M and Pérez-Marfil, MN}, title = {Cultural Bias in Intelligence Assessment Using a Culture-Free Test in Moroccan Children.}, journal = {Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1093/arclin/acab005}, pmid = {33604599}, issn = {1873-5843}, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: Previous research has shown that cognitive tests can lead to misclassification when applying non-representative norms to measure cognitive performance. The objective of this study was to investigate whether this misclassification also occurs with a non-verbal so-called "culture-free" intelligence test administered to different age groups.<br><br>METHOD: The intelligence of a sample of healthy Moroccan children (N = 147) ages 7, 9, and 11 was assessed using the Coloured Raven's Progressive Matrices (CPM). Raw scores were used to study age differences, as well as misclassifications when applying the norms of three countries culturally different from Morocco (United Kingdom, Spain, and Oman).<br><br>RESULTS: Intelligence performance was not within the normal range when non-representative norms were applied to the Moroccan raw scores. Misclassifications accounted for a large percentage of the participants that supposedly displayed intelligence deficits, especially when applying the British norms. Up to 15.68% of the healthy children fell within the "intellectually impaired" range, and up to 62.5% fell "below average," with these percentages especially higher at older ages.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm that "culture-free" tests should be adapted to each culture and applied together with their culture's specific norms to prevent misclassification and allow for a better, unbiased neuropsychological assessment.}, }
@article {pmid33530934, year = {2021}, author = {Zappa, G and LoMauro, A and Baranello, G and Cavallo, E and Corti, P and Mastella, C and Costantino, MA}, title = {Intellectual abilities, language comprehension, speech, and motor function in children with spinal muscular atrophy type 1.}, journal = {Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders}, volume = {13}, number = {1}, pages = {9}, pmid = {33530934}, issn = {1866-1955}, mesh = {Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cognition ; *Comprehension ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Retrospective Studies ; Speech ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a chronic, neuromuscular disease characterized by degeneration of spinal cord motor neurons, resulting in progressive muscular atrophy and weakness. SMA1 is the most severe form characterized by significant bulbar, respiratory, and motor dysfunction. SMA1 prevents children from speaking a clearly understandable and fluent language, with their communication being mainly characterized by eye movements, guttural sounds, and anarthria (type 1a); severe dysarthria (type 1b); and nasal voice and dyslalia (type 1c). The aim of this study was to analyze for the first time cognitive functions, language comprehension, and speech in natural history SMA1 children according to age and subtypes, to develop cognitive and language benchmarks that provide outcomes for the clinical medication trials that are changing SMA1 course/trajectory.<br><br>METHODS: This is a retrospective study including 22 children with SMA1 (10 affected by subtype 1a-1b: AB and 12 by 1c: C) aged 3-11 years in clinical stable condition with a coded way to communicate "yes" and "no". Data from the following assessments have been retrieved from patient charts: one-dimensional Raven test (RCPM), to evaluate cognitive development (IQ); ALS Severity Score (ALSSS) to evaluate speech disturbances; Brown Bellugy modified for Italian standards (TCGB) to evaluate language comprehension; and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP-INTEND) to assess motor functioning.<br><br>RESULTS: SMA 1AB and 1C children were similar in age, with the former characterized by lower CHOP-INTEND scores compared to the latter. All 22 children had collaborated to RCPM and their median IQ was 120 with no difference (p = 0.945) between AB and C. Global median score of the speech domain of the ALSSS was 5; however, it was 2 in AB children, being significantly lower than C (6.5, p < 0.001). TCGB test had been completed by 13 children, with morphosyntactic comprehension being in the normal range (50). Although ALSSS did not correlate with both IQ and TCGB, it had a strong (p < 0.001) correlation with CHOP-INTEND described by an exponential rise to maximum.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Although speech and motor function were severely compromised, children with SMA1 showed general intelligence and language comprehension in the normal range. Speech impairment was strictly related to global motor impairment.}, }
@article {pmid33523683, year = {2021}, author = {Roelofs, A}, title = {How attention controls naming: Lessons from Wundt 2.0.}, journal = {Journal of experimental psychology. General}, volume = {150}, number = {10}, pages = {1927-1955}, doi = {10.1037/xge0001030}, pmid = {33523683}, issn = {1939-2222}, mesh = {*Attention ; Humans ; }, abstract = {When models of the attentional control of vocal naming, applied to color-word Stroop and picture-word interference, were first computationally implemented and examined in 1990, an implementable model proposed by Wundt (1880, 1902) was not considered. Although these modern computer models, and more recent ones, clarify many aspects of the interference, most models fail to explain its time course, as outlined in Roelofs (2003). Wundt's (1902) model assigns a key role to top-down inhibition, which is absent in most of the modern models. Here, an implementation of his model is presented, called Wundt 2.0. The necessity of perceptual inhibition was demonstrated by computer simulations of the interference and its time course, and supported by existing evidence from oscillatory brain activity in the alpha frequency band. Moreover, a new empirical study showed that Raven scores measuring the general intelligence factor g, discovered by Wundt's student Spearman (1904), predict the magnitude of the Stroop effect in fast errors, in line with the model and evidence on alpha band activity. Also, the study provided evidence that response inhibition is absent during vocal naming in the Stroop task. To conclude, Wundt's model has stood the test of time and provides a number of enduring lessons for our understanding of attention and performance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid33503032, year = {2021}, author = {Boone, JD and Witt, C and Ammon, EM}, title = {Behavior-specific occurrence patterns of Pinyon Jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) in three Great Basin study areas and significance for pinyon-juniper woodland management.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {16}, number = {1}, pages = {e0237621}, pmid = {33503032}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Conservation of Natural Resources/*methods ; Crows/*metabolism ; Demography ; Ecosystem ; Forests ; Juniperus/growth &amp; development ; Population Density ; Trees ; United States ; }, abstract = {The Pinyon Jay is a highly social, year-round inhabitant of pinyon-juniper and other coniferous woodlands in the western United States. Range-wide, Pinyon Jays have declined ~ 3-4% per year for at least the last half-century. Occurrence patterns and habitat use of Pinyon Jays have not been well characterized across much of the species' range, and obtaining this information is necessary for better understanding the causes of ongoing declines and determining useful conservation strategies. Additionally, it is important to better understand if and how targeted removal of pinyon-juniper woodland, a common and widespread vegetation management practice, affects Pinyon Jays. The goal of this study was to identify the characteristics of areas used by Pinyon Jays for several critical life history components in the Great Basin, which is home to nearly half of the species' global population, and to thereby facilitate the inclusion of Pinyon Jay conservation measures in the design of vegetation management projects. To accomplish this, we studied Pinyon Jays in three widely separated study areas using radio telemetry and direct observation and measured key attributes of their locations and a separate set of randomly-selected control sites using the U. S. Forest Service's Forest Inventory Analysis protocol. Data visualizations, principle components analysis, and logistic regressions of the resulting data indicated that Pinyon Jays used a distinct subset of available pinyon-juniper woodland habitat, and further suggested that Pinyon Jays used different but overlapping habitats for seed caching, foraging, and nesting. Caching was concentrated in low-elevation, relatively flat areas with low tree cover; foraging occurred at slightly higher elevations with generally moderate but variable tree cover; and nesting was concentrated in slightly higher areas with high tree and vegetation cover. All three of these Pinyon Jay behavior types were highly concentrated within the lower-elevation band of pinyon-juniper woodland close to the woodland-shrubland ecotone. Woodland removal projects in the Great Basin are often concentrated in these same areas, so it is potentially important to incorporate conservation measures informed by Pinyon Jay occurrence patterns into existing woodland management paradigms, protocols, and practices.}, }
@article {pmid33474740, year = {2021}, author = {Kersten, Y and Friedrich-Müller, B and Nieder, A}, title = {A histological study of the song system of the carrion crow (Corvus corone).}, journal = {The Journal of comparative neurology}, volume = {529}, number = {10}, pages = {2576-2595}, doi = {10.1002/cne.25112}, pmid = {33474740}, issn = {1096-9861}, mesh = {Animals ; Brain/*anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Crows/*anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Female ; Male ; Neural Pathways/*anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/physiology ; }, abstract = {The song system of songbirds (oscines) is one of the best studied neuroethological model systems. So far, it has been treated as a relatively constrained sensorimotor system. Songbirds such as crows, however, are also known for their capability to cognitively control their audio-vocal system. Yet, the neuroanatomy of the corvid song system has never been explored systematically. We aim to close this scientific gap by presenting a stereotactic investigation of the extended song system of the carrion crow (Corvus corone), an oscine songbird of the corvid family that has become an interesting model system for cognitive neuroscience. In order to identify and delineate the song nuclei, the ascending auditory nuclei, and the descending vocal-motor nuclei, four stains were applied. In addition to the classical Nissl-, myelin-, and a combination of Nissl-and-myelin staining, staining for tyrosine hydroxylase was used to reveal the distribution of catecholaminergic neurons (dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and adrenergic) in the song system. We show that the crow brain contains the important song-related nuclei, including auditory input and motor output structures, and map them throughout the brain. Fiber-stained sections reveal putative connection patterns between the crow's song nuclei comparable to other songbirds.}, }
@article {pmid33444862, year = {2021}, author = {Rial-Berriel, C and Acosta-Dacal, A and Cabrera Pérez, MÁ and Suárez-Pérez, A and Melián Melián, A and Zumbado, M and Henríquez Hernández, LA and Ruiz-Suárez, N and Rodriguez Hernández, Á and Boada, LD and Macías Montes, A and Luzardo, OP}, title = {Intensive livestock farming as a major determinant of the exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides in raptors of the Canary Islands (Spain).}, journal = {The Science of the total environment}, volume = {768}, number = {}, pages = {144386}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144386}, pmid = {33444862}, issn = {1879-1026}, mesh = {Animals ; Anticoagulants ; Europe ; Farms ; Livestock ; *Raptors ; *Rodenticides ; Spain ; }, abstract = {The Canary Islands (Spain) is a biodiversity hotspot, with more than 4500 registered endemic species. However, it is subject to high anthropogenic pressure that threatens its wildlife in various ways. In the context of forensic toxicological surveys, the presence of anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) has been investigated in the liver of 831 animal carcasses with georeferenced data from 2011 to May 2020. The high concentrations of toxic pesticides in carcasses and in baits found close to the corpses indicated that all the reptiles and most of the mammals tested positive for AR were intentionally poisoned, although mainly by other substances. The frequency of detection of AR in non-raptor birds (n = 343) was only 4.1%, being the Canary raven the most frequently affected species (7/97, 7.2%). On the contrary, in raptors (n = 308) the detection frequency was almost 60%, with an average of more than 2 ARs per animal. The highest concentrations were found in the common kestrel. We present for the first-time results of AR contamination in two species of raptors that are very rare in Europe, Eleonora's falcon (n = 4) and Barbary falcon (n = 13). The temporal trend of positive cases remains stable, but since the entry into force of the restriction to the concentration of the active ingredient in baits (<30 ppm), a decrease in the concentrations of these compounds in the raptors' liver has been detected. Conversely, we registered an increase in the number of ARs per animal. From the study of the geographic information system (GIS) it can be deduced that intensive livestock farms are an important determinant in the exposure of raptors to ARs. Those birds that have their territory near intensive production farms have higher levels of exposure than those of birds that live far from such facilities.}, }
@article {pmid33444031, year = {2021}, author = {Tornick, J and Gibson, B}, title = {Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) use a visual barrier for cache protection.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {135}, number = {2}, pages = {170-175}, doi = {10.1037/com0000262}, pmid = {33444031}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {Previous work with corvids such as scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica) and ravens (Corvus corax) suggests that many social corvids alter their caching behavior when observed by conspecifics to protect their caches. We examined whether the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), an asocial corvid, can utilize a barrier to conceal its caching activities from a conspecific observer. Nutcrackers were allowed to cache nuts in a visible or concealed location in either the presence or absence of an observer. Nutcrackers were also given experience of having their caches pilfered. The nutcrackers cached significantly more nuts in the concealed compared to a visible location when observed. Importantly, nutcrackers also recovered a larger percentage of their nuts 24 hr later from a visible cache location but when the observer was no longer present. The results extend recent work suggesting that relatively nonsocial corvids, similar to their more social relatives, also engage in multiple forms of cache protection. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid33436920, year = {2021}, author = {Zhang, Y and Yu, C and Chen, L and Li, Z}, title = {Performance of Azure-winged magpies in Aesop's fable paradigm.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {11}, number = {1}, pages = {804}, pmid = {33436920}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Learning/*physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Problem Solving/*physiology ; }, abstract = {In this study, the improved Aesop's fable paradigm-a series of experiments originally used to test whether some animals understand the causality associated with water replacement-was used to explore the cognitive ability of Azure-winged magpies (Cyanopica cyanus). Experimental results on causal cue tasks showed that the Azure-winged magpies prefer water-filled tubes over sand-filled tubes, heavy objects over light objects, and solid objects over hollow objects. However, they failed to notice the diameter and water level of the tubes. They also failed to pass the counterintuitive U-shaped tube task in arbitrary cue tasks. Our results demonstrated that Azure-winged magpies have a certain cognitive ability but not an understanding of causality, a characteristic comparable to that of other corvids. Moreover, Azure-winged magpies exhibited the ability of training transfer and analogical problem solving from the perspective of cognitive psychology. We believe that object-bias has little effect on Azure-winged magpies in this study. We can conclude that the Azure-winged magpies partially completed the tasks by trial-and-error learning.}, }
@article {pmid33420859, year = {2021}, author = {Wenig, K and Boucherie, PH and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Early evidence for emotional play contagion in juvenile ravens.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {24}, number = {4}, pages = {717-729}, pmid = {33420859}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {W1262-B29//Austrian Science Fund/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Crows ; Emotions ; Empathy ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Perceiving, evaluating and reacting towards conspecifics' emotional states are important challenges of social group living. Emotional contagion describes an alignment of emotional states between individuals and is widely believed to be based on behavioral synchronization, i.e., behavioral contagion. As basic empathy-like processes, the occurrence of both forms of contagion seems to underlie early ontogenetic trajectories in humans and non-human species. In the present study, we assessed play as a context for studying the development of emotional contagion and its interlink with behavioral contagion in ten juvenile common ravens. Ravens are exceptional players that engage in all three forms of play: object, locomotion and social play. To assess potential ontogenetic patterns of both behavioral and emotional contagion, we tested juvenile ravens at two different periods of early development, at three- and six-month post-hatching. We elicited object play in one or several ravens (demonstrators) in a standardized experimental environment, using a playground setup. At both test ages, we found evidence for emotional contagion as observer ravens showed an increase of locomotion and social play after we provided the demonstrator(s) with the playground setup, but no significant changes in the amount of object play. Hence, observers did not copy motor patterns from demonstrator(s) but engaged in other forms of play. Our findings speak for a transfer of a general mood state in the context of play in ravens as young as 3 months and against behavioral mimicry as a precondition for emotional contagion.}, }
@article {pmid33420703, year = {2021}, author = {Gallego-Abenza, M and Blum, CR and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Who is crying wolf? Seasonal effect on antipredator response to age-specific alarm calls in common ravens, Corvus corax.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {49}, number = {1}, pages = {159-167}, pmid = {33420703}, issn = {1543-4508}, support = {P 29705/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; *Crows ; *Predatory Behavior ; Seasons ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Communication about threats including those posed by the presence of predators occurs mainly through acoustic signals called alarm calls. The comprehension of these calls by receivers and their rapid antipredator response are crucial in terms of survival. However, to avoid overreaction, individuals should evaluate whether or not an antipredator response is needed by paying attention to who is calling. For instance, we could expect adults to be more experienced with predator encounters than juveniles and thus elicit stronger antipredator responses in others when alarming. Similarly, we could expect a stronger response to alarm calls when more than one individual is calling. To test these assumptions, we applied a playback experiment to wild ravens, in which we manipulated the age class (adult or juvenile) and the number (one or two) of the callers. Our results revealed a seasonal effect of age class but no effect of number of callers. Specifically, the ravens responded with stronger antipredator behaviour (vigilance posture) towards alarm calls from adults as compared to juveniles in summer and autumn, but not in spring. We discuss alternative interpretations for this unexpected seasonal pattern and argue for more studies on call-based communication in birds to understand what type of information is relevant under which conditions.}, }
@article {pmid33372273, year = {2021}, author = {Blakey, ML}, title = {Understanding racism in physical (biological) anthropology.}, journal = {American journal of physical anthropology}, volume = {175}, number = {2}, pages = {316-325}, doi = {10.1002/ajpa.24208}, pmid = {33372273}, issn = {1096-8644}, mesh = {*Anthropology, Physical ; Humans ; *Racism ; }, abstract = {The mainstream of American physical anthropology began as racist and eugenical science that defended slavery, restricted "non-Nordic" immigration, and justified Jim Crow segregation. After World War II, the field became more anti-racial than anti-racist. It has continued as a study of natural influences on human variation and thus continues to evade the social histories of inequitable biological variation. Also reflecting its occupancy of white space, biological anthropology continues to deny its own racist history and marginalizes the contributions of Blacks. Critical disciplinary history and a shift toward biocultural studies might begin an anti-racist human biology.}, }
@article {pmid33321971, year = {2020}, author = {Kaplan, G}, title = {Of Great Apes and Magpies: Initiations into Animal Behaviour.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {10}, number = {12}, pages = {}, pmid = {33321971}, issn = {2076-2615}, abstract = {This paper presents three case studies of exceptional human encounters with animals. These particular examples were selected because they enabled analysis of the underlying reasons that led the human participants to respond in new ways to their animal counterparts. The question asked here is whether sudden insights into the needs and abilities of an animal arises purely from an anthropocentric position as empathy because of genetic closeness (e.g., chimpanzees) or is something else and whether new insights can be applied to other phylogenetic orders not close to us, e.g., birds, and change research questions and implicit prejudices and stereotypes. Particularly in avian species, phylogenetically distant from humans, the prejudices (anthroprocentric position) and the belief in human uniqueness (human exceptionalism) might be greater than in the reactions to primates. Interestingly, in studies of great apes, contradictory opinions and controversies about cognitive abilities, especially when compared with humans, tend to be pronounced. Species appropriateness in test designs are desirable present and future goals but here it is suggested how different experiences can also lead to different questions that explode the myth of human uniqueness and then arrive at entirely different and new results in cognitive and affective abilities of the species under investigation.}, }
@article {pmid33311334, year = {2020}, author = {Mori, A and Bertani, R}, title = {Revision and cladistic analysis of Psalistops Simon, 1889, Trichopelma Simon, 1888 and Cyrtogrammomma Pocock, 1895 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) based on a cladistic analysis of relationships of Theraphosidae, Barychelidae and Paratropididae.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4873}, number = {1}, pages = {zootaxa.4873.1.1}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4873.1.1}, pmid = {33311334}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Fossils ; *Spiders ; }, abstract = {The genera Psalistops Simon, 1889, Trichopelma, Simon, 1888 and Cyrtogrammomma Pocock, 1895 are revised and included in cladistics analyses including almost all species of these genera. In order to test previous morphological hypotheses on the relationships of Barychelidae, Paratropididae and Theraphosidae and because of the controversial taxonomic position of Psalistops and Trichopelma, a set of terminal taxa representing all subfamilies of Paratropididae (Paratropidinae, Glabropelmatinae), Barychelidae (Barychelinae, Sasoninae, Trichopelmatinae) and most theraphosid subfamilies were included, as well as a diplurid, a nemesiid, and a pycnothelid, the later used to root the cladogram. The matrix with 66 terminal taxa, 2 continuous and 93 discrete characters was analysed with TNT 1.5. We found that Trichopelmatinae is not a monophyletic group, and Psalistops is transferred to Theraphosidae, as well as the barychelid genus Cyrtogrammomma and the paratropidid genus Melloina Brignoli. Cyrtogrammomma was retrieved as the sister group of Trichopelma, and Melloina as the sister group of Holothele Karsch. Psalistops was retrieved as the sister group of Reichlingia Rudloff, and the clade with these two genera is the most basal in Theraphosidae. Barychelidae was found to be monophyletic and the sister group of Theraphosidae. Paratropididae was retrieved as the sister group of Barychelidae + Theraphosidae. The relationship and possible synapomorphies of the three families are herein discussed. This is the first time since Raven (1985) that representatives of all barychelid (Barychelinae, Sasoninae, Trichopelmatinae), paratropidid (Paratropidinae, Glabropelmatinae) and most theraphosid subfamilies have been included in a morphological cladistic analysis. Psalistops comprises two species, P. melanopygius Simon, 1889 (type species) and P. colombianus sp. nov. Psalistops montigena Simon, 1889, P. tigrinus Simon, 1889 and P. zonatus Simon, 1889 are synonymized with P. melanopygius Simon, 1889. Psalistops fulvus Bryant, 1948, P. hispaniolensis Wunderlich, 1988 (fossil), P. maculosus Bryant, 1948, P. venadensis Valerio, 1986 and P. steini (Simon, 1889) are transferred to Trichopelma. Psalistops gasci Maréchal, 1996 is transferred to Hapalopus Ausserer (Theraphosidae); P. opifex (Simon, 1889) and P. solitarius (Simon, 1889) are transferred to Schismatothele Karsch, 1879 (Theraphosidae). Schismatothele solitarius (Simon, 1889) n. comb. is synonymized with Schismatothele lineata Karsch, 1879, n. syn. Psalistops nigrifemuratus Mello-Leitão, 1939 is probably a nemesiid or pycnothelid, and herein considered as nomen dubium in Pycnothelidae. Trichopelma comprises 22 species: Trichopelma nitidum Simon, 1888 (type species), T. coenobita (Simon, 1889), T. steini (Simon, 1889), T. affine (Simon, 1892), T. cubanum (Simon, 1903), T. maculatum (Banks, 1906), T. zebra (Petrunkevitch, 1925), T. banksia Özdikmen Demir, 2012, T. insulanum (Petrunkevitch, 1926), T. fulvus (Bryant, 1948) n. comb., T. laselva Valerio, 1986, T. venadensis (Valerio, 1986) n. comb., T. huffi sp. nov., T. gabrieli sp. nov., T. tostoi sp. nov., T. goloboffi sp. nov., T. juventud sp. nov., T. laurae sp. nov., T.bimini sp. nov., T. loui sp. nov., T. platnicki sp. nov., and T. hispaniolensis Wunderlich, 1988 n. comb. (fossil). Trichopelma maculosus (Bryant, 1948) n. comb. is synonymized with P. fulvus Bryant, 1948; T. corozalis (Petrunkevitch, 1929) is synonymized with T. insulanum (Petrunkevitch, 1926). Trichopelma astutum Simon, 1889 is transferred to Euthycaelus Simon, 1889, and T. maddeni Esposito Agnarsson, 2014 to Holothele Karsch, 1879 (Theraphosidae). Trichopelma flavicomum Simon, 1891 is transferred to Neodiplothele (Barychelidae, Sasoninae). The species T. illetabile Simon, 1888, T. spinosum (Franganillo, 1926), T. scopulatum (Fischel, 1927) and T. eucubanum Özdikmen Demir, 2012 are considered as nomina dubia. Cyrtogrammomma comprises two species: C. monticola Pocock, 1895 (type species) and C. raveni sp. nov.}, }
@article {pmid33305388, year = {2021}, author = {Dussex, N and Kutschera, VE and Wiberg, RAW and Parker, DJ and Hunt, GR and Gray, RD and Rutherford, K and Abe, H and Fleischer, RC and Ritchie, MG and Rutz, C and Wolf, JBW and Gemmell, NJ}, title = {A genome-wide investigation of adaptive signatures in protein-coding genes related to tool behaviour in New Caledonian and Hawaiian crows.}, journal = {Molecular ecology}, volume = {30}, number = {4}, pages = {973-986}, doi = {10.1111/mec.15775}, pmid = {33305388}, issn = {1365-294X}, support = {BB/G023913/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows/genetics ; Hawaii ; *Life History Traits ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Very few animals habitually manufacture and use tools. It has been suggested that advanced tool behaviour co-evolves with a suite of behavioural, morphological and life history traits. In fact, there are indications for such an adaptive complex in tool-using crows (genus Corvus species). Here, we sequenced the genomes of two habitually tool-using and ten non-tool-using crow species to search for genomic signatures associated with a tool-using lifestyle. Using comparative genomic and population genetic approaches, we screened for signals of selection in protein-coding genes in the tool-using New Caledonian and Hawaiian crows. While we detected signals of recent selection in New Caledonian crows near genes associated with bill morphology, our data indicate that genetic changes in these two lineages are surprisingly subtle, with little evidence at present for convergence. We explore the biological explanations for these findings, such as the relative roles of gene regulation and protein-coding changes, as well as the possibility that statistical power to detect selection in recently diverged lineages may have been insufficient. Our study contributes to a growing body of literature aiming to decipher the genetic basis of recently evolved complex behaviour.}, }
@article {pmid33303790, year = {2020}, author = {Pika, S and Sima, MJ and Blum, CR and Herrmann, E and Mundry, R}, title = {Ravens parallel great apes in physical and social cognitive skills.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {20617}, pmid = {33303790}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; *Intelligence ; Male ; Pan troglodytes/*physiology ; Pongo/*physiology ; *Psychomotor Performance ; *Social Skills ; }, abstract = {Human children show unique cognitive skills for dealing with the social world but their cognitive performance is paralleled by great apes in many tasks dealing with the physical world. Recent studies suggested that members of a songbird family-corvids-also evolved complex cognitive skills but a detailed understanding of the full scope of their cognition was, until now, not existent. Furthermore, relatively little is known about their cognitive development. Here, we conducted the first systematic, quantitative large-scale assessment of physical and social cognitive performance of common ravens with a special focus on development. To do so, we fine-tuned one of the most comprehensive experimental test-batteries, the Primate Cognition Test Battery (PCTB), to raven features enabling also a direct, quantitative comparison with the cognitive performance of two great ape species. Full-blown cognitive skills were already present at the age of four months with subadult ravens' cognitive performance appearing very similar to that of adult apes in tasks of physical (quantities, and causality) and social cognition (social learning, communication, and theory of mind). These unprecedented findings strengthen recent assessments of ravens' general intelligence, and aid to the growing evidence that the lack of a specific cortical architecture does not hinder advanced cognitive skills. Difficulties in certain cognitive scales further emphasize the quest to develop comparative test batteries that tap into true species rather than human specific cognitive skills, and suggest that socialization of test individuals may play a crucial role. We conclude to pay more attention to the impact of personality on cognitive output, and a currently neglected topic in Animal Cognition-the linkage between ontogeny and cognitive performance.}, }
@article {pmid33269437, year = {2021}, author = {Vernouillet, A and Casidsid, HJM and Kelly, DM}, title = {Conspecific presence, but not pilferage, influences pinyon jays' (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) caching behavior.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {49}, number = {1}, pages = {23-35}, pmid = {33269437}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior ; Food ; *Passeriformes ; Social Behavior ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {Caching species store food when plentiful to ensure availability when resources are scarce. These stores may be at risk of pilferage by others present at the time of caching. Cachers may reduce the risk of loss by using information from the social environment to engage in behaviors to secure the resource-cache protection strategies. Here, we examined whether pinyon jays, a highly social corvid, use information from the social environment to modify their caching behavior. Pinyon jays were provided with pine seeds to cache in two visually distinct trays. The cacher could be observed by a non-pilfering conspecific, a pilfering conspecific, or an inanimate heterospecific located in an adjoining cage compartment, or the cacher could be alone. After caching, the pilfered tray was placed in the adjoining compartment where caches were either pilfered (pilfering conspecific and inanimate heterospecific conditions) or remained intact (non-pilfering conspecific and alone conditions). The safe tray was placed in a visible, but inaccessible, location. Overall, pinyon jays reduced the number of pine seeds cached in the pilfered tray when observed, compared with caching alone. However, their caching behavior did not differ between the pilfering conspecific and the non-pilfering conspecific conditions. These results suggest that either pinyon jays were unable to discriminate between the pilfering and non-pilfering conspecifics, or they generalized their experience of risk from the pilfering conspecific to the non-pilfering conspecific. Thus, we report evidence that pinyon jays use cache protection strategies to secure their resources when observed, but respond similarly when observed by pilfering and non-pilfering conspecifics.}, }
@article {pmid33225245, year = {2020}, author = {Wagener, L and Nieder, A}, title = {Categorical Auditory Working Memory in Crows.}, journal = {iScience}, volume = {23}, number = {11}, pages = {101737}, pmid = {33225245}, issn = {2589-0042}, abstract = {The ability to group sensory data into behaviorally meaningful classes and to maintain these perceptual categories active in working memory is key to intelligent behavior. Here, we show that carrion crows, highly vocal and cognitively advanced corvid songbirds, possess categorical auditory working memory. The crows were trained in a delayed match-to-category task that required them to flexibly match remembered sounds based on the upward or downward shift of the sounds' frequency modulation. After training, the crows instantaneously classified novel sounds into the correct auditory categories. The crows showed sharp category boundaries as a function of the relative frequency interval of the modulation. In addition, the crows generalized frequency-modulated sounds within a category and correctly classified novel sounds kept in working memory irrespective of other acoustic features of the sound. This suggests that crows can form and actively memorize auditory perceptual categories in the service of cognitive control of their goal-directed behaviors.}, }
@article {pmid33192900, year = {2020}, author = {Blum, CR and Fitch, WT and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Rapid Learning and Long-Term Memory for Dangerous Humans in Ravens (Corvus corax).}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {11}, number = {}, pages = {581794}, pmid = {33192900}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {Like many predatory species, humans have pronounced individual differences in their interactions with potential prey: some humans pose a lethal threat while others may provide valuable resources. Recognizing individual humans would thus allow prey species to maximize potential rewards while ensuring survival. Previous studies on corvids showed they can recognize and remember individual humans. For instance, wild American crows produced alarm calls toward specifically masked humans up to 2.7 years after those humans had caught and ringed them while wearing that mask. However, individual behavior of the crows or the impact of social features on their responses, was hardly examined. Here, we studied predator learning and social effects on responses, using a similar method, in captive common ravens (Corvus corax). We investigated learning and the impact of key social components on individual reactions to artificial predators. Human experimenters wore two types of masks while walking past two raven aviaries. In four training trials, the "dangerous" mask was presented while carrying a dead raven, whereas the "neutral" mask was presented empty-handed. Between every training trial and in all following trials, we presented both masks without dead ravens. We assessed the subjects' (i) learning speed, (ii) selective long-term response, and (iii) potential effects of social dynamics on individual alarm calling frequency. Ravens learned quickly (often based on the first trial), and some individuals distinguished the dangerous from the neutral mask for the next 4 years. Despite having received the same amount and quality of exposure to the dangerous mask, we found pronounced individual differences in alarm calling that were fairly consistent across test trials in socially stable situations: dominance, but not sex explained individual differences in alarm responses, indicating the potential use of alarm calls as "status symbols." These findings fit to those in wild bird populations and dominant individuals signaling their quality. Changes in the individuals' participation and intensity of alarm calling coincided with changes in group composition and pair formation, further supporting the role of social context on ravens' alarm calling.}, }
@article {pmid33159902, year = {2021}, author = {Shahhosseini, N and Frederick, C and Racine, T and Kobinger, GP and Wong, G}, title = {Modeling host-feeding preference and molecular systematics of mosquitoes in different ecological niches in Canada.}, journal = {Acta tropica}, volume = {213}, number = {}, pages = {105734}, doi = {10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105734}, pmid = {33159902}, issn = {1873-6254}, mesh = {Aedes/classification/genetics/physiology ; Algorithms ; Animals ; Blood ; Canada ; Culex/classification/genetics/physiology ; Culicidae/classification/genetics/*physiology ; Deer ; Ecosystem ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Host Specificity ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Swine ; }, abstract = {Several mosquito-borne viruses (mobovirus) cause infections in Canada. Ecological data on mosquito species and host range in Canada remains elusive. The main aim of the current study is to determine the host range and molecular systematics of mosquito species in Canada. Mosquitoes were collected using BG-Sentinel traps and aspirators at 10 trapping sites in Canada during 2018 and 2019. Mosquitoes collected were identified via morphology and molecular techniques. Mosquito sequences were aligned by MUSCLE algorithm and evolutionary systematics were drawn using MEGA and SDT software. Moreover, the source of blood meals was identified using a DNA barcoding technique. A total of 5,708 female mosquitoes over 34 different taxa were collected. DNA barcodes and evolutionary tree analysis confirmed the identification of mosquito species in Canada. Of the total collected samples, 201 specimens were blood-fed female mosquitoes in 20 different taxa. Four mosquito species represented about half (51.47%) of all collected blood-fed specimens: Aede cinereus (39 specimens, 19.11%), Aedes triseriatus (23, 11.27%), Culex pipiens (22, 10.78%), and Anopheles punctipennis (21, 10.29%). The most common blood meal sources were humans (49 mosquito specimens, 24% of all blood-fed mosquito specimen), pigs (44, 21.5%), American red squirrels (28, 13.7%), white-tailed deers (28, 13.7%), and American crows (16, 7.8%). Here, we present the first analysis of the host-feeding preference of different mosquito species in Canada via molecular techniques. Our results on mosquito distribution and behavior will aid in the development of effective mitigation and control strategies to prevent or reduce human/animal health issues in regards to moboviruses.}, }
@article {pmid33150697, year = {2021}, author = {Armenteros, JA and Caro, J and SÁnchez-GarcÍa, C and Arroyo, B and PÉrez, JA and Gaudioso, VR and Tizado, EJ}, title = {Do non-target species visit feeders and water troughs targeting small game? A study from farmland Spain using camera-trapping.}, journal = {Integrative zoology}, volume = {16}, number = {2}, pages = {226-239}, doi = {10.1111/1749-4877.12496}, pmid = {33150697}, issn = {1749-4877}, mesh = {Animal Feed ; Animals ; *Animals, Wild ; *Drinking Behavior ; *Feeding Behavior ; Photography/veterinary ; Spain ; Water ; }, abstract = {Provision of food and water is a widespread tool implemented around the world for the benefit of game and other wildlife, but factors affecting the use of food and water by non-target species are poorly known. We evaluated visits to feeders and water troughs by non-game species using camera-traps in two separate areas of Spain. Feeders and water troughs were either "protected" (when surrounded by more than 50% of shrubs/forest) or "open" (in the opposite case). A total of 18 948 photos from 5344 camera-trapping days depicted animals, and 75 species were identified. Feeders and water troughs were visited by target species (partridges and lagomorphs, 55.3% of visits) and non-target species (44.7% of visits). Among the latter, corvids were the most common (46.1% of visits), followed by rodents (26.8%), other birds (23.6%, mainly passerines), columbids (1.9%), and other species at minor percentages. The highest proportion of visiting days to feeders and water troughs was from corvids (0.173) followed by other-birds (0.109) and rodents (0.083); the lowest proportion was recorded for columbids (0.016). Use intensity and visit frequency of water troughs tripled that recorded in feeders, and visits to open feeders/troughs were approximately twice those to protected ones. In summary: feeders and water troughs targeting small game species are also used regularly by non-target ones; they should be set close to cover to optimize their use by non-target species that are not competitors of target species (though corvids may visit them); water availability should be prioritized where drought periods are expected.}, }
@article {pmid33143583, year = {2020}, author = {Boeckle, M and Schiestl, M and Frohnwieser, A and Gruber, R and Miller, R and Suddendorf, T and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH and Clayton, NS}, title = {New Caledonian crows plan for specific future tool use.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {287}, number = {1938}, pages = {20201490}, pmid = {33143583}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; New Caledonia ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The ability to plan for future events is one of the defining features of human intelligence. Whether non-human animals can plan for specific future situations remains contentious: despite a sustained research effort over the last two decades, there is still no consensus on this question. Here, we show that New Caledonian crows can use tools to plan for specific future events. Crows learned a temporal sequence where they were (a) shown a baited apparatus, (b) 5 min later given a choice of five objects and (c) 10 min later given access to the apparatus. At test, these crows were presented with one of two tool-apparatus combinations. For each combination, the crows chose the right tool for the right future task, while ignoring previously useful tools and a low-value food item. This study establishes that planning for specific future tool use can evolve via convergent evolution, given that corvids and humans shared a common ancestor over 300 million years ago, and offers a route to mapping the planning capacities of animals.}, }
@article {pmid33079060, year = {2020}, author = {Horn, L and Bugnyar, T and Griesser, M and Hengl, M and Izawa, EI and Oortwijn, T and Rössler, C and Scheer, C and Schiestl, M and Suyama, M and Taylor, AH and Vanhooland, LC and von Bayern, AM and Zürcher, Y and Massen, JJ}, title = {Sex-specific effects of cooperative breeding and colonial nesting on prosociality in corvids.}, journal = {eLife}, volume = {9}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {33079060}, issn = {2050-084X}, support = {P26806//Austrian Science Fund/International ; JPMJCR17A4//JST CREST/International ; MKJ1905//Keio University ICR Projects/International ; Rutherford Discovery Fellowship//Royal Society of New Zealand/International ; Marie Jahoda grant//University of Vienna/International ; Y366-B17//Austrian Science Fund/International ; CS11-008//Vienna Science and Technology Fund/International ; 31BD30_172465//ERA-Net BiodivERsA/International ; Förderungsstipendium//University of Vienna/International ; Uni:Docs doctoral fellowship//University of Vienna/International ; 17H02653//JSPS KAKENHI/International ; 16H06324//JSPS KAKENHI/International ; 15J02148//JSPS KAKENHI/International ; Förderungsstipendium//University of Vienna/International ; KAKENHI 17H02653//JSPS/International ; KAKENHI 16H06324//JSPS/International ; KAKENHI 15J02148//JSPS/International ; CREST JPMJCR17A4//JST/International ; ICR Projects MKJ1905//Keio University/International ; }, mesh = {Altruism ; Animals ; *Cooperative Behavior ; *Crows ; Female ; Male ; *Nesting Behavior ; Phylogeny ; Sex Factors ; }, abstract = {The investigation of prosocial behavior is of particular interest from an evolutionary perspective. Comparisons of prosociality across non-human animal species have, however, so far largely focused on primates, and their interpretation is hampered by the diversity of paradigms and procedures used. Here, we present the first systematic comparison of prosocial behavior across multiple species in a taxonomic group outside the primate order, namely the bird family Corvidae. We measured prosociality in eight corvid species, which vary in the expression of cooperative breeding and colonial nesting. We show that cooperative breeding is positively associated with prosocial behavior across species. Also, colonial nesting is associated with a stronger propensity for prosocial behavior, but only in males. The combined results of our study strongly suggest that both cooperative breeding and colonial nesting, which may both rely on heightened social tolerance at the nest, are likely evolutionary pathways to prosocial behavior in corvids.}, }
@article {pmid33017667, year = {2020}, author = {Themelin, M and Ribic, CA and Melillo-Sweeting, K and Dudzinski, KM}, title = {A new approach to the study of relationship quality in dolphins: Framework and preliminary results.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {181}, number = {}, pages = {104260}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104260}, pmid = {33017667}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; *Bottle-Nosed Dolphin ; Ecosystem ; Social Behavior ; Swimming ; }, abstract = {Proximity and synchronous behaviours from surface observations have been used to measure association patterns within and between dolphin dyads. To facilitate an investigation of relationship quality in dolphins, we applied a method used for primates and ravens that examined three main components to describe relationships: value, security, and compatibility. Using pilot data from long-term research of two study populations for this preliminary assessment, these three components were extracted from PCA of eight behavioural variables with more than 80 % variance accounted for in both study groups. Only pair swim position differed between groups. Although value, security, and compatibility are abstract terms, each is based on behaviours identified as important in dolphin social life, at least for these two populations. Examining relationship quality in dolphins with a method used to illustrate dyadic differences for primates and ravens allows for a quantitative, comparative assessment of sociality across disparate taxa. Although these species are diverse in their anatomies and in their social habitats (e.g., aquatic, terrestrial, aerial), they may well share the basic societal building blocks in the factors affecting how relationships are formed. We discuss how an examination of these behavioural variables facilitates understanding relationship quality in dolphins, as well as how dolphin relationships fit into the context of social animals' society.}, }
@article {pmid33003545, year = {2020}, author = {Lin, Y and Zhang, X and Huang, Q and Lv, L and Huang, A and Li, A and Wu, K and Huang, Y}, title = {The Prevalence of Dyslexia in Primary School Children and Their Chinese Literacy Assessment in Shantou, China.}, journal = {International journal of environmental research and public health}, volume = {17}, number = {19}, pages = {}, pmid = {33003545}, issn = {1660-4601}, mesh = {Asians/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Child ; China ; Dyslexia/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Language Tests ; *Literacy ; Male ; Prevalence ; *Reading ; Schools ; }, abstract = {The epidemiological studies of Chinese developmental dyslexia (DD) in China are still limited. In addition, literacy assessment has seldom been performed for children with dyslexia, due to lack of uniform assessment tools. This study was aimed at investigating the prevalence rate of children with dyslexia, and to evaluate their Chinese reading ability. A total of 2955 students aged 7-12 years were enrolled by randomized cluster sampling. The study was divided into three stages. In stage I, all participating students were asked to finish the Combined Raven Test (CRT) and Chinese Vocabulary Test and Assessment Scale. In stage II, the Chinese teachers and parents of the children with suspected dyslexia were interviewed by psychiatrists, and finished the Dyslexia Checklist for Chinese Children (DCCC). In stage III, these children were evaluated by child psychiatrists for the diagnosis with or without dyslexia, according to the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and their Chinese literacy was further evaluated by using the Chinese Reading Ability Test (CRAT). The prevalence rate of children with dyslexia was 5.4% in Shantou city, 8.4% in boys and 2.3% in girls, with a gender ratio of 3.7:1.0. Children with dyslexia scored lower in all the five subscales of the CRAT tests. including phonological awareness, morphological awareness, rapid automatized naming, orthographic awareness, and reading ability than the control group (all p < 0.001). This study suggested that the prevalence rate of Chinese dyslexia in Shantou city is roughly equivalent to that previously reported in China. Children with dyslexia have a relatively lower Chinese reading ability in all assessments.}, }
@article {pmid32999416, year = {2020}, author = {Massen, JJM and Haley, SM and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Azure-winged magpies' decisions to share food are contingent on the presence or absence of food for the recipient.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {16147}, pmid = {32999416}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Altruism ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Cues ; Feeding Behavior/*psychology ; Female ; Food ; *Gift Giving ; Male ; Motivation ; Passeriformes ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Helping others is a key feature of human behavior. However, recent studies render this feature not uniquely human, and describe discoveries of prosocial behavior in non-human primates, other social mammals, and most recently in some bird species. Nevertheless, the cognitive underpinnings of this prosociality; i.e., whether animals take others' need for help into account, often remain obscured. In this study, we take a first step in investigating prosociality in azure-winged magpies by presenting them with the opportunity to share highly desired food with their conspecifics i) in a situation in which these conspecifics had no such food, ii) in a situation in which they too had access to that highly desired food, and iii) in an open, base-line, situation where all had equal access to the same food and could move around freely. We find that azure-winged magpies regularly share high-value food items, preferably with, but not restricted to, members of the opposite sex. Most notably, we find that these birds, and specifically the females, seem to differentiate between whether others have food or do not have food, and subsequently cater to that lack. Begging calls by those without food seem to function as cues that elicit the food-sharing, but the response to that begging is condition-dependent. Moreover, analyses on a restricted dataset that excluded those events in which there was begging showed exactly the same patterns, raising the possibility that the azure-winged magpies might truly notice when others have access to fewer resources (even in the absence of vocal cues). This sharing behavior could indicate a high level of social awareness and prosociality that should be further investigated. Further studies are needed to establish the order of intentionality at play in this system, and whether azure-winged magpies might be able to attribute desire states to their conspecifics.}, }
@article {pmid32968948, year = {2021}, author = {Hunt, GR}, title = {New Caledonian crows' basic tool procurement is guided by heuristics, not matching or tracking probe site characteristics.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {24}, number = {1}, pages = {177-191}, pmid = {32968948}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {UOA1208//Marsden Fund/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Comprehension ; *Crows ; Heuristics ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Contrasting findings made it unclear what cognitive processes New Caledonian crows use to procure suitable tools to solve tool tasks. Most previous studies suggested that their tool procurement is achieved by either trial and error or a simple heuristic. The latter provides a fast and cognitively efficient method for stable, routinized behaviour based on past experience with little or no deliberate decision-making. However, early papers by Chappell and Kacelnik reported that two New Caledonian crows procured tools after closely assessing the tool characteristics required for the task, thus using deliberate decision-making, or a 'customized strategy'. Here, I tested eight New Caledonian crows to determine their default behaviour in basic tool procurement tasks as a check on whether or not they use customized strategies. I used two rigorous experiments closely based on Chappell and Kacelnik's experiments. The crows did not use a customized strategy in either experiment, but their behaviour was clearly consistent with tool procurement predominantly guided by a familiarity heuristic. I discuss potential methodological issues that may have led to different conclusions in Chappell and Kacelnik's studies. Heuristic-guided, routinized behaviour in tool procurement has potential implications for understanding how standardization occurs in the early evolution of complex tool manufacture, both in New Caledonian crows and early humans.}, }
@article {pmid32893046, year = {2020}, author = {Hswen, Y and Qin, Q and Williams, DR and Viswanath, K and Brownstein, JS and Subramanian, SV}, title = {The relationship between Jim Crow laws and social capital from 1997-2014: A 3-level multilevel hierarchical analysis across time, county and state.}, journal = {Social science &amp; medicine (1982)}, volume = {262}, number = {}, pages = {113142}, doi = {10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113142}, pmid = {32893046}, issn = {1873-5347}, mesh = {African Americans ; Humans ; Income ; *Racism ; *Social Capital ; United States ; Whites ; }, abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Jim Crow laws in the United States promoted racial prejudice, which may have reduced social capital. Our study tests the relationship between Jim Crow laws and social capital.<br><br>METHODS: We conducted 3-level multilevel hierarchical modeling to study differences in the stock of social capital for 1997, 2005, 2009 in Jim Crow states compared to states without Jim Crow laws. We examined the moderation effects of county level median income, percent Black and percent with high school education and Jim Crow laws on social capital.<br><br>RESULTS: Jim Crow laws significantly reduced stock of social capital across 1997, 2005, 2009. The model was robust to the inclusion of random county, states, time and fixed county and state level covariates for median income, percent Black and percent with high school education. The largest percent of between state variations explained for fixed variables was from the addition of Jim Crow laws with 2.86%. These results demonstrate that although Jim Crow laws were abolished in 1965, the effects of racial segregation appear to persist through lower social connectiveness, community and trust. A positive moderation effect was seen for median income and percent Black with Jim Crow laws on social capital.<br><br>DISCUSSION: Our study supports a negative association between Jim Crow laws and reduction in the stock of social capital. This may be attributed to the fracturing of trust, reciprocity and collective action produced by legal racial segregation. Findings from this study offer insight on the potential impacts of historical policies on the social structure of a community. Future research is necessary to further identify the mechanistic pathways and develop interventions to improve social capital.}, }
@article {pmid32794280, year = {2021}, author = {Gewaily, MS and Abumandour, MMA}, title = {Gross morphological, histological and scanning electron specifications of the oropharyngeal cavity of the hooded crow (Corvus cornix pallescens).}, journal = {Anatomia, histologia, embryologia}, volume = {50}, number = {1}, pages = {72-83}, doi = {10.1111/ahe.12602}, pmid = {32794280}, issn = {1439-0264}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning/*veterinary ; Oropharynx/*anatomy &amp; histology ; }, abstract = {The present study was carried out on the oropharyngeal cavity of the hooded crow to investigate the gross and microscopic structures via gross anatomy, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The gross anatomy clarified the elongated triangular shape of the oropharyngeal cavity with a non-protruding tongue with a bifid apex. The lingual body contained median groove rostrally and separated caudally from the root by a transverse papillary crest. The laryngeal mound located posterior to the lingual root, contained midline laryngeal cleft and bounded caudally by a transverse row of pharyngeal papillae. The palate contained choanal cleft rostrally and infundibular slit caudally in addition to five palatine ridges. By light microscopy, the dorsal lingual epithelium was highly keratinised stratified squamous with a lingual nail in the most rostral part of the apex. Then, the thickness of the keratin layer decreased caudally, while in the ventral surface, the lining epithelium became non-keratinised. The entoglossum supported the lingual body and root, but not extended to the apex. The lining epithelium of the palate was also keratinised stratified squamous and became none-keratinised at the oral side of the choanal cleft. There were numerous lobules of polystomatic salivary glands in the lingual root and the palate. SEM revealed the arrangement of different types of papillae covering both the floor and the roof of the oropharynx besides numerous openings of salivary glands in the lingual root, laryngeal mound and the palate. These findings reflect the functional relationship of the oropharyngeal cavity of the hooded crow during feeding.}, }
@article {pmid32772986, year = {2020}, author = {Taylor, AH and Jelbert, S}, title = {The crow in the room: New Caledonian crows offer insight into the necessary and sufficient conditions for cumulative cultural evolution.}, journal = {The Behavioral and brain sciences}, volume = {43}, number = {}, pages = {e178}, doi = {10.1017/S0140525X20000102}, pmid = {32772986}, issn = {1469-1825}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; *Cultural Evolution ; Humans ; Technology ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {New Caledonian (NC) crow populations have developed complex tools that show suggestive evidence of cumulative change. These tool designs, therefore, appear to be the product of cumulative technological culture (CTC). We suggest that tool-using NC crows offer highly useful data for current debates over the necessary and sufficient conditions for the emergence of CTC.}, }
@article {pmid32772983, year = {2020}, author = {Rutz, C and Hunt, GR}, title = {New Caledonian crows afford invaluable comparative insights into human cumulative technological culture.}, journal = {The Behavioral and brain sciences}, volume = {43}, number = {}, pages = {e177}, doi = {10.1017/S0140525X20000187}, pmid = {32772983}, issn = {1469-1825}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Humans ; Problem Solving ; Technology ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The New Caledonian crow may be the only non-primate species exhibiting cumulative technological culture. Its foraging tools show clear signs of diversification and progressive refinement, and it seems likely that at least some tool-related information is passed across generations via social learning. Here, we explain how these remarkable birds can help us uncover the basic biological processes driving technological progress.}, }
@article {pmid32764453, year = {2020}, author = {Zhao, W and Li, H and Zhu, X and Ge, T}, title = {Effect of Birdsong Soundscape on Perceived Restorativeness in an Urban Park.}, journal = {International journal of environmental research and public health}, volume = {17}, number = {16}, pages = {}, pmid = {32764453}, issn = {1660-4601}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; China ; Cities ; Female ; Humans ; Islands ; Male ; Mental Healing ; *Parks, Recreational ; Perception ; Sound ; *Stress, Psychological ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Natural soundscapes have beneficial effects on the perceived restorativeness of an environment. This study examines the effect of birdsong, a common natural soundscape, on perceived restorativeness in Harbin Sun Island Park in China. Eight sites were selected and a series of questionnaire surveys on perceived restorativeness soundscape scale (PRSS) of four birdsong types were conducted during summer and winter. Two-hundred and forty respondents participated in this survey. Analysis of the survey results shows that different types of birdsong have different perceived restorativeness effects in different seasons. Crow birdsong has the worst effect on the perceived restorativeness in both summer and winter. Moreover, sound comfort and preference are significantly associated with the perceived restorativeness. The perceived restorativeness soundscape is best when birdsong is at a height of 4 m rather than 0.5 m or 2 m. The demographic/social factors of age, education, and stress level are all correlated with perceived restorativeness. There are suggestions for urban park design, especially with constructed natural elements. Creating a suitable habitat for multiple species of birds will improve perceived restorativeness. Moreover, appropriate activities should be provided in city parks to ensure restorativeness environments, especially for subjects with high levels of education and stress.}, }
@article {pmid32726365, year = {2020}, author = {Engel, N and Végvári, Z and Rice, R and Kubelka, V and Székely, T}, title = {Incubating parents serve as visual cues to predators in Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus).}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {15}, number = {7}, pages = {e0236489}, pmid = {32726365}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; Ovum/physiology ; Population Density ; Predatory Behavior/physiology ; Reproduction/*physiology ; Resin Cements/chemistry ; }, abstract = {Ground-nesting birds face many challenges to reproduce successfully, with nest predation being the main cause of reproductive failure. Visual predators such as corvids and egg-eating raptors, are among the most common causes of nest failure; thus, parental strategies that reduce the risk of visual nest predation should be favored by selection. To date, most research has focused on egg crypsis without considering adult crypsis, although in natural circumstances the eggs are covered by an incubating parent most of the time. Here we use a ground-nesting shorebird, the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) as model species to experimentally test whether decoy parents influence nest predation. Using artificial nests with a male decoy, a female decoy or no decoy, we found that the presence of a decoy increased nest predation (N = 107 nests, p < 0.001). However, no difference was found in predation rates between nests with a male versus female decoy (p > 0.05). Additionally, we found that nests in densely vegetated habitats experienced higher survival compared to nests placed in sparsely vegetated habitats. Nest camera images, predator tracks and marks left on eggs identified the brown-necked raven (Corvus ruficollis) as the main visual nest predator. Our study suggests that the presence of incubating parents may enhance nest detectability to visual predators. However, parents may reduce the predation risk by placing a nest in sites where they are covered by vegetation. Our findings highlight the importance of nest site selection not only regarding egg crypsis but also considering incubating adult camouflage.}, }
@article {pmid32721676, year = {2020}, author = {Bravo, C and Pays, O and Sarasa, M and Bretagnolle, V}, title = {Revisiting an old question: Which predators eat eggs of ground-nesting birds in farmland landscapes?.}, journal = {The Science of the total environment}, volume = {744}, number = {}, pages = {140895}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140895}, pmid = {32721676}, issn = {1879-1026}, mesh = {Animals ; *Chickens ; Farms ; Female ; France ; *Nesting Behavior ; Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {Nest predation is a major cause of reproductive failure in birds, but predator identity often remains unknown. Additionally, although corvids are considered major nest predators in farmland landscapes, whether breeders or floaters are involved remains contentious. In this study, we aimed to identify nest predators using artificial nests, and test whether territorial or non-breeders carrion crow (Corvus corone) and Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) were most likely involved. We set up an experiment with artificial ground nests (n = 1429) in farmland landscapes of western France, and assessed how different combinations of egg size and egg material (small plasticine egg, large plasticine egg, quail and natural hen eggs) might influence predation rates and predator species involved. Nest predators were identified using remotely triggered cameras and marks left in plasticine eggs. Corvids were by far the predators most involved (almost 80% of all predation events), independent of egg type. Carrion crows alone were involved in 60% of cases. Probability of predation increased with egg size, and predation rate was higher for natural than for artificial eggs, suggesting that, in addition to egg size, predators might perceive plasticine and natural eggs differently. Predation rates of artificial nests by corvids were related significantly to corvid abundance, and far more to breeder than floater abundances, for both carrion crows and magpies. This study emphasizes the importance of identifying predators at species level, and considering their social status when assessing corvid abundance impact on prey population dynamics. Combining camera traps and plasticine eggs can achieve this objective. Given the high predation rate by carrion crows, a better understanding of landscape-mediated changes in predator diet seems mandatory to design mitigation schemes able to confront ecological challenges raised by generalist predators.}, }
@article {pmid32681160, year = {2020}, author = {Lee, CY and Peralta-Sánchez, JM and Martínez-Bueno, M and Møller, AP and Rabelo-Ruiz, M and Zamora-Muñoz, C and Soler, JJ}, title = {The gut microbiota of brood parasite and host nestlings reared within the same environment: disentangling genetic and environmental effects.}, journal = {The ISME journal}, volume = {14}, number = {11}, pages = {2691-2702}, pmid = {32681160}, issn = {1751-7370}, mesh = {Animals ; Climate ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; *Parasites ; *Passeriformes ; Phylogeny ; }, abstract = {Gut microbiota are essential for host health and survival, but we are still far from understanding the processes involved in shaping their composition and evolution. Controlled experimental work under lab conditions as well as human studies pointed at environmental factors (i.e., diet) as the main determinant of the microbiota with little evidence of genetic effects, while comparative interspecific studies detected significant phylogenetic effects. Different species, however, also differ in diet, feeding behavior, and environmental characteristics of habitats, all of which also vary interspecifically, and, therefore, can potentially explain most of the detected phylogenetic patterns. Here, we take advantage of the reproductive strategy of avian brood parasites and investigate gut microbiotas (esophageal (food and saliva) and intestinal) of great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) and magpie (Pica pica) nestlings that grow in the same nests. We also estimated diet received by each nestling and explored its association with gut microbiota characteristics. Although esophageal microbiota of magpies and great spotted cuckoos raised within the same environment (nest) did not vary, the microbiota of cloacal samples showed clear interspecific differences. Moreover, diet of great spotted cuckoo and magpie nestlings explained the microbiota composition of esophageal samples, but not of cloaca samples. These results strongly suggest a genetic component determining the intestinal microbiota of host and parasitic bird species, indicating that interspecific differences in gut morphology and physiology are responsible for such interspecific differences.}, }
@article {pmid32680498, year = {2020}, author = {Wei, W and Zhen, Q and Tang, Z and Oosthuizen, MK}, title = {Risk assessment in the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae): intensity of behavioral response differs with predator species.}, journal = {BMC ecology}, volume = {20}, number = {1}, pages = {41}, pmid = {32680498}, issn = {1472-6785}, mesh = {Animals ; *Lagomorpha ; Risk Assessment ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: The ability of a prey species to assess the risk that a predator poses can have important fitness advantages for the prey species. To better understand predator-prey interactions, more species need to be observed to determine how prey behavioral responses differ in intensity when approached by different types of predators. The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is preyed upon by all predators occurring in its distribution area. Therefore, it is an ideal species to study anti-predator behavior. In this study, we investigated the intensity of anti-predator behavior of pikas in response to visual cues by using four predator species models in Maqu County on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.<br><br>RESULTS: The behavioral response metrics, such as Flight Initiation Distance (FID), the hiding time and the percentage of vigilance were significantly different when exposed to a Tibetan fox, a wolf, a Saker falcon and a large-billed crow, respectively. Pikas showed a stronger response to Saker falcons compared to any of the other predators.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that pikas alter their behavioral (such as FID, the hiding time and the vigilance) response intensity to optimally balance the benefits when exposed to different taxidermy predator species models. We conclude that pikas are able to assess their actual risk of predation and show a threat-sensitive behavioral response.}, }
@article {pmid32679226, year = {2020}, author = {Mohamed Benkada, A and Pontier, F and Dufour, V}, title = {Conflict management in rooks (Corvus frugilegus): Victims do not display post-conflict affiliation but avoid their former aggressor.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {179}, number = {}, pages = {104198}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104198}, pmid = {32679226}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Aggression ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Crows ; Humans ; Reproduction ; *Sexual Behavior, Animal ; Sexual Partners ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Many social species use post-conflict behaviors to mitigate the consequences of conflicts. One of these behaviors is the victim's affiliation with its former opponent following conflict in an attempt to restore the damaged relationship. The victim can also affiliate with a third party. Affiliation with former opponents and third parties also alleviates stress. Studies of conflict management strategies in birds mostly concern corvids, and more specifically rooks (Corvus frugilegus). In this colonial pair-bonded species, the most valuable relationship is with the mate. It is rarely conflictual, meaning that there is generally no need for any post-conflict affiliation. However, conflicts occur with other social partners, and victims may primarily use third-party affiliation to avoid renewed aggression after conflicts. Previous studies of rooks failed to show a protective role of third-party affiliations for rook victims. The present study seeks to further investigate the use and efficiency of these conflict management strategies from the victim's perspective. We recorded conflicts and post-conflict behaviors in captive rooks using the standard post-conflict matched control comparison method. Victims did not affiliate with their former opponent or with third parties after conflict, but rather avoided their former aggressor, thus successfully limiting the risk of renewed aggression. Post-conflict affiliations are not observed in all rook colonies, suggesting that avoidance of the former aggressor may be a more commonly used strategy than previously thought.}, }
@article {pmid32661811, year = {2021}, author = {Baciadonna, L and Cornero, FM and Emery, NJ and Clayton, NS}, title = {Convergent evolution of complex cognition: Insights from the field of avian cognition into the study of self-awareness.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {49}, number = {1}, pages = {9-22}, pmid = {32661811}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; Brain ; *Cognition ; *Hominidae ; Imagination ; Problem Solving ; }, abstract = {Pioneering research on avian behaviour and cognitive neuroscience have highlighted that avian species, mainly corvids and parrots, have a cognitive tool kit comparable with apes and other large-brained mammals, despite conspicuous differences in their neuroarchitecture. This cognitive tool kit is driven by convergent evolution, and consists of complex processes such as casual reasoning, behavioural flexibility, imagination, and prospection. Here, we review experimental studies in corvids and parrots that tested complex cognitive processes within this tool kit. We then provide experimental examples for the potential involvement of metacognitive skills in the expression of the cognitive tool kit. We further expand the discussion of cognitive and metacognitive abilities in avian species, suggesting that an integrated assessment of these processes, together with revised and multiple tasks of mirror self-recognition, might shed light on one of the most highly debated topics in the literature-self-awareness in animals. Comparing the use of multiple assessments of self-awareness within species and across taxa will provide a more informative, richer picture of the level of consciousness in different organisms.}, }
@article {pmid32659206, year = {2020}, author = {Slatin, C}, title = {Under the Knee of Jim Crow and Neoliberalism.}, journal = {New solutions : a journal of environmental and occupational health policy : NS}, volume = {30}, number = {2}, pages = {80-82}, doi = {10.1177/1048291120938232}, pmid = {32659206}, issn = {1541-3772}, mesh = {Humans ; *Politics ; Racism ; }, }
@article {pmid32612316, year = {2020}, author = {Boucherie, PH and Blum, C and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Effect of rearing style on the development of social behaviour in young ravens (Corvus corax).}, journal = {Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie}, volume = {126}, number = {6}, pages = {595-609}, pmid = {32612316}, issn = {0179-1613}, abstract = {Early social experiences can affect the development and expression of individual social behaviour throughout life. In particular, early-life social deprivations, notably of parental care, can later have deleterious consequences. We can, therefore, expect rearing procedures such as hand-raising-widely used in ethology and socio-cognitive science-to alter the development of individual social behaviour. We investigated how the rearing style later affected (a) variation in relationship strength among peers and (b) individuals' patterns of social interactions, in three captive groups of juvenile non-breeders consisting of either parent-raised or hand-raised birds, or a mix of both rearing styles. In the three groups, irrespectively of rearing style: strongest relationships (i.e., higher rates of association and affiliations) primarily emerged among siblings and familiar partners (i.e., non-relatives encountered in early life), and mixed-sex and male-male partners established relationships of similar strength, indicating that the rearing style does not severely affect the quality and structure of relationships in young ravens. However, compared to parent-raised ravens, hand-raised ravens showed higher connectedness, i.e., number of partners with whom they mainly associated and affiliated, but formed on average relationships of lower strength, indicating that social experience in early life is not without consequences on the development of ravens' patterns of social interaction. The deprivation of parental care associated with the presence of same-age peers during hand-raising seemed to maximize ravens' propensity to interact with others, indicating that besides parents, interactions with same-age peers matter. Opportunities to interact with, and socially learn from peers, might thus be the key to the acquisition of early social competences in ravens.}, }
@article {pmid32539849, year = {2020}, author = {Chakarov, N and Kampen, H and Wiegmann, A and Werner, D and Bensch, S}, title = {Blood parasites in vectors reveal a united blackfly community in the upper canopy.}, journal = {Parasites &amp; vectors}, volume = {13}, number = {1}, pages = {309}, pmid = {32539849}, issn = {1756-3305}, support = {PIEF-GA-2013-625883//H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/parasitology ; *Blood ; DNA/*genetics/isolation &amp; purification ; Female ; *Forests ; Haemosporida/*classification/isolation &amp; purification ; Host Specificity ; Insect Vectors/parasitology/physiology ; Meals ; Phylogeny ; Raptors/genetics/parasitology ; Simuliidae/*parasitology/physiology ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: The behaviour of blood-sucking arthropods is a crucial determinant of blood protozoan distribution and hence of host-parasite coevolution, but it is very challenging to study in the wild. The molecular identification of parasite lineages in vectors can be a useful key to understand the behaviour and transmission patterns realised by these vectors.<br><br>METHODS: In this study, we collected blackflies around nests of three raptor species in the upper forest canopy in central Europe and examined the presence of vertebrate DNA and haemosporidian parasites in them. We molecularly analysed 156 blackfly individuals, their vertebrate blood meals, and the haemosporidian parasite lineages they carried.<br><br>RESULTS: We identified nine species of Simulium blackflies, largely belonging to the subgenera Nevermannia and Eusimulium. Only 1% of the collected specimens was visibly engorged, and only 4% contained remains of host DNA. However, in 29% of the blackflies Leucocytozoon lineages were identified, which is evidence of a previous blood meal on an avian host. Based on the known vertebrate hosts of the recorded Leucocytozoon lineages, we can infer that large and/or abundant birds, such as thrushes, crows, pigeons, birds of prey, owls and tits are the main targets of ornithophilic blackflies in the canopy. Blackfly species contained similar proportions of host group-specific parasite lineages and thus do not appear to be associated with particular host groups.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The Leucocytozoon clade infecting thrushes, crows, and pigeons present in most represented blackfly species suggests a lack of association between hosts and blackflies, which can increase the probability of host switches of blood parasites. However, the composition of the simuliid species differed between nests of common buzzards, goshawks and red kites. This segregation can be explained by coinciding habitat preferences between host and vector, and may lead to the fast speciation of Leucocytozoon parasites. Thus, subtle ecological preferences and lack of host preference of vectors in the canopy may enable both parasite diversification and host switches, and enforce a habitat-dependent evolution of avian malaria parasites and related haemosporidia.}, }
@article {pmid32485232, year = {2020}, author = {Wang, L and Luo, Y and Wang, H and Zou, Y and Yao, H and Ullah, S and Li, Z}, title = {Azure-winged magpies fail to understand the principle of mirror imaging.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {177}, number = {}, pages = {104155}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104155}, pmid = {32485232}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Cognition ; *Passeriformes ; *Recognition, Psychology ; }, abstract = {Mirror self-recognition (MSR) is considered a crucial step in the emergence of self-cognition. The MSR paradigm has become a standard method for evaluating self-cognition in several species. For example, Eurasian magpies and Indian house crows have passed the mark test for self-cognition, whereas efforts to find MSR in other corvid species have failed. However, no literature has conducted MSR tests on azure-winged magpies, a species of corvids. Therefore, the current research aimed to investigate the MSR behaviours of azure-winged magpies upon looking into a mirror for the first time. The study included four tests: (1) mirror preference and standardised mirror exploration, (2) single vertical mirror test, (3) mark test and (4) mirror-triggered search test. The azure-winged magpies displayed immense curiosity towards the mirror and their images in the mirror in Test 1&amp;2. In the subsequent mark tests, they failed to recognise themselves in the mirror and regarded their images as conspecifics. Behaviour analysis showed no significant difference between marked and unmarked behaviours. Finally they seemed to infer the presence of bait from the image in the mirror, but were found to fail to understand that the location of the bait in the mirror was the same as that in the real world. For a better insight into the MSR behaviour of azure-winged magpies, research studies involving prolonged mirror exposure and training are recommended.}, }
@article {pmid32475334, year = {2020}, author = {Uomini, N and Fairlie, J and Gray, RD and Griesser, M}, title = {Extended parenting and the evolution of cognition.}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences}, volume = {375}, number = {1803}, pages = {20190495}, pmid = {32475334}, issn = {1471-2970}, mesh = {Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; *Cognition ; *Crows/growth &amp; development ; Life History Traits ; *Maternal Behavior ; *Paternal Behavior ; Phylogeny ; Songbirds/growth &amp; development ; }, abstract = {Traditional attempts to understand the evolution of human cognition compare humans with other primates. This research showed that relative brain size covaries with cognitive skills, while adaptations that buffer the developmental and energetic costs of large brains (e.g. allomaternal care), and ecological or social benefits of cognitive abilities, are critical for their evolution. To understand the drivers of cognitive adaptations, it is profitable to consider distant lineages with convergently evolved cognitions. Here, we examine the facilitators of cognitive evolution in corvid birds, where some species display cultural learning, with an emphasis on family life. We propose that extended parenting (protracted parent-offspring association) is pivotal in the evolution of cognition: it combines critical life-history, social and ecological conditions allowing for the development and maintenance of cognitive skillsets that confer fitness benefits to individuals. This novel hypothesis complements the extended childhood idea by considering the parents' role in juvenile development. Using phylogenetic comparative analyses, we show that corvids have larger body sizes, longer development times, extended parenting and larger relative brain sizes than other passerines. Case studies from two corvid species with different ecologies and social systems highlight the critical role of life-history features on juveniles' cognitive development: extended parenting provides a safe haven, access to tolerant role models, reliable learning opportunities and food, resulting in higher survival. The benefits of extended juvenile learning periods, over evolutionary time, lead to selection for expanded cognitive skillsets. Similarly, in our ancestors, cooperative breeding and increased group sizes facilitated learning and teaching. Our analyses highlight the critical role of life-history, ecological and social factors that underlie both extended parenting and expanded cognitive skillsets. This article is part of the theme issue 'Life history and learning: how childhood, caregiving and old age shape cognition and culture in humans and other animals'.}, }
@article {pmid32463251, year = {2020}, author = {Brecht, KF and Müller, J and Nieder, A}, title = {Carrion crows (Corvus corone corone) fail the mirror mark test yet again.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1037/com0000231}, pmid = {32463251}, issn = {1939-2087}, support = {//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; }, abstract = {The mirror mark test is generally considered to be an indicator of an animal's ability to recognize itself in the mirror. For this test, an animal is confronted with a mirror and has a mark placed where it can see the mark only with the help of the mirror. When the animal extensively touches or interacts with the mark, compared with control conditions, the mirror mark test is passed. Many nonhuman animal species have been tested, but few have succeeded. After magpies and Indian house crows passed, there has been a sustained interest to find out whether other corvids would pass the mirror mark test. Here, we presented 12 carrion crows (Corvus corone corone) with the mirror mark test. There was no significant increase of mark-directed behavior in the mirror mark test, compared with control conditions. We find very few occasions of mark-directed behaviors and have to interpret them in the context of self-directed behavior more generally. In addition, we show that our crows were motivated to interact with a mark when it was visible to them without the aid of a mirror. We conclude that our crows fail the test, and thereby replicate previous studies showing a similar failure in corvids, and crows in particular. Because our study adds to the growing literature of corvids failing the mirror mark test, the issue of mirror self-recognition in these birds remains controversial. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid32437410, year = {2020}, author = {Clarke, MJ and Fraser, EE and Warkentin, IG}, title = {Fine spatial-scale variation in scavenger activity influences avian mortality assessments on a boreal island.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {15}, number = {5}, pages = {e0233427}, pmid = {32437410}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Coleoptera ; *Ecosystem ; *Feeding Behavior ; Forests ; *Islands ; Newfoundland and Labrador ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {Bird-window collisions are the second leading cause of human-related avian mortality for songbirds in Canada. Our ability to accurately estimate the number of fatalities caused by window collisions is affected by several biases, including the removal of carcasses by scavengers prior to those carcasses being detected during surveys. We investigated the role of scavenger behavior in modifying perceived carcass removal rate while describing habitat-specific differences for the scavengers present in a relatively scavenger-depauperate island ecosystem. We used motion activated cameras to monitor the fate of hatchling chicken carcasses placed at building (under both windows and windowless walls) and forest (open and closed canopy) sites in western Newfoundland, Canada. We recorded the identity of scavengers, timing of events, and frequency of repeat scavenging at sites. Using 2 treatments, we also assessed how scavenging varied with 2 levels of carcass availability (daily versus every third day). Scavenger activities differed substantially between forest and building sites. Only common ravens (Corvus corax) removed carcasses at building sites, with 25 of 26 removals occurring under windows. Burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.) dominated scavenging at forest sites (14 of 18 removals), completely removing carcasses from sight in under 24 hours. Availability had no effect on removal rate. These findings suggest that ravens look for carcasses near building windows, where bird-window collision fatalities create predictable food sources, but that this learning preceded the study. Such behavior resulted in highly heterogeneous scavenging rates at fine spatial scales indicating the need for careful consideration of carcass and camera placement when monitoring scavenger activity. Our observations of burying beetle activity indicate that future studies investigating bird collision mortality near forested habitats and with infrequent surveys, should consider local invertebrate community composition during survey design. The high incidence of invertebrate scavenging may compensate for the reduced vertebrate scavenger community of insular Newfoundland.}, }
@article {pmid32406720, year = {2020}, author = {Soler, M and Colmenero, JM and Pérez-Contreras, T and Peralta-Sánchez, JM}, title = {Replication of the mirror mark test experiment in the magpie (Pica pica) does not provide evidence of self-recognition.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1037/com0000223}, pmid = {32406720}, issn = {1939-2087}, support = {//Junta de Andalucía/ ; }, abstract = {Self-recognition in animals is demonstrated when individuals pass the mark test. Formerly, it was thought that self-recognition was restricted to humans, great apes, and certain mammals with large brains and highly evolved social cognition. However, 1 study showed that 2 out of 5 magpies (Pica pica) passed the mark test, suggesting that magpies have a similar level of cognitive abilities to great apes. The scientific advancement depends on confidence in published science, and this confidence can be reached only after rigorous replication of published studies. Here, we present a close replication of the magpie study but using a larger sample size while following a very similar experimental protocol. Like the previous study, in our experiment, magpies showed both social and self-directed behavior more frequently in front of the mirror versus a control cardboard stimulus. However, during the mark test, self-directed behavior proved more frequent in front of the cardboard than in the mirror. Thus, our replication failed to confirm the previous results. Close replications, while not disproving an earlier study, identify results that should be considered with caution. Therefore, more replication studies and additional experimental work is needed to unambiguously demonstrate that magpies are consistently able to pass the mark test. The existence of compelling evidence of self-recognition in other corvid species is discussed in depth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid32372855, year = {2020}, author = {Gill, LF and van Schaik, J and von Bayern, AMP and Gahr, ML}, title = {Genetic monogamy despite frequent extrapair copulations in "strictly monogamous" wild jackdaws.}, journal = {Behavioral ecology : official journal of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology}, volume = {31}, number = {1}, pages = {247-260}, pmid = {32372855}, issn = {1045-2249}, abstract = {"Monogamy" refers to different components of pair exclusiveness: the social pair, sexual partners, and the genetic outcome of sexual encounters. Avian monogamy is usually defined socially or genetically, whereas quantifications of sexual behavior remain scarce. Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) are considered a rare example of strict monogamy in songbirds, with lifelong pair bonds and little genetic evidence for extrapair (EP) offspring. Yet jackdaw copulations, although accompanied by loud copulation calls, are rarely observed because they occur visually concealed inside nest cavities. Using full-day nest-box video surveillance and on-bird acoustic bio-logging, we directly observed jackdaw sexual behavior and compared it to the corresponding genetic outcome obtained via molecular parentage analysis. In the video-observed nests, we found genetic monogamy but frequently detected forced EP sexual behavior, accompanied by characteristic male copulation calls. We, thus, challenge the long-held notion of strict jackdaw monogamy at the sexual level. Our data suggest that male mate guarding and frequent intrapair copulations during the female fertile phase, as well as the forced nature of the copulations, could explain the absence of EP offspring. Because EP copulation behavior appeared to be costly for both sexes, we suggest that immediate fitness benefits are an unlikely explanation for its prevalence. Instead, sexual conflict and dominance effects could interact to shape the spatiotemporal pattern of EP sexual behavior in this species. Our results call for larger-scale investigations of jackdaw sexual behavior and parentage and highlight the importance of combining social, sexual, and genetic data sets for a more complete understanding of mating systems.}, }
@article {pmid32364781, year = {2020}, author = {Martínez, JG and Molina-Morales, M and Precioso, M and Avilés, JM}, title = {Age-Related Brood Parasitism and Egg Rejection in Magpie Hosts.}, journal = {The American naturalist}, volume = {195}, number = {5}, pages = {876-885}, doi = {10.1086/708155}, pmid = {32364781}, issn = {1537-5323}, mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; *Host-Parasite Interactions ; *Nesting Behavior ; Ovum ; Rejection, Psychology ; *Reproduction ; Songbirds/*physiology ; }, abstract = {When the strength or nature of a host-parasite interaction changes over the host life cycle, the consequences of parasitism can depend on host population age structure. Avian brood parasites reduce hosts' breeding success, and host age may play a role in this interaction if younger hosts are more likely parasitized and/or less able to defend themselves. We analyzed whether the age of female magpie (Pica pica) hosts is associated with parasite attack or their ability to reject foreign eggs. We recorded parasitism and model egg rejection of known-age individuals over their lifetime and established whether the likelihood of parasitism or egg rejection changed with age or longevity. Parasitism probability did not change with female age, and there was a trend toward longer-lived females being less likely to be parasitized. However, model egg rejection probability increased with age for each individual female, and longer-lived females were more prone to reject model eggs. Most females in the population were young, and the majority of them accepted model eggs, suggesting that brood parasites exploiting younger host individuals are benefitting from a lower defense level of their hosts. Our results stress that the intensity of selection by brood parasites may be mediated by the age structure of host populations, a to-date neglected aspect in brood parasite-host research.}, }
@article {pmid32206923, year = {2020}, author = {Lambert, ML and Osvath, M}, title = {Investigating information seeking in ravens (Corvus corax).}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {23}, number = {4}, pages = {671-680}, pmid = {32206923}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Cebus ; *Crows ; Information Seeking Behavior ; Macaca ; *Metacognition ; }, abstract = {Measuring the responses of non-human animals to situations of uncertainty is thought to shed light on an animal's metacognitive processes; namely, whether they monitor their own knowledge states. For example, when presented with a foraging task, great apes and macaques selectively seek information about the location of a food item when they have not seen where it was hidden, compared to when they have. We presented this same information seeking task to ravens, in which a food item was hidden in one of three containers, and subjects could either watch where the food was hidden, infer its location through visual or auditory clues, or were given no information. We found that unlike several ape species and macaques, but similar to capuchin monkeys, the ravens looked inside at least one tube on every trial, but typically only once, inside the baited tube, when they had either witnessed it being baited or could visually infer the reward's location. In contrast, subjects looked more often within trials in which they had not witnessed the baiting or were provided with auditory cues about the reward's location. Several potential explanations for these ceiling levels of looking are discussed, including how it may relate to the uncertainty faced by ravens when retrieving food caches.}, }
@article {pmid32201438, year = {2020}, author = {Gallego-Abenza, M and Loretto, MC and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Decision time modulates social foraging success in wild common ravens, Corvus corax.}, journal = {Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie}, volume = {126}, number = {4}, pages = {413-422}, pmid = {32201438}, issn = {0179-1613}, support = {P 29705/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, abstract = {Social foraging provides several benefits for individuals but also bears the potential costs of higher competition. In some species, such competition arises through kleptoparasitism, that is when an animal takes food which was caught or collected by a member of its social group. Except in the context of caching, few studies have investigated how individuals avoid kleptoparasitism, which could be based on physical strength/dominance but also cognitive skills. Here, we investigated the foraging success of wild common ravens, Corvus corax, experiencing high levels of kleptoparasitism from conspecifics when snatching food from the daily feedings of captive wild boars in a game park in the Austrian Alps. Success in keeping the food depended mainly on the individuals' age class and was positively correlated with the time to make a decision in whether to fly off with food or consume it on site. While the effect of age class suggests that dominant and/or experienced individuals are better in avoiding kleptoparasitism, the effect of decision time indicates that individuals benefit from applying cognition to such decision-making, independently of age class. We discuss our findings in the context of the ecological and social intelligence hypotheses referring to the development of cognitive abilities. We conclude that investigating which factors underline kleptoparasitism avoidance is a promising scenario to test specific predictions derived from these hypotheses.}, }
@article {pmid32178710, year = {2020}, author = {England, ME and Pearce-Kelly, P and Brugman, VA and King, S and Gubbins, S and Sach, F and Sanders, CJ and Masters, NJ and Denison, E and Carpenter, S}, title = {Culicoides species composition and molecular identification of host blood meals at two zoos in the UK.}, journal = {Parasites &amp; vectors}, volume = {13}, number = {1}, pages = {139}, pmid = {32178710}, issn = {1756-3305}, support = {BBS/E/I/00007039/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BBS/E/I/00007033/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BBS/E/I/00007038/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Zoo/*blood ; Ceratopogonidae/*classification ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Insect Vectors/classification ; Male ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; United Kingdom ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Culicoides biting midges are biological vectors of arboviruses including bluetongue virus (BTV), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and African horse sickness virus (AHSV). Zoos are home to a wide range of 'at risk' exotic and native species of animals. These animals have a high value both in monetary terms, conservation significance and breeding potential. To understand the risk these viruses pose to zoo animals, it is necessary to characterise the Culicoides fauna at zoos and determine which potential vector species are feeding on which hosts.<br><br>METHODS: Light-suction traps were used at two UK zoos: the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) London Zoo (LZ) and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo (WZ). Traps were run one night each week from June 2014 to June 2015. Culicoides were morphologically identified to the species level and any blood-fed Culicoides were processed for blood-meal analysis. DNA from blood meals was extracted and amplified using previously published primers. Sequencing was then carried out to determine the host species.<br><br>RESULTS: A total of 11,648 Culicoides were trapped and identified (n = 5880 from ZSL WZ; n = 5768 from ZSL LZ), constituting 25 different species. The six putative vectors of BTV, SBV and AHSV in northern Europe were found at both zoos and made up the majority of the total catch (n = 10,701). A total of 31 host sequences were obtained from blood-fed Culicoides. Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus, Culicoides dewulfi, Culicoides parroti and Culicoides punctatus were found to be biting a wide range of mammals including Bactrian camels, Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephants and humans, with Culicoides obsoletus/C. scoticus also biting Darwin's rhea. The bird-biting species, Culicoides achrayi, was found to be feeding on blackbirds, blue tits, magpies and carrion crows.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly confirm blood-feeding of Culicoides on exotic zoo animals in the UK and shows that they are able to utilise a wide range of exotic as well as native host species. Due to the susceptibility of some zoo animals to Culicoides-borne arboviruses, this study demonstrates that in the event of an outbreak of one of these viruses in the UK, preventative and mitigating measures would need to be taken.}, }
@article {pmid32160191, year = {2020}, author = {Miller, R and Gruber, R and Frohnwieser, A and Schiestl, M and Jelbert, SA and Gray, RD and Boeckle, M and Taylor, AH and Clayton, NS}, title = {Decision-making flexibility in New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in a multi-dimensional tool-use task.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {15}, number = {3}, pages = {e0219874}, pmid = {32160191}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Adult ; Animals ; Child, Preschool ; Cockatoos/physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; *Decision Making ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pongo/physiology ; *Task Performance and Analysis ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The ability to make profitable decisions in natural foraging contexts may be influenced by an additional requirement of tool-use, due to increased levels of relational complexity and additional work-effort imposed by tool-use, compared with simply choosing between an immediate and delayed food item. We examined the flexibility for making the most profitable decisions in a multi-dimensional tool-use task, involving different apparatuses, tools and rewards of varying quality, in 3-5-year-old children, adult humans and tool-making New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides). We also compared our results to previous studies on habitually tool-making orangutans (Pongo abelii) and non-tool-making Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana). Adult humans, cockatoos and crows, but not children and orangutans, did not select a tool when it was not necessary, which was the more profitable choice in this situation. Adult humans, orangutans and cockatoos, but not crows and children, were able to refrain from selecting non-functional tools. By contrast, the birds, but not the primates tested, struggled to attend to multiple variables-where two apparatuses, two tools and two reward qualities were presented simultaneously-without extended experience. These findings indicate: (1) in a similar manner to humans and orangutans, New Caledonian crows and Goffin's cockatoos can flexibly make profitable decisions in some decision-making tool-use tasks, though the birds may struggle when tasks become more complex; (2) children and orangutans may have a bias to use tools in situations where adults and other tool-making species do not.}, }
@article {pmid32095315, year = {2020}, author = {Tringali, A and Sherer, DL and Cosgrove, J and Bowman, R}, title = {Life history stage explains behavior in a social network before and during the early breeding season in a cooperatively breeding bird.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {8}, number = {}, pages = {e8302}, pmid = {32095315}, issn = {2167-8359}, abstract = {In species with stage-structured populations selection pressures may vary between different life history stages and result in stage-specific behaviors. We use life history stage to explain variation in the pre and early breeding season social behavior of a cooperatively breeding bird, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) using social network analysis. Life history stage explains much of the variation we observed in social network position. These differences are consistent with nearly 50 years of natural history observations and generally conform to a priori predictions about how individuals in different stages should behave to maximize their individual fitness. Where the results from the social network analysis differ from the a priori predictions suggest that social interactions between members of different groups are more important for breeders than previously thought. Our results emphasize the importance of accounting for life history stage in studies of individual social behavior.}, }
@article {pmid32094457, year = {2020}, author = {Fongaro, E and Rose, J}, title = {Crows control working memory before and after stimulus encoding.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {3253}, pmid = {32094457}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Attention ; *Behavior, Animal ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/*physiology ; Cues ; Fixation, Ocular ; Male ; *Memory, Short-Term ; *Reaction Time ; }, abstract = {The capacity of working memory is limited and this limit is comparable in crows and primates. To maximize this resource, humans use attention to select only relevant information for maintenance. Interestingly, attention-cues are effective not only before but also after the presentation of to-be-remembered stimuli, highlighting control mechanisms beyond sensory selection. Here we explore if crows are also capable of these forms of control over working memory. Two crows (Corvus corone) were trained to memorize two, four or six visual stimuli. Comparable to our previous results, the crows showed a decrease in performance with increasing working memory load. Using attention cues, we indicated the critical stimulus on a given trial. These cues were either presented before (pre-cue) or after sample-presentation (retro-cue). On other trials no cue was given as to which stimulus was critical. We found that both pre- and retro-cues enhance the performance of the birds. These results show that crows, like humans, can utilize attention to select relevant stimuli for maintenance in working memory. Importantly, crows can also utilize cues to make the most of their working memory capacity even after the stimuli are already held in working memory. This strongly implies that crows can engage in efficient control over working memory.}, }
@article {pmid32069366, year = {2020}, author = {Knief, U and Bossu, CM and Wolf, JBW}, title = {Extra-pair paternity as a strategy to reduce the costs of heterospecific reproduction? Insights from the crow hybrid zone.}, journal = {Journal of evolutionary biology}, volume = {33}, number = {5}, pages = {727-733}, doi = {10.1111/jeb.13607}, pmid = {32069366}, issn = {1420-9101}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*genetics ; Europe ; Female ; *Hybridization, Genetic ; Male ; Paternity ; *Sexual Behavior, Animal ; }, abstract = {Within hybrid zones of socially monogamous species, the number of mating opportunities with a conspecific can be limited. As a consequence, individuals may mate with a heterospecific (social) partner despite possible fitness costs to their hybrid offspring. Extra-pair copulations with a conspecific may thus arise as a possible post hoc strategy to reduce the costs of hybridization. We here assessed the rate of extra-pair paternity in the hybrid zone between all-black carrion crows (Corvus (corone) corone) and grey hooded crows (C. (c.) cornix) and tested whether extra-pair paternity (EPP) was more likely in broods where parents differed in plumage colour. The proportion of broods with at least one extra-pair offspring and the proportion of extra-pair offspring were low overall (6.98% and 2.90%, respectively) with no evidence of hybrid broods having higher EPP rates than purebred nests.}, }
@article {pmid32050472, year = {2020}, author = {Tryjanowski, P and Hetman, M and Czechowski, P and Grzywaczewski, G and Sklenicka, P and Ziemblińska, K and Sparks, TH}, title = {Birds Drinking Alcohol: Species and Relationship with People. A Review of Information from Scientific Literature and Social Media.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {10}, number = {2}, pages = {}, pmid = {32050472}, issn = {2076-2615}, abstract = {Ethanol is a natural by-product of the fermentation process of fruit sugars and is occasionally consumed by fruit-eating and tree sap drinking birds. Information on this form of alcohol consumption features in the scientific literature. However, as pets or as wild animals living close to humans in urban habitats, birds have increasing possibilities to consume alcohol from beverages, such as beer, wine or spirits. Some observations have been discussed in a light-hearted manner in mass media and social media, but without any generalization of why some bird species drink the beverages intentionally or unintentionally provided by humans. To check which species and in what circumstances birds drink alcohol and how this is evaluated by humans, we reviewed the scientific literature and analysed videos from YouTube. In total we found and analysed 8 scientific papers and 179 YouTube videos, from which we identified at least 55 species (in some cases not all birds were identified to species level), 11 in the scientific literature and 47 in videos. The distribution of these species over the avian phylogenetic tree suggests that the origin of this convergent behaviour is mainly by human influence. The two data sources differed in the species covered. Videos typically presented interactions of birds with human-provided alcoholic beverages, and were dominated by two groups of intelligent birds: parrots and corvids. The popularity of YouTube videos for a particular species was positively correlated with the general popularity of the species as measured by the number of hits (results listed) on Google. Human responses to the videos were generally very positive and we analysed how the responses were influenced by factors derived from viewing the videos. Moreover, YouTube videos also provide information on at least 47 new bird species not previously mentioned as using alcohol, and our results suggest that parrots in particular can be potentially good candidates for future restricted laboratory studies on the effect of ethanol on birds and their relationship with humans.}, }
@article {pmid32035868, year = {2020}, author = {Swift, KN and Marzluff, JM and Templeton, CN and Shimizu, T and Cross, DJ}, title = {Brain activity underlying American crow processing of encounters with dead conspecifics.}, journal = {Behavioural brain research}, volume = {385}, number = {}, pages = {112546}, doi = {10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112546}, pmid = {32035868}, issn = {1872-7549}, mesh = {Acoustic Stimulation ; Amygdala/diagnostic imaging/physiology ; Animals ; Brain/*diagnostic imaging/physiology ; Corpus Striatum/diagnostic imaging/physiology ; Crows ; *Death ; Decision Making ; Fear/*physiology ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Functional Neuroimaging ; Hippocampus/diagnostic imaging/physiology ; Learning/*physiology ; Photic Stimulation ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Septum of Brain/diagnostic imaging/physiology ; *Social Behavior ; Thanatology ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Animals utilize a variety of auditory and visual cues to navigate the landscape of fear. For some species, including corvids, dead conspecifics appear to act as one such visual cue of danger, and prompt alarm calling by attending conspecifics. Which brain regions mediate responses to dead conspecifics, and how this compares to other threats, has so far only been speculative. Using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) we contrast the metabolic response to visual and auditory cues associated with a dead conspecific among five a priori selected regions in the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) brain: the hippocampus, nidopallium caudolaterale, striatum, amygdala, and the septum. Using a repeated-measures, fully balanced approach, we exposed crows to four stimuli: a dead conspecific, a dead song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), conspecific alarm calls given in response to a dead crow, and conspecific food begging calls. We find that in response to observations of a dead crow, crows show significant activity in areas associated with higher-order decision-making (NCL), but not in areas associated with social behaviors or fear learning. We do not find strong differences in activation between hearing alarm calls and food begging calls; both activate the NCL. Lastly, repeated exposures to negative stimuli had a marginal effect on later increasing the subjects' brain activity in response to control stimuli, suggesting that crows might quickly learn from negative experiences.}, }
@article {pmid32024887, year = {2020}, author = {Segura, A and Jimenez, J and Acevedo, P}, title = {Predation of young tortoises by ravens: the effect of habitat structure on tortoise detectability and abundance.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {1874}, pmid = {32024887}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animals ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; Crows/*physiology ; Forests ; Morocco ; Population Density ; Population Dynamics ; *Predatory Behavior ; Turtles/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The predation of young tortoise is considered a major cause of mortality for many tortoise species. The predation by common ravens has been identified as being responsible for significant decreases in tortoise populations. Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise hatchlings and juveniles in Maamora forest (Morocco) were studied in order to describe the size/age class predation of common ravens on young tortoises and infer the drivers of predation risk and population abundance. The results showed a high level of predation on young tortoises (<75 mm carapace length) attributed to ravens in areas with low vegetation cover, representing 100% of the cases of mortality (n = 147), but it was moderate in covered areas (n = 19), representing 12-27%. The population structure of living juveniles differed significantly between covered and uncovered areas, thus suggesting that raven predation might modify juvenile population structure. Finally, N-mixture models showed a positive relationship between (i) bare cover and tortoise detectability that is only evidenced when the plot is far from a perch and (ii) population abundance and shrub species-richness, being higher in uncovered areas. Our results improve the knowledge on predation and survival on this critical stage in life, which is crucial for the conservation of the Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise.}, }
@article {pmid32003106, year = {2020}, author = {Smith, OM and Snyder, WE and Owen, JP}, title = {Are we overestimating risk of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans?.}, journal = {Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society}, volume = {95}, number = {3}, pages = {652-679}, pmid = {32003106}, issn = {1469-185X}, mesh = {Animal Migration ; Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Bacterial Infections/epidemiology/microbiology/transmission/*veterinary ; Bird Diseases/epidemiology/microbiology/*transmission ; Birds ; Disease Reservoirs/microbiology/veterinary ; Humans ; Livestock ; Prevalence ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Virulence ; }, abstract = {Enteric illnesses remain the second largest source of communicable diseases worldwide, and wild birds are suspected sources for human infection. This has led to efforts to reduce pathogen spillover through deterrence of wildlife and removal of wildlife habitat, particularly within farming systems, which can compromise conservation efforts and the ecosystem services wild birds provide. Further, Salmonella spp. are a significant cause of avian mortality, leading to additional conservation concerns. Despite numerous studies of enteric bacteria in wild birds and policies to discourage birds from food systems, we lack a comprehensive understanding of wild bird involvement in transmission of enteric bacteria to humans. Here, we propose a framework for understanding spillover of enteric pathogens from wild birds to humans, which includes pathogen acquisition, reservoir competence and bacterial shedding, contact with people and food, and pathogen survival in the environment. We place the literature into this framework to identify important knowledge gaps. Second, we conduct a meta-analysis of prevalence data for three human enteric pathogens, Campylobacter spp., E. coli, and Salmonella spp., in 431 North American breeding bird species. Our literature review revealed that only 3% of studies addressed the complete system of pathogen transmission. In our meta-analysis, we found a Campylobacter spp. prevalence of 27% across wild birds, while prevalence estimates of pathogenic E. coli (20%) and Salmonella spp. (6.4%) were lower. There was significant bias in which bird species have been tested, with most studies focusing on a small number of taxa that are common near people (e.g. European starlings Sturnus vulgaris and rock pigeons Columba livia) or commonly in contact with human waste (e.g. gulls). No pathogen prevalence data were available for 65% of North American breeding bird species, including many commonly in contact with humans (e.g. black-billed magpie Pica hudsonia and great blue heron Ardea herodias), and our metadata suggest that some under-studied species, taxonomic groups, and guilds may represent equivalent or greater risk to human infection than heavily studied species. We conclude that current data do not provide sufficient information to determine the likelihood of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans and thus preclude management solutions. The primary focus in the literature on pathogen prevalence likely overestimates the probability of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans because a pathogen must survive long enough at an infectious dose and be a strain that is able to colonize humans to cause infection. We propose that future research should focus on the large number of under-studied species commonly in contact with people and food production and demonstrate shedding of bacterial strains pathogenic to humans into the environment where people may contact them. Finally, studies assessing the duration and intensity of bacterial shedding and survival of bacteria in the environment in bird faeces will help provide crucial missing information necessary to calculate spillover probability. Addressing these essential knowledge gaps will support policy to reduce enteric pathogen spillover to humans and enhance bird conservation efforts that are currently undermined by unsupported fears of pathogen spillover from wild birds.}, }
@article {pmid31953130, year = {2020}, author = {Dutour, M and Ridley, AR}, title = {Females sing more often and at higher frequencies than males in Australian magpies.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {172}, number = {}, pages = {104045}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104045}, pmid = {31953130}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; *Sex Characteristics ; Territoriality ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Birdsong is a particularly useful model for animal communication studies. However, current knowledge is derived mainly from the study of male song, and is therefore incomplete. Here, we investigated whether singing behaviour differs between sexes in the cooperatively breeding Western Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis). This subspecies lives in territorial groups, and in our population there is a female-biased sex ratio, which may lead to a high level of female-female competition for males. Observations of 94 magpies (54 females, 40 males) revealed that females sang more often than males. As bird song is a sexually multidimensional signal, we also studied amplitude and structure of the main territorial high-amplitude song in magpie; the carol. We found that females sing at the same amplitude as males, but that male and female carols exhibit differences in frequency. These results highlight the importance of studying female song and may change our perception regarding the evolution of sex-specific traits, given the primary focus on male singing as a sexually selected trait in the literature to date. The next step is to discover additional species in which females sing more than males in order to improve our currently incomplete understanding of the evolution of bird song.}, }
@article {pmid31941921, year = {2020}, author = {Vernouillet, A and Kelly, DM}, title = {Individual exploratory responses are not repeatable across time or context for four species of food-storing corvid.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {394}, pmid = {31941921}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {4944-2017//Gouvernement du Canada | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada)/International ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Discrimination, Psychological ; *Environment ; *Exploratory Behavior ; *Feeding Behavior ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Exploration is among one of the most studied of animal personality traits (i.e., individual-level behavioural responses repeatable across time and contexts). However, not all species show clear evidence of this personality trait, and this is particularly so for members of the Corvidae family. We assessed the exploratory behaviour of four food-caching corvid species: pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana), California scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica), and black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia). Contextual repeatability was assessed through examining behavioural measures during the Novel Environment task and the Novel Object task, whereas temporal repeatability was assessed by examining changes in these measures over repeated trials. Our results suggest that, for corvids, an individual's exploratory behaviour was not repeatable across contexts or over time. Hence, we found no evidence that exploration constitutes a personality trait for these species of corvid. We did find differences in exploratory behaviour, at a species level, that may be explained by relative reliance on cached food.}, }
@article {pmid31938533, year = {2019}, author = {Kövér, L and Lengyel, S and Takenaka, M and Kirchmeir, A and Uhl, F and Miller, R and Schwab, C}, title = {Why do zoos attract crows? A comparative study from Europe and Asia.}, journal = {Ecology and evolution}, volume = {9}, number = {24}, pages = {14465-14475}, pmid = {31938533}, issn = {2045-7758}, abstract = {Crows have successfully colonized many cities, and urban zoos have been important in this process. To evaluate why zoos attract crows, we quantified crow numbers and behavior in three zoos in Europe (Debrecen, Edinburgh, Vienna) and one in Asia (Sapporo). Data were collected in 445 surveys over 297 days in summer 2014 and winter 2014-2015. We found that crow numbers were highest in Vienna, intermediate in Debrecen and Edinburgh and lowest in Sapporo, increased significantly from summer to winter (Debrecen, Edinburgh, Vienna), and from mornings to afternoons (Debrecen, Sapporo, Vienna), and were higher in sunny weather than in cloudy weather with precipitation and when visitor numbers were low (Debrecen, Vienna). The crows' use of natural food was highest in Vienna, intermediate in Edinburgh and Sapporo, and low in Debrecen. The use of anthropogenic food was high in Debrecen and Sapporo, where the availability of open grassy areas typically used by crows for natural foraging was low. In Sapporo, food availability was more limited than in other zoos, resulting in strong territoriality and few crows in summer, which decreased further in winter. Our study indicates that crows are primarily attracted to zoos by food availability and secondarily by breeding opportunities and that the relative importance of natural versus anthropogenic food sources may vary with zoo habitat structure. Our study draws attention to a previously overlooked role of zoos in urban biodiversity conservation. It may also provide useful information for the management of crow populations, if necessary, and for the planning of urban areas.}, }
@article {pmid31934505, year = {2020}, author = {Jiang, S and Li, Z and Cheng, X and Wang, X}, title = {The first pterosaur basihyal, shedding light on the evolution and function of pterosaur hyoid apparatuses.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {8}, number = {}, pages = {e8292}, pmid = {31934505}, issn = {2167-8359}, abstract = {The pterosaur is the first known vertebrate clade to achieve powered flight. Its hyoid apparatus shows a simplification similar to that of birds, although samples of the apparatus are rare, limiting the ability to make an accurate determination. In this study we reveal a new pterosaur specimen, including the first definite basihyal. Through the comparison of pterosaur hyoids, a trend has been discovered for the shortened hyoid relative to the length of the skull, indicating a diminished role of lingual retraction during the evolution of the pterosaur. The new material, possibly from a gallodactylid Gladocephaloideus, represents one of the least effective lingual retractions in all pterosaurs. Based on the structure of an elongated ceratobranchial and retroarticular process on mandibles, the function of the Y-shaped istiodactylid tongue bone is similar to those of scavenger crows rather than chameleons, which is consistent with the interpretation of the scavenging behavior of this taxon. More fossil samples are needed for further study on the function of other pterosaur hyoids.}, }
@article {pmid31912522, year = {2020}, author = {Spanoudis, CG and Andreadis, SS and Bray, DP and Savopoulou-Soultani, M and Ignell, R}, title = {Behavioural response of the house mosquitoes Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens molestus to avian odours and its reliance on carbon dioxide.}, journal = {Medical and veterinary entomology}, volume = {34}, number = {2}, pages = {129-137}, doi = {10.1111/mve.12429}, pmid = {31912522}, issn = {1365-2915}, mesh = {Animals ; Carbon Dioxide/*metabolism ; *Chemotaxis ; Chickens/metabolism ; Columbidae/metabolism ; Culex/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Odorants/*analysis ; Songbirds/metabolism ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {How Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes select and discriminate between potential avian hosts is critical for understanding the epidemiology of West Nile virus. Therefore, the present authors studied the behavioural responses of Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) and Culex pipiens molestus (Forsskål) to headspace volatiles of three avian species [chicken and pigeon (sexes analysed separately), and magpie], presented either alone or in combination with 600 p.p.m. carbon dioxide (CO2). The attraction of Cx. quinquefasciatus to the headspace volatiles of both sexes of chicken, and of female pigeon, in combination with CO2 was significantly higher than that achieved by the CO2 and solvent control. Although Cx. p. molestus was attracted to headspace volatiles of chickens and magpies, it was repelled by those of female pigeons when combined with CO2 . An increased effect between the avian volatiles and CO2 was observed for Cx. quinquefasciatus, whereas the addition of CO2 had no effect on the attraction of Cx. p. molestus females. The results of this study demonstrate that Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. p. molestus are attracted to the odour of potential avian hosts. Future studies aimed at identifying the bioactive volatile compounds in the headspace of chickens may contribute to the potential development of effective surveillance and control tools against Culex species.}, }
@article {pmid31893686, year = {2019}, author = {Abadi, SH and Wacker, DW and Newton, JG and Flett, D}, title = {Acoustic localization of crows in pre-roost aggregations.}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {146}, number = {6}, pages = {4664}, doi = {10.1121/1.5138133}, pmid = {31893686}, issn = {1520-8524}, abstract = {Crows are highly intelligent and social creatures. Each night during the non-breeding period, they gather on large pre-roost aggregations as they move towards their communal roost where they sleep. Crows make numerous and varied vocalizations on these pre-roost aggregations, but the purpose of these calls, and vocal communication in general, in these pre-roost aggregations is not fully understood. In this paper, an array of four microphones is used as a non-intrusive means to observe crow vocal behavior in pre-roost aggregations in the absence of human observers. By passively localizing animal vocalizations, the location of individuals can be monitored while simultaneously recording the acoustic structure and organization of their calls. Simulations and experiment are undertaken to study the performance of two time difference of arrival-based methods (hyperbolic location estimator and maximum likelihood estimator) for call localization. The effect of signal-to-noise ratio and uncertainty in measurement on the localization error is presented. By describing, modeling, and testing these techniques in this innovative context, the authors hope that researchers will employ the authors' approaches in future empirical studies to more fully understand crow vocal behavior.}, }
@article {pmid31875855, year = {2019}, author = {Ashton, BJ and Thornton, A and Ridley, AR}, title = {Larger group sizes facilitate the emergence and spread of innovations in a group-living bird.}, journal = {Animal behaviour}, volume = {158}, number = {}, pages = {1-7}, pmid = {31875855}, issn = {0003-3472}, abstract = {The benefits of group living have traditionally been attributed to risk dilution or the efficient exploitation of resources; individuals in social groups may therefore benefit from access to valuable information. If sociality facilitates access to information, then individuals in larger groups may be predicted to solve novel problems faster than individuals in smaller groups. Additionally, larger group sizes may facilitate the subsequent spread of innovations within animal groups, as has been proposed for human societies. We presented a novel foraging task (where a food reward could be accessed by pushing a self-shutting sliding door) to 16 groups of wild, cooperatively breeding Australian magpies, Cracticus tibicen dorsalis, ranging in size from two to 11 individuals. We found a nonlinear decline in the time taken for the innovative behaviour to emerge with increasing group size, and social information use facilitated the transmission of novel behaviour, with it spreading more quickly in larger than smaller groups. This study provides important evidence for a nonlinear relationship between group size and the emergence of innovation (and its subsequent transmission) in a wild population of animals. Further work investigating the scope and strength of group size-innovation relationships, and the mechanisms underpinning them, will help us understand the potential advantages of living in larger social groups.}, }
@article {pmid31847851, year = {2019}, author = {Ben-David, A and Shamon, H and Izhaki, I and Efronny, R and Maor, R and Dayan, T}, title = {Increased songbird nest depredation due to Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) encroachment in Mediterranean shrubland.}, journal = {BMC ecology}, volume = {19}, number = {1}, pages = {52}, pmid = {31847851}, issn = {1472-6785}, mesh = {Animals ; Nesting Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; *Pinus ; Predatory Behavior ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: In recent decades, a decrease of passerine densities was documented in Mediterranean shrublands. At the same time, a widespread encroachment of Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) to Mediterranean shrubland occurred. Such changes in vegetation structure may affect passerine predator assemblage and densities, and in turn impact passerine densities. Depredation during the nesting season is an important factor to influence passerine population size. Understanding the effects of changes in vegetation structure (pine encroachment) on passerine nesting success is the main objective of this study. We do so by assessing the effects of Aleppo pine encroachment on Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) nest depredation in Mediterranean shrublands. We examined direct and indirect predation pressures through a gradients of pine density, using four methods: (1) placing dummy nests; (2) acoustic monitoring of mobbing events; (3) direct observations on nest predation using cameras; and (4) observation of Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) behaviour as indirect evidence of predation risk.<br><br>RESULTS: We found that Aleppo pine encroachment to Mediterranean shrublands increased nest predation by Eurasian jays. Nest predation was highest in mixed shrubland and pines. These areas are suitable for warblers but had high occurrence rate of Eurasian jays.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Encroaching pines directly increase activity of Eurasian jays in shrubland habitats, which reduced the nesting success of Sardinian warblers. These findings are supported by multiple methodologies, illustrating different predation pressures along a gradient of pine densities in natural shrublands. Management of Aleppo pine seedlings and removal of unwanted trees in natural shrubland might mitigate arrival and expansion of predators and decrease the predation pressure on passerine nests.}, }
@article {pmid31830510, year = {2020}, author = {Tätte, K and Møller, AP and Mänd, R}, title = {Corvids exhibit dynamic risk assessment during escape.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {170}, number = {}, pages = {104017}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2019.104017}, pmid = {31830510}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Ecosystem ; Humans ; Population ; Predatory Behavior ; *Risk-Taking ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {It is widely accepted that stationary prey are able to carefully assess the risk levels associated with an approaching predator to make informative decisions on when to escape. However, little is known about subsequent decision-making process. We set out to compare whether escape durations of three species of corvids differ depending on how a human observer (in the role of a predator) behaves after the escape has begun. When birds were being followed during escape, escape durations were the longest, escape trajectory was modified the most during escape, and a larger proportion of individuals changed from terrestrial to aerial escape strategy compared to observations where birds were not followed. Mean horizontal escape angle of ca 120° was also a potential indication that monitoring the threat is taken into account when deciding on the escape trajectory. While there were some differences between the behaviour of these three closely related species, the general patterns supported the notion that birds dynamically assess risk during escape to find an optimal balance between getting caught and spending too much time and energy on escaping. Further research using different predator-prey combinations or making comparisons between habitats could help understand the generality of our results.}, }
@article {pmid31762100, year = {2020}, author = {Jokimäki, J and Suhonen, J and Benedetti, Y and Diaz, M and Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki, ML and Morelli, F and Pérez-Contreras, T and Rubio, E and Sprau, P and Tryjanowski, P and Ibánez-Álamo, JD}, title = {Land-sharing vs. land-sparing urban development modulate predator-prey interactions in Europe.}, journal = {Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America}, volume = {30}, number = {3}, pages = {e02049}, doi = {10.1002/eap.2049}, pmid = {31762100}, issn = {1051-0761}, mesh = {Animals ; Biodiversity ; *Birds ; Cats ; Cities ; Ecosystem ; Europe ; Humans ; Nesting Behavior ; Predatory Behavior ; *Urban Renewal ; }, abstract = {Urban areas are expanding globally as a consequence of human population increases, with overall negative effects on biodiversity. To prevent the further loss of biodiversity, it is urgent to understand the mechanisms behind this loss to develop evidence-based sustainable solutions to preserve biodiversity in urban landscapes. The two extreme urban development types along a continuum, land-sparing (large, continuous green areas and high-density housing) and land-sharing (small, fragmented green areas and low-density housing) have been the recent focus of debates regarding the pattern of urban development. However, in this context, there is no information on the mechanisms behind the observed biodiversity changes. One of the main mechanisms proposed to explain urban biodiversity loss is the alteration of predator-prey interactions. Using ground-nesting birds as a model system and data from nine European cities, we experimentally tested the effects of these two extreme urban development types on artificial ground nest survival and whether nest survival correlates with the local abundance of ground-nesting birds and their nest predators. Nest survival (n = 554) was lower in land-sharing than in land-sparing urban areas. Nest survival decreased with increasing numbers of local predators (cats and corvids) and with nest visibility. Correspondingly, relative abundance of ground-nesting birds was greater in land-sparing than in land-sharing urban areas, though overall bird species richness was unaffected by the pattern of urban development. We provide the first evidence that predator-prey interactions differ between the two extreme urban development types. Changing interactions may explain the higher proportion of ground-nesting birds in land-sparing areas, and suggest a limitation of the land-sharing model. Nest predator control and the provision of more green-covered urban habitats may also improve conservation of sensitive birds in cities. Our findings provide information on how to further expand our cities without severe loss of urban-sensitive species and give support for land-sparing over land-sharing urban development.}, }
@article {pmid31761457, year = {2020}, author = {Hirschl, RB and Newman, E and Cooke-Barber, J and Garcia, V}, title = {APSA 5.0: Saving even more lifetimes the Jay and Margie Grosfeld presidential symposium.}, journal = {Journal of pediatric surgery}, volume = {55}, number = {1}, pages = {2-17}, doi = {10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2019.10.004}, pmid = {31761457}, issn = {1531-5037}, mesh = {Humans ; Pediatrics/*organization &amp; administration ; Poverty ; Racism ; United States ; }, abstract = {In light of APSA's 50th Anniversary, the typical Presidential Address was transformed into a "symposium" consisting of talks on the maturation of our organization to APSA 5.0 and the issues and opportunities related to its internal and external environment, especially as they apply to our pediatric surgical patients. Speakers included the President and experts in the fields of diversity, as well as inequity and poverty in the United States.}, }
@article {pmid31753993, year = {2019}, author = {Klump, BC}, title = {Of crows and tools.}, journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)}, volume = {366}, number = {6468}, pages = {965}, doi = {10.1126/science.aaz7775}, pmid = {31753993}, issn = {1095-9203}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; *Crows ; Feeding Behavior ; Hawaii ; New Caledonia ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, }
@article {pmid31749114, year = {2019}, author = {Lambert, CT and Sewall, KB and Guillette, LM}, title = {Questioning the developmental effects of group size on cognitive abilities.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {47}, number = {4}, pages = {280-283}, pmid = {31749114}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; Australia ; *Birds ; Cognition ; *Learning ; }, abstract = {Australian magpies living in larger social groups learned quicker and made fewer errors across four cognitive tasks compared with birds living in smaller social groups, and this pattern may be driven by a developmental effect associated with the cognitive demands of living in larger groups. While Smulders (2018, Learning and Behavior, 1-2, doi:10.3758/s13420-018-0335-0) questioned whether this group size-cognitive performance pattern was driven by motivation rather than cognitive abilities, we question whether there is truly evidence of a developmental effect and whether the relationship between group size and cognitive performance can be explained in other ways. We highlight potential alternative explanations for the relationship between group size and cognitive performance and highlight some of the theoretical issues underlying the developmental effects of group size on cognitive abilities.}, }
@article {pmid31735150, year = {2020}, author = {Nieder, A and Mooney, R}, title = {The neurobiology of innate, volitional and learned vocalizations in mammals and birds.}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences}, volume = {375}, number = {1789}, pages = {20190054}, pmid = {31735150}, issn = {1471-2970}, support = {R01 DC013826/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/United States ; R01 MH117778/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; R01 NS099288/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Emotions ; Female ; Humans ; Language ; Learning/*physiology ; Male ; Mammals ; Motor Cortex ; *Neurobiology ; Neurons ; Phylogeny ; Primates ; Prosencephalon/anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Songbirds/anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; Volition/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Vocalization is an ancient vertebrate trait essential to many forms of communication, ranging from courtship calls to free verse. Vocalizations may be entirely innate and evoked by sexual cues or emotional state, as with many types of calls made in primates, rodents and birds; volitional, as with innate calls that, following extensive training, can be evoked by arbitrary sensory cues in non-human primates and corvid songbirds; or learned, acoustically flexible and complex, as with human speech and the courtship songs of oscine songbirds. This review compares and contrasts the neural mechanisms underlying innate, volitional and learned vocalizations, with an emphasis on functional studies in primates, rodents and songbirds. This comparison reveals both highly conserved and convergent mechanisms of vocal production in these different groups, despite their often vast phylogenetic separation. This similarity of central mechanisms for different forms of vocal production presents experimentalists with useful avenues for gaining detailed mechanistic insight into how vocalizations are employed for social and sexual signalling, and how they can be modified through experience to yield new vocal repertoires customized to the individual's social group. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'}, }
@article {pmid31729384, year = {2019}, author = {Ling, H and Mclvor, GE and Westley, J and van der Vaart, K and Vaughan, RT and Thornton, A and Ouellette, NT}, title = {Behavioural plasticity and the transition to order in jackdaw flocks.}, journal = {Nature communications}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {5174}, pmid = {31729384}, issn = {2041-1723}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Computer Simulation ; Crows/*physiology ; Models, Biological ; Social Behavior ; Spatial Behavior ; }, abstract = {Collective behaviour is typically thought to arise from individuals following fixed interaction rules. The possibility that interaction rules may change under different circumstances has thus only rarely been investigated. Here we show that local interactions in flocks of wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula) vary drastically in different contexts, leading to distinct group-level properties. Jackdaws interact with a fixed number of neighbours (topological interactions) when traveling to roosts, but coordinate with neighbours based on spatial distance (metric interactions) during collective anti-predator mobbing events. Consequently, mobbing flocks exhibit a dramatic transition from disordered aggregations to ordered motion as group density increases, unlike transit flocks where order is independent of density. The relationship between group density and group order during this transition agrees well with a generic self-propelled particle model. Our results demonstrate plasticity in local interaction rules and have implications for both natural and artificial collective systems.}, }
@article {pmid31712656, year = {2019}, author = {Krasheninnikova, A and Brucks, D and Buffenoir, N and Rivas Blanco, D and Soulet, D and von Bayern, A}, title = {Parrots do not show inequity aversion.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {16416}, pmid = {31712656}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Parrots ; *Social Behavior ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Inequity aversion, the negative reaction to unequal treatment, is considered a mechanism for stabilizing cooperative interactions between non-kin group members. However, this might only be adaptive for species that switch cooperative partners. Utilizing a comparative approach, inequity aversion has been assessed in many mammalian species and recently also in corvids and one parrot species, kea, revealing mixed results. To broaden our knowledge about the phylogenetic distribution of inequity aversion, we tested four parrot species in the token exchange paradigm. We varied the quality of rewards delivered to dyads of birds, as well as the effort required to obtain a reward. Blue-headed macaws and African grey parrots showed no reaction to being rewarded unequally. The bigger macaws were less willing to exchange tokens in the "unequal" condition compared to the "equal high" condition in which both birds obtained high quality rewards, but a closer examination of the results and the findings from the control conditions reveal that inequity aversion does not account for it. None of the species responded to inequity in terms of effort. Parrots may not exhibit inequity aversion due to interdependence on their life-long partner and the high costs associated with finding a new partner.}, }
@article {pmid31690210, year = {2019}, author = {Coomes, JR and McIvor, GE and Thornton, A}, title = {Correction to 'Evidence for individual discrimination and numerical assessment in collective antipredator behaviour in wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula)'.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {15}, number = {11}, pages = {20190740}, doi = {10.1098/rsbl.2019.0740}, pmid = {31690210}, issn = {1744-957X}, }
@article {pmid31685854, year = {2019}, author = {Holtmann, B and Buskas, J and Steele, M and Sokolovskis, K and Wolf, JBW}, title = {Dominance relationships and coalitionary aggression against conspecifics in female carrion crows.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {15922}, pmid = {31685854}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {*Aggression ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; *Social Dominance ; Videotape Recording ; Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Cooperation is a prevailing feature of many animal systems. Coalitionary aggression, where a group of individuals engages in coordinated behaviour to the detriment of conspecific targets, is a form of cooperation involving complex social interactions. To date, evidence has been dominated by studies in humans and other primates with a clear bias towards studies of male-male coalitions. We here characterize coalitionary aggression behaviour in a group of female carrion crows consisting of recruitment, coordinated chase, and attack. The individual of highest social rank liaised with the second most dominant individual to engage in coordinated chase and attack of a lower ranked crow on several occasions. Despite active intervention by the third most highly ranked individual opposing the offenders, the attack finally resulted in the death of the victim. All individuals were unrelated, of the same sex, and naïve to the behaviour excluding kinship, reproduction, and social learning as possible drivers. Instead, the coalition may reflect a strategy of the dominant individual to secure long-term social benefits. Overall, the study provides evidence that members of the crow family engage in coordinated alliances directed against conspecifics as a possible means to manipulate their social environment.}, }
@article {pmid31640502, year = {2019}, author = {Ling, H and Mclvor, GE and Westley, J and van der Vaart, K and Yin, J and Vaughan, RT and Thornton, A and Ouellette, NT}, title = {Collective turns in jackdaw flocks: kinematics and information transfer.}, journal = {Journal of the Royal Society, Interface}, volume = {16}, number = {159}, pages = {20190450}, pmid = {31640502}, issn = {1742-5662}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Flight, Animal/*physiology ; *Models, Biological ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {The rapid, cohesive turns of bird flocks are one of the most vivid examples of collective behaviour in nature, and have attracted much research. Three-dimensional imaging techniques now allow us to characterize the kinematics of turning and their group-level consequences in precise detail. We measured the kinematics of flocks of wild jackdaws executing collective turns in two contexts: during transit to roosts and anti-predator mobbing. All flocks reduced their speed during turns, probably because of constraints on individual flight capability. Turn rates increased with the angle of the turn so that the time to complete turns remained constant. We also find that context may alter where turns are initiated in the flocks: for transit flocks in the absence of predators, initiators were located throughout the flocks, but for mobbing flocks with a fixed ground-based predator, they were always located at the front. Moreover, in some transit flocks, initiators were far apart from each other, potentially because of the existence of subgroups and variation in individual interaction ranges. Finally, we find that as the group size increased the information transfer speed initially increased, but rapidly saturated to a constant value. Our results highlight previously unrecognized complexity in turning kinematics and information transfer in social animals.}, }
@article {pmid31630344, year = {2020}, author = {Miller, R and Frohnwieser, A and Schiestl, M and McCoy, DE and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH and Clayton, NS}, title = {Delayed gratification in New Caledonian crows and young children: influence of reward type and visibility.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {23}, number = {1}, pages = {71-85}, pmid = {31630344}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {3399933//FP7 Ideas: European Research Council/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Cebus ; *Crows ; *Delay Discounting ; Humans ; Reward ; *Self-Control ; }, abstract = {Self-control underlies cognitive abilities such as decision making and future planning. Delay of gratification is a measure of self-control and involves obtaining a more valuable outcome in the future by tolerating a delay or investing a greater effort in the present. Contextual issues, such as reward visibility and type, may influence delayed gratification performance, although there has been limited comparative investigation between humans and other animals, particularly non-primate species. Here, we adapted an automated 'rotating tray' paradigm used previously with capuchin monkeys to test for delay of gratification ability that requires little pre-test training, where the subject must forgo an immediate, less preferred reward for a delayed, more preferred one. We tested New Caledonian crows and 3-5-year-old human children. We manipulated reward types to differ in quality or quantity (Experiments 1 and 2) as well as visibility (Experiment 2). In Experiments 1 and 2, both species performed better when the rewards varied in quality as opposed to quantity, though performed above chance in both conditions. In Experiment 1, both crows and children were able to delay gratification when both rewards were visible. In Experiment 2, 5-year-old children outperformed 3- and 4-year olds, though overall children still performed well, while the crows struggled when reward visibility was manipulated, a result which may relate to difficulties in tracking the experimenters' hands during baiting. We discuss these findings in relation to the role of contextual issues on self-control when making species comparisons and investigating the mechanisms of self-control.}, }
@article {pmid31617250, year = {2020}, author = {El-Sayed, AK and Hassan, S}, title = {Gross morphological features of the air sacs of the hooded crow (Corvus cornix).}, journal = {Anatomia, histologia, embryologia}, volume = {49}, number = {2}, pages = {159-166}, doi = {10.1111/ahe.12504}, pmid = {31617250}, issn = {1439-0264}, mesh = {Air Sacs/*anatomy &amp; histology ; Animals ; Birds ; Bronchi/anatomy &amp; histology ; Crows/*anatomy &amp; histology ; Lung/anatomy &amp; histology ; }, abstract = {Air sacs are considered to be one of the controlling factors of bird behaviour and habits in addition to their roles in ventilation, regulating body temperature, swimming and flight. As a scavenger and an omnivorous flight bird, air sacs of the hooded crow were the focus of this study. Eight healthy, adult hooded crows were used to examine the morphological characteristics of the air sacs, which were examined grossly and with latex and cast preparations. In general, the morphological overview of the hooded crow air sacs is similar to other avian species. We observed nine air sacs; four paired sacs (cervical, cranial thoracic, caudal thoracic and abdominal air sacs) and one unpaired sac; the clavicular air sac. The cervical air sac communicated to the lung through the medioventral bronchus and had three diverticula; intermuscular, subscapular and subcutaneous. The clavicular air sac communicated with lung through the medioventral bronchus and had subscapular, axillary, humeral, subpectoral and sternal diverticula. The cranial and caudal thoracic air sacs were communicated with lung through the lateroventral bronchi and the both sacs did not have any diverticula. The abdominal air sacs were posterior to the caudal thoracic air sacs. The left abdominal sac was the largest air sac. The right and left abdominal sacs gave off branches to diverticula that pneumatized synsacrum. The abdominal air sacs gave off femoral diverticula behind the hip joint as well as perirenal diverticula.}, }
@article {pmid31589059, year = {2020}, author = {Vanhooland, LC and Bugnyar, T and Massen, JJM}, title = {Crows (Corvus corone ssp.) check contingency in a mirror yet fail the mirror-mark test.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {134}, number = {2}, pages = {158-169}, doi = {10.1037/com0000195}, pmid = {31589059}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; *Crows ; Female ; Male ; *Recognition, Psychology ; Social Behavior ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Mirror reflections can elicit various behavioral responses ranging from social behavior, which suggests that an animal treats its own reflection as a conspecific, to mirror-guided self-directed behaviors, which appears to be an indication for mirror self-recognition (MSR). MSR is scarcely spread in the animal kingdom. Until recently, only great apes, dolphins, and elephants had successfully passed this test. The range of convergence was, however, expanded by an avian species, the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica). Efforts to find MSR in other corvid species have so far failed, and with only a few studies conducted, the cause of these discrepancies is difficult to identify. In the present study, we examined the responses to mirrors and the ability of MSR in hitherto untested species: the carrion and hooded crows (Corvus corone ssp.). These crows showed a pronounced and lasting interest in the mirror; unlike many species, they did not exhibit social behaviors on their first encounters but immediately started investigating the mirror. Some crows showed contingent behaviors in front of the mirror, but none of the crows showed significant mirror-guided self-directed behaviors nor mark-directed behavior during the subsequent mark test. This lack of mark-directed behavior could not be explained by a lack of interest in the mirror nor in the mark. These findings could indicate that crows lack a concept of self, or the need for other means of investigating self-recognition and self-awareness in avian species. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid31573430, year = {2019}, author = {Coomes, JR and McIvor, GE and Thornton, A}, title = {Evidence for individual discrimination and numerical assessment in collective antipredator behaviour in wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula).}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {15}, number = {10}, pages = {20190380}, pmid = {31573430}, issn = {1744-957X}, support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/H021817/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; }, abstract = {Collective responses to threats occur throughout the animal kingdom but little is known about the cognitive processes underpinning them. Antipredator mobbing is one such response. Approaching a predator may be highly risky, but the individual risk declines and the likelihood of repelling the predator increases in larger mobbing groups. The ability to appraise the number of conspecifics involved in a mobbing event could therefore facilitate strategic decisions about whether to join. Mobs are commonly initiated by recruitment calls, which may provide valuable information to guide decision-making. We tested whether the number of wild jackdaws responding to recruitment calls was influenced by the number of callers. As predicted, playbacks simulating three or five callers tended to recruit more individuals than playbacks of one caller. Recruitment also substantially increased if recruits themselves produced calls. These results suggest that jackdaws use individual vocal discrimination to assess the number of conspecifics involved in initiating mobbing events, and use this information to guide their responses. Our results show support for the use of numerical assessment in antipredator mobbing responses and highlight the need for a greater understanding of the cognitive processes involved in collective behaviour.}, }
@article {pmid31565563, year = {2019}, author = {Forti, LR and Haddad, CFB and Leite, F and Drummond, LO and de Assis, C and Crivellari, LB and Mello, CM and Garcia, PCA and Zornosa-Torres, C and Toledo, LF}, title = {Notes on vocalizations of Brazilian amphibians IV: advertisement calls of 20 Atlantic Forest frog species.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {7}, number = {}, pages = {e7612}, pmid = {31565563}, issn = {2167-8359}, abstract = {Bioacoustics is a powerful tool used for anuran species diagnoses, given that advertisement calls are signals related to specific recognition and mate attraction. Thus, call descriptions can support species taxonomy. In spite of that, call descriptions are lacking for many species, delaying advances in biodiversity research. Here, we describe the advertisement calls of 20 anuran species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We accessed 50 digital recordings deposited in the Fonoteca Neotropical Jacques Vielliard. Acoustic analyses were carried out in the software Raven pro 1.5. We provide a general comparison of call structure among species inside taxonomic groups and genera. The vocalizations described here belong to poorly known species, which are representatives of six families: Brachycephalidae, Bufonidae, Ceratophryidae, Cycloramphidae, Hylidae, and Phyllomedusidae. Despite this, still there are 163 species of anurans from Atlantic Forest with calls not formally described. Our work represents an important step in providing data for a taxonomic perspective and improving the knowledge of the Atlantic Forest anuran diversity.}, }
@article {pmid31542561, year = {2019}, author = {Blasco, R and Rosell, J and Sánchez-Marco, A and Gopher, A and Barkai, R}, title = {Feathers and food: Human-bird interactions at Middle Pleistocene Qesem Cave, Israel.}, journal = {Journal of human evolution}, volume = {136}, number = {}, pages = {102653}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102653}, pmid = {31542561}, issn = {1095-8606}, mesh = {Animals ; Archaeology ; *Birds ; Caves ; *Diet ; Feathers ; *Food Chain ; Fossils ; Hominidae/*psychology ; Israel ; *Symbolism ; }, abstract = {The presence of fast-moving small game in the Paleolithic archaeological faunal record has long been considered a key variable to assess fundamental aspects of human behavior and subsistence. Birds occupy a prominent place in this debate not only due to their small size and to the difficulties in capturing them (essentially due to their ability to fly and their elusiveness), but also due to their possible role in the symbolic array in regard to non-nutritional elements (feathers, talons, etc.) and as reflectors of complex human-world relationships. In this study, we attempt to contribute to this topic by presenting taphonomical data of bird specimens from Qesem Cave (Israel), dated between 420 and 200 ka. Human-induced damage, including cut marks, peeling and human gnawing, has been identified on wing bones of Cygnus sp., Columba sp., Corvus ruficollis and Sturnus sp. Our evidence suggests that avian exploitation was not limited to food only-either to complement the human diet or as occasional food item-but also presumably for the use of feathers. While the consumption of birds as a dietary source seems to be evident as early as the Early Pleistocene, the non-alimentary use of inedible elements, such as feathers and talons, appears to be a practice from the Middle Paleolithic onwards. We argue that the combined nutritional and symbolic use of birds is one characteristic of the new mode of adaptation practiced already by the late Lower Paleolithic Acheulo-Yabrudian hominins in the Levant starting 400 ka. The Qesem findings point to the possible emergence of new cognitive and behavioral skills, which are followed in later periods in the Old World. Finally, we discuss the possible ontological and cosmological significance of human-bird interactions to illuminate our hypothesis regarding the emergence of a new perception of human relationships with the world as an integral part of the new Acheulo-Yabrudian mode of adaptation.}, }
@article {pmid31515097, year = {2020}, author = {Shekhawat, S and Saxena, A}, title = {Development and applications of an intelligent crow search algorithm based on opposition based learning.}, journal = {ISA transactions}, volume = {99}, number = {}, pages = {210-230}, doi = {10.1016/j.isatra.2019.09.004}, pmid = {31515097}, issn = {1879-2022}, abstract = {Metaheuristics are proven beneficial tools for solving complex, hard optimization problems. Recently, a plethora of work has been reported on bio inspired optimization algorithms. These algorithms are mimicry of behavior of animals, plants and processes into mathematical paradigms. With these developments, a new entrant in this group is Crow Search Algorithm (CSA). CSA is based on the strategic behavior of crows while searching food, thievery and chasing behavior. This algorithm sometimes suffers with local minima stagnation and unbalance exploration and exploitation phases. To overcome this problem, a cosine function is proposed first, to accelerate the exploration and retard the exploitation process with due course of the iterative process. Secondly the opposition based learning concept is incorporated for enhancing the exploration virtue of CSA. The evolved variant with the inculcation of these two concepts is named as Intelligent Crow Search Algorithm (ICSA). The algorithm is benchmarked on two benchmark function sets, one is the set of 23 standard test functions and another is set of latest benchmark function CEC-2017. Further, the applicability of this variant is tested over structural design problem, frequency wave synthesis problem and Model Order Reduction (MOR). Results reveal that ICSA exhibits competitive performance on benchmarks and real applications when compared with some contemporary optimizers.}, }
@article {pmid31454343, year = {2019}, author = {Brecht, KF and Hage, SR and Gavrilov, N and Nieder, A}, title = {Volitional control of vocalizations in corvid songbirds.}, journal = {PLoS biology}, volume = {17}, number = {8}, pages = {e3000375}, pmid = {31454343}, issn = {1545-7885}, mesh = {Acoustics ; Animals ; Cognition/physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Learning/physiology ; Male ; Neurons/physiology ; Songbirds/physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; Volition/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Songbirds are renowned for their acoustically elaborate songs. However, it is unclear whether songbirds can cognitively control their vocal output. Here, we show that crows, songbirds of the corvid family, can be trained to exert control over their vocalizations. In a detection task, three male carrion crows rapidly learned to emit vocalizations in response to a visual cue with no inherent meaning (go trials) and to withhold vocalizations in response to another cue (catch trials). Two of these crows were then trained on a go/nogo task, with the cue colors reversed, in addition to being rewarded for withholding vocalizations to yet another cue (nogo trials). Vocalizations in response to the detection of the go cue were temporally precise and highly reliable in all three crows. Crows also quickly learned to withhold vocal output in nogo trials, showing that vocalizations were not produced by an anticipation of a food reward in correct trials. The results demonstrate that corvids can volitionally control the release and onset of their vocalizations, suggesting that songbird vocalizations are under cognitive control and can be decoupled from affective states.}, }
@article {pmid31431538, year = {2019}, author = {Vonk, J}, title = {Emotional contagion or sensitivity to behavior in ravens?.}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {116}, number = {37}, pages = {18168}, pmid = {31431538}, issn = {1091-6490}, mesh = {Animals ; Bias ; Cognition ; *Crows ; Emotions ; }, }
@article {pmid31391480, year = {2019}, author = {Probst, C and Gethmann, J and Amler, S and Globig, A and Knoll, B and Conraths, FJ}, title = {The potential role of scavengers in spreading African swine fever among wild boar.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {11450}, pmid = {31391480}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {African Swine Fever/epidemiology/*transmission/virology ; African Swine Fever Virus/*isolation &amp; purification/pathogenicity ; Animals ; Animals, Wild/*virology ; *Carnivory ; Crows/virology ; Falconiformes/virology ; Female ; Foxes/virology ; Germany/epidemiology ; Male ; Raccoon Dogs/virology ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Sus scrofa/*virology ; Swine ; Time Factors ; }, abstract = {Understanding the transmission patterns of African swine fever (ASF) among wild boar (Sus scrofa) is an issue of major interest, especially in the wake of the current ASF epidemic. Given the high stability of ASF-virus, there is concern about scavengers spreading infectious carcass material in the environment. Here, we describe scavenging activities on 32 wild boar carcasses in their natural habitat in Germany. Using digital cameras, we detected 22 vertebrates at the study sites, thereof two mammal and three bird species scavenging. The most frequently detected species was the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides (44% of all visits). Raccoon dogs, red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and buzzards (Buteo buteo) scavenged in the warm and the cold season, while ravens (Corvus corax) and white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) scavenged only in the cold season. In summer, however, insects removed most of the carcass biomass. Although most of the material was consumed on the spot, foxes, raccoon dogs and ravens left the study sites in rare cases with a small piece of meat in their mouths or beaks. We conclude that scavengers represent a minor risk factor for spreading ASF, but may contribute to reducing local virus persistence by metabolizing infected carcasses.}, }
@article {pmid31378612, year = {2019}, author = {McCoy, DE and Schiestl, M and Neilands, P and Hassall, R and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH}, title = {New Caledonian Crows Behave Optimistically after Using Tools.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {29}, number = {16}, pages = {2737-2742.e3}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2019.06.080}, pmid = {31378612}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Motivation ; Optimism ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Are complex, species-specific behaviors in animals reinforced by material reward alone or do they also induce positive emotions? Many adaptive human behaviors are intrinsically motivated: they not only improve our material outcomes, but improve our affect as well [1-8]. Work to date on animal optimism, as an indicator of positive affect, has generally focused on how animals react to change in their circumstances, such as when their environment is enriched [9-14] or they are manipulated by humans [15-23], rather than whether complex actions improve emotional state. Here, we show that wild New Caledonian crows are optimistic after tool use, a complex, species-specific behavior. We further demonstrate that this finding cannot be explained by the crows needing to put more effort into gaining food. Our findings therefore raise the possibility that intrinsic motivation (enjoyment) may be a fundamental proximate cause in the evolution of tool use and other complex behaviors. VIDEO ABSTRACT.}, }
@article {pmid31330118, year = {2019}, author = {Moberly, AC and Reed, J}, title = {Making Sense of Sentences: Top-Down Processing of Speech by Adult Cochlear Implant Users.}, journal = {Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR}, volume = {62}, number = {8}, pages = {2895-2905}, pmid = {31330118}, issn = {1558-9102}, support = {K23 DC015539/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/United States ; UL1 TR001070/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Adult ; Auditory Threshold ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants/*psychology ; Female ; Hearing Loss/*psychology/surgery ; Humans ; Inhibition, Psychological ; Male ; *Memory, Short-Term ; Nonverbal Communication ; Phonetics ; Postoperative Period ; Problem Solving ; *Recognition, Psychology ; Speech Acoustics ; *Speech Perception ; }, abstract = {Purpose Speech recognition relies upon a listener's successful pairing of the acoustic-phonetic details from the bottom-up input with top-down linguistic processing of the incoming speech stream. When the speech is spectrally degraded, such as through a cochlear implant (CI), this role of top-down processing is poorly understood. This study explored the interactions of top-down processing, specifically the use of semantic context during sentence recognition, and the relative contributions of different neurocognitive functions during speech recognition in adult CI users. Method Data from 41 experienced adult CI users were collected and used in analyses. Participants were tested for recognition and immediate repetition of speech materials in the clear. They were asked to repeat 2 sets of sentence materials, 1 that was semantically meaningful and 1 that was syntactically appropriate but semantically anomalous. Participants also were tested on 4 visual measures of neurocognitive functioning to assess working memory capacity (Digit Span; Wechsler, 2004), speed of lexical access (Test of Word Reading Efficiency; Torgeson, Wagner, &amp; Rashotte, 1999), inhibitory control (Stroop; Stroop, 1935), and nonverbal fluid reasoning (Raven's Progressive Matrices; Raven, 2000). Results Individual listeners' inhibitory control predicted recognition of meaningful sentences when controlling for performance on anomalous sentences, our proxy for the quality of the bottom-up input. Additionally, speed of lexical access and nonverbal reasoning predicted recognition of anomalous sentences. Conclusions Findings from this study identified inhibitory control as a potential mechanism at work when listeners make use of semantic context during sentence recognition. Moreover, speed of lexical access and nonverbal reasoning were associated with recognition of sentences that lacked semantic context. These results motivate the development of improved comprehensive rehabilitative approaches for adult patients with CIs to optimize use of top-down processing and underlying core neurocognitive functions.}, }
@article {pmid31328952, year = {2020}, author = {Lazareva, OF and Gould, K and Linert, J and Caillaud, D and Gazes, RP}, title = {Smaller on the left? Flexible association between space and magnitude in pigeons (Columba livia) and blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata).}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {134}, number = {1}, pages = {71-83}, doi = {10.1037/com0000193}, pmid = {31328952}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; Columbidae/*physiology ; Humans ; Orientation/*physiology ; Space Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Humans and other apes represent magnitudes spatially, demonstrated by their responding faster and more accurately to one side of space when presented with small quantities and to the other side of space when presented with large quantities. This representation is flexible and shows substantial variability between cultural groups in humans and between and within individuals in great apes. In contrast, recent findings suggest that chicks show a spatial representation of magnitude that is highly lateralized and inflexible, implying a qualitatively different underlying representation than in primates. Using methods similar to those used with great apes and humans, we trained adult domestic pigeons (Columba livia) and blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) to select the smaller (or larger) of two nonadjacent quantity arrays; later, this task was reversed. At test, birds were presented with novel probe pairs consisting of adjacent quantity pairs (e.g., 2 vs. 3). Both species showed robust evidence for a flexible spatial representation of magnitude with considerable individual variability in the orientation of this representation. These results are not consistent with an inflexible, lateralized, left-to-right representation of magnitude in birds, but are consistent with the flexible spatial representation of magnitude observed in apes and humans. We conclude that the tendency to organize quantities spatially may be a fundamental and evolutionarily ancient feature of cognition that is widespread among vertebrates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid31287221, year = {2020}, author = {Schlötelburg, A and Plekat, A and Bellingrath-Kimura, S and Jacob, J}, title = {Self-service traps inspected by avian and terrestrial predators as a management option for rodents.}, journal = {Pest management science}, volume = {76}, number = {1}, pages = {103-110}, doi = {10.1002/ps.5550}, pmid = {31287221}, issn = {1526-4998}, support = {312-06.01-2812NA120//German Federal Office for Food and Agriculture/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Arvicolinae ; Birds ; Predatory Behavior ; *Rodentia ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Worldwide, serval rodent species are major pests in agricultural landscapes. A vole-specific tub-trap combining trapping and natural predators was developed to minimize the migration of rodents into agricultural crops. The trap was tested in enclosures in terms of its trapability of common voles (Microtus arvalis Pallas) and in the field regarding predator access and removal of voles, both in comparison to a commercially available self-service trap (standby-box).<br><br>RESULTS: The trapability of voles was equal for tub-traps and standby-boxes. The removal of voles occurred four times more often from tub-traps by a wider variety of predators (e.g. smaller terrestrial predators, birds of prey). Visits by predators were most likely if study sites were not surrounded by artificial surfaces (70% visit probability by terrestrial predators) or if they were in areas that were more than 25% (semi)natural (95% visit probability by avian predators). Furthermore, visits by avian predators increased with time and a learning effect could be demonstrated for magpies (Pica pica L.). From the first to the fifth day, the visit probability of magpies quadrupled.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Visits by predators decreased with increasing cover of artificial surfaces or decreasing cover of (semi)natural areas, proving the importance of (semi)natural areas in the agricultural landscape. Long-term trials with different baiting techniques and in landscapes characterized by organic farming should be conducted to ensure the regular removal of voles. The use of tub-traps that are frequently visited by predators could support crop protection, which might limit the use of rodenticide and the associated exposure risk of non-target wildlife. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.}, }
@article {pmid31270682, year = {2020}, author = {Vonk, J}, title = {Sticks and stones: Associative learning alone?.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {48}, number = {3}, pages = {277-278}, doi = {10.3758/s13420-019-00387-4}, pmid = {31270682}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Learning ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Gruber et al. (Current Biology, 29, 686-692, 2019) report that New Caledonian crows engage in mental representation to solve a problem involving a tool. Although the crows' success is impressive, an associative account of their behavior calls into question the extent to which the data reflect representation of future states.}, }
@article {pmid31266425, year = {2019}, author = {Ling, H and Mclvor, GE and van der Vaart, K and Vaughan, RT and Thornton, A and Ouellette, NT}, title = {Local interactions and their group-level consequences in flocking jackdaws.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {286}, number = {1906}, pages = {20190865}, pmid = {31266425}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Crows/*physiology ; Flight, Animal/*physiology ; *Social Behavior ; United Kingdom ; }, abstract = {As one of nature's most striking examples of collective behaviour, bird flocks have attracted extensive research. However, we still lack an understanding of the attractive and repulsive forces that govern interactions between individuals within flocks and how these forces influence neighbours' relative positions and ultimately determine the shape of flocks. We address these issues by analysing the three-dimensional movements of wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula) in flocks containing 2-338 individuals. We quantify the social interaction forces in large, airborne flocks and find that these forces are highly anisotropic. The long-range attraction in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction is stronger than that along it, and the short-range repulsion is generated mainly by turning rather than changing speed. We explain this phenomenon by considering wingbeat frequency and the change in kinetic and gravitational potential energy during flight, and find that changing the direction of movement is less energetically costly than adjusting speed for birds. Furthermore, our data show that collision avoidance by turning can alter local neighbour distributions and ultimately change the group shape. Our results illustrate the macroscopic consequences of anisotropic interaction forces in bird flocks, and help to draw links between group structure, local interactions and the biophysics of animal locomotion.}, }
@article {pmid31259563, year = {2019}, author = {Congdon, JV and Hahn, AH and Filippi, P and Campbell, KA and Hoang, J and Scully, EN and Bowling, DL and Reber, SA and Sturdy, CB}, title = {Hear them roar: A comparison of black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and human (Homo sapiens) perception of arousal in vocalizations across all classes of terrestrial vertebrates.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {133}, number = {4}, pages = {520-541}, doi = {10.1037/com0000187}, pmid = {31259563}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Arousal/*physiology ; Auditory Perception/*physiology ; Concept Formation/physiology ; Conditioning, Operant/physiology ; Discrimination Learning/physiology ; Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; *Inhibition, Psychological ; Learning/*physiology ; Male ; Songbirds/*physiology ; Species Specificity ; Transfer, Psychology/physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Recently, evidence for acoustic universals in vocal communication was found by demonstrating that humans can identify levels of arousal in vocalizations produced by species across three biological classes (Filippi et al., 2017). Here, we extend this work by testing whether two vocal learning species, humans and chickadees, can discriminate vocalizations of high and low arousal using operant discrimination go/no-go tasks. Stimuli included vocalizations from nine species: giant panda, American alligator, common raven, hourglass treefrog, African elephant, Barbary macaque, domestic pig, black-capped chickadee, and human. Subjects were trained to respond to high or low arousal vocalizations, then tested with additional high and low arousal vocalizations produced by each species. Chickadees (Experiment 1) and humans (Experiment 2) learned to discriminate between high and low arousal stimuli and significantly transferred the discrimination to additional panda, human, and chickadee vocalizations. Finally, we conducted discriminant function analyses using four acoustic measures, finding evidence suggesting that fundamental frequency played a role in responding during the task. However, these analyses also suggest roles for other acoustic factors as well as familiarity. In sum, the results from these studies provide evidence that chickadees and humans are capable of perceiving arousal in vocalizations produced by multiple species. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).}, }
@article {pmid31148101, year = {2019}, author = {Federspiel, IG and Boeckle, M and von Bayern, AMP and Emery, NJ}, title = {Exploring individual and social learning in jackdaws (Corvus monedula).}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {47}, number = {3}, pages = {258-270}, pmid = {31148101}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Crows ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Learning ; Male ; *Social Learning ; }, abstract = {Information about novel environments or foods can be gathered via individual or social learning. Whereas individual learning is assumed to be more costly and less effective than social learning, it also yields more detailed information. Juveniles are often found to be more explorative than adults. Still under the protection of their parents, this allows them to sample their environment in preparation for later in life. We tested individual and social learning in jackdaws (Corvus monedula) of different age groups in a semi-natural group setting. Juvenile and adult jackdaws differed in their learning propensity. Juveniles spent more time at the test apparatus, were more explorative, and caused the apparatus to open. Almost all the openings at the apparatus matched the demonstrated method. As more observers became available, the juveniles could observe each other. Individuals preferentially watched successful conspecifics and those they could scrounge food from. Lower-ranking individuals tended to watch higher ranking ones; higher ranking individuals preferentially watched conspecifics of similar rank. The control group did not manipulate the apparatus. Due to the lack of this baseline, it was difficult to determine for certain whether the opening technique was acquired via individual or social learning. We conclude that if social learning played a role, the underlying mechanism was most likely local or stimulus enhancement. It is, however, more parsimonious to assume that juveniles were more explorative than adults, and that their opening technique was potentially easier to acquire than the one demonstrated to adults.}, }
@article {pmid31110007, year = {2019}, author = {Adriaense, JEC and Martin, JS and Schiestl, M and Lamm, C and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Negative emotional contagion and cognitive bias in common ravens (Corvus corax).}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {116}, number = {23}, pages = {11547-11552}, pmid = {31110007}, issn = {1091-6490}, mesh = {Animals ; Arousal/physiology ; Attention/physiology ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Bias ; Cognition/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Emotions/*physiology ; Empathy/physiology ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Emotional contagion is described as an emotional state matching between subjects, and has been suggested to facilitate communication and coordination in complex social groups. Empirical studies typically focus on the measurement of behavioral contagion and emotional arousal, yet, while highly important, such an approach often disregards an additional evaluation of the underlying emotional valence. Here, we studied emotional contagion in ravens by applying a judgment bias paradigm to assess emotional valence. We experimentally manipulated positive and negative affective states in demonstrator ravens, to which they responded with increased attention and interest in the positive condition, as well as increased redirected behavior and a left-eye lateralization in the negative condition. During this emotion manipulation, another raven observed the demonstrator's behavior, and we used a bias paradigm to assess the emotional valence of the observer to determine whether emotional contagion had occurred. Observers showed a pessimism bias toward the presented ambiguous stimuli after perceiving demonstrators in a negative state, indicating emotional state matching based on the demonstrators' behavioral cues and confirming our prediction of negative emotional contagion. We did not find any judgment bias in the positive condition. This result critically expands upon observational studies of contagious play in ravens, providing experimental evidence that emotional contagion is present not only in mammalian but also in avian species. Importantly, this finding also acts as a stepping stone toward understanding the evolution of empathy, as this essential social skill may have emerged across these taxa in response to similar socioecological challenges.}, }
@article {pmid31108570, year = {2019}, author = {Miller, R and Boeckle, M and Jelbert, SA and Frohnwieser, A and Wascher, CAF and Clayton, NS}, title = {Self-control in crows, parrots and nonhuman primates.}, journal = {Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Cognitive science}, volume = {10}, number = {6}, pages = {e1504}, pmid = {31108570}, issn = {1939-5086}, support = {3399933//FP7 Ideas: European Research Council/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Cognition ; *Crows ; Humans ; *Parrots ; *Primates ; *Self-Control ; }, abstract = {Self-control is critical for both humans and nonhuman animals because it underlies complex cognitive abilities, such as decision-making and future planning, enabling goal-directed behavior. For instance, it is positively associated with social competence and life success measures in humans. We present the first review of delay of gratification as a measure of self-control in nonhuman primates, corvids (crow family) and psittacines (parrot order): disparate groups that show comparable advanced cognitive abilities and similar socio-ecological factors. We compare delay of gratification performance and identify key issues and outstanding areas for future research, including finding the best measures and drivers of delayed gratification. Our review therefore contributes to our understanding of both delayed gratification as a measure of self-control and of complex cognition in animals. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Psychology > Comparative Psychology.}, }
@article {pmid31104191, year = {2021}, author = {D'Agati, D and Beaudry, MB and Swartz, K}, title = {Thirteen Reasons Why Revisited: A Monograph for Teens, Parents, and Mental Health Professionals.}, journal = {The Journal of medical humanities}, volume = {42}, number = {3}, pages = {345-353}, pmid = {31104191}, issn = {1573-3645}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Health Personnel ; Homicide ; Humans ; *Mental Health ; Parents ; *Suicide ; United States ; }, abstract = {Jay Asher's novel Thirteen Reasons Why and its Netflix adaptation have enjoyed widespread popularity. While they draw needed attention to issues like bullying and teen estrangement, they may have an unintended effect: they mislead about the etiology of suicide and even glamorize it to a degree. The medical literature has shown that suicide is almost always the result of psychiatric disorder, not provocative stress, in much the same way an asthmatic crisis is primarily the result of an underlying medical condition, not an allergic stimulus. Both the novel and Netflix series ignore this premise and even belittle the idea. Thus, while the story has artistic merits, it also has the potential to be destructive if accessed by young readers and viewers seeking guidance. Approximately ten percent of teens suffer from depression, and suicide recently surpassed homicide as the second-leading cause of death among persons ages ten to twenty-four in the United States. A more balanced view addressing these misconceptions is provided for teens, parents, and mental health professionals.}, }
@article {pmid31062834, year = {2019}, author = {Cumbo, E and Cumbo, S and Torregrossa, S and Migliore, D}, title = {Treatment Effects of Vortioxetine on Cognitive Functions in Mild Alzheimer's Disease Patients with Depressive Symptoms: A 12 Month, Open-Label, Observational Study.}, journal = {The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease}, volume = {6}, number = {3}, pages = {192-197}, doi = {10.14283/jpad.2019.24}, pmid = {31062834}, issn = {2426-0266}, mesh = {Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease/complications/*drug therapy/*psychology ; Antidepressive Agents/*therapeutic use ; Depression/complications/*drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vortioxetine/*therapeutic use ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: depressive symptoms are common in Alzheimer's disease(AD). Aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of vortioxetine compared with other conventional antidepressants on cognitive functions in AD patients with depressive symptoms.<br><br>DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, 12 month, parallel-group study.<br><br>SETTING: All participants were evaluated on-site at Neurodegenerative Disorders Unit, ASP2 Caltanissetta(Italy).<br><br>PARTICIPANTS: 108(71 female, 37 male) AD patients with depression(mean age 76.7 ± 4.3).<br><br>INTERVENTION: Randomized subjects received vortioxetine, 15 mg/day(n=36) or other common antidepressants(n=72).<br><br>MEASURES: Primary outcome was change from baseline in the MMSE; secondary outcomes were change in Attentive Matrices, Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices, Digit Span, HAM-D and Cornell scale.<br><br>RESULTS: Statistically significant improvement vs. controls was observed for vortioxetine on most of the cognitive tests and showed significantly baseline-to-endpoint reduction in both HAM-D and Cornell total scores.The most commonly reported adverse events were nausea and headache for votioxetine; nausea in the control group.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Vortioxetine had a beneficial effect on cognition and mood in elderly AD patients and was safe and well tolerated.}, }
@article {pmid31061474, year = {2019}, author = {Ling, H and Mclvor, GE and van der Vaart, K and Vaughan, RT and Thornton, A and Ouellette, NT}, title = {Costs and benefits of social relationships in the collective motion of bird flocks.}, journal = {Nature ecology &amp; evolution}, volume = {3}, number = {6}, pages = {943-948}, doi = {10.1038/s41559-019-0891-5}, pmid = {31061474}, issn = {2397-334X}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; }, abstract = {Current understanding of collective behaviour in nature is based largely on models that assume that identical agents obey the same interaction rules, but in reality interactions may be influenced by social relationships among group members. Here, we show that social relationships transform local interactions and collective dynamics. We tracked individuals' three-dimensional trajectories within flocks of jackdaws, a species that forms lifelong pair-bonds. Reflecting this social system, we find that flocks contain internal sub-structure, with discrete pairs of individuals tied together by spring-like effective forces. Within flocks, paired birds interacted with fewer neighbours than unpaired birds and flapped their wings more slowly, which may result in energy savings. However, flocks with more paired birds had shorter correlation lengths, which is likely to inhibit efficient information transfer through the flock. Similar changes to group properties emerge naturally from a generic self-propelled particle model. These results reveal a critical tension between individual- and group-level benefits during collective behaviour in species with differentiated social relationships, and have major evolutionary and cognitive implications.}, }
@article {pmid31040366, year = {2019}, author = {Lee, VE and McIvor, GE and Thornton, A}, title = {Testing relationship recognition in wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula).}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {6710}, pmid = {31040366}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {NE/L002434/1//RCUK | Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)/International ; BB/H021817/1//RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)/International ; BB/H021817/2//RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)/International ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Crows ; Female ; Male ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {According to the social intelligence hypothesis, understanding the challenges faced by social animals is key to understanding the evolution of cognition. In structured social groups, recognising the relationships of others is often important for predicting the outcomes of interactions. Third-party relationship recognition has been widely investigated in primates, but studies of other species are limited. Furthermore, few studies test for third-party relationship recognition in the wild, where cognitive abilities are deployed in response to natural socio-ecological pressures. Here, we used playback experiments to investigate whether wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula) track changes in their own relationships and the relationships of others. Females were presented with 'infidelity simulations': playbacks of their male partner copulating with a neighbouring female, and their male neighbour copulating with another female, against a congruent control. Our results showed substantial inter-individual variation in responses, but females did not respond more strongly to infidelity playbacks, indicating that jackdaws may not attend and/or respond to relationship information in this experimental context. Our results highlight the need for further study of relationship recognition and other cognitive traits that facilitate group-living in the wild, particularly in non-primates and in a wider range of social systems.}, }
@article {pmid30964426, year = {2019}, author = {McMillan, JR and Marcet, PL and Hoover, CM and Mead, D and Kitron, U and Vazquez-Prokopec, GM}, title = {Feeding Success and Host Selection by Culex quinquefasciatus Say Mosquitoes in Experimental Trials.}, journal = {Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)}, volume = {19}, number = {7}, pages = {540-548}, pmid = {30964426}, issn = {1557-7759}, support = {CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Culex/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Georgia ; Mosquito Vectors/physiology ; Passeriformes/*blood/classification ; Species Specificity ; West Nile Fever/transmission ; West Nile virus ; }, abstract = {Arthropod vector feeding preferences are defined as an overutilization of a particular host species given its abundance in relationship to other species in the community. Numerous methods exist to quantify vector feeding preferences; however, controlled host choice experiments are generally an underutilized approach. In this report, we present results from controlled vector host choice experiments using Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes and wild avian hosts identified as important contributors to West Nile virus (WNv) transmission in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. In each experiment, we allowed lab-reared F1 Cx. quinquefasciatus to feed freely overnight on two avian individuals of a different species (i.e., northern cardinals, American robins, blue jays, brown thrashers, and gray catbirds). We then estimated WNv transmission potential using vectorial capacity and R0. We found that mosquito blood feeding success was extremely variable among experimental replicates and that patterns of host choice only occasionally aggregated to a particular bird species. Vectorial capacity was highest for American robins and blue jays due to these species' higher reservoir competence for WNv and greater probabilities of mosquito selection of these species. Despite species-specific differences in vectorial capacity, total community capacity was similar among species pairs. R0 estimates were qualitatively similar to capacity, and R0 was below and above unity across species pairs. Our results provide empirical evidence that C. quinquefasciatus is an opportunistic blood feeder and highlight how variability in vector-host contact rates as well as host community composition can influence the likelihood of WNv transmission in avian communities.}, }
@article {pmid30963864, year = {2019}, author = {Jelbert, SA and Miller, R and Schiestl, M and Boeckle, M and Cheke, LG and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH and Clayton, NS}, title = {New Caledonian crows infer the weight of objects from observing their movements in a breeze.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {286}, number = {1894}, pages = {20182332}, pmid = {30963864}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; *Discrimination Learning ; Female ; Male ; }, abstract = {Humans use a variety of cues to infer an object's weight, including how easily objects can be moved. For example, if we observe an object being blown down the street by the wind, we can infer that it is light. Here, we tested whether New Caledonian crows make this type of inference. After training that only one type of object (either light or heavy) was rewarded when dropped into a food dispenser, birds observed pairs of novel objects (one light and one heavy) suspended from strings in front of an electric fan. The fan was either on-creating a breeze which buffeted the light, but not the heavy, object-or off, leaving both objects stationary. In subsequent test trials, birds could drop one, or both, of the novel objects into the food dispenser. Despite having no opportunity to handle these objects prior to testing, birds touched the correct object (light or heavy) first in 73% of experimental trials, and were at chance in control trials. Our results suggest that birds used pre-existing knowledge about the behaviour exhibited by differently weighted objects in the wind to infer their weight, using this information to guide their choices.}, }
@article {pmid30958132, year = {2019}, author = {Klump, BC and Cantat, M and Rutz, C}, title = {Raw-material selectivity in hook-tool-crafting New Caledonian crows.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {15}, number = {2}, pages = {20180836}, pmid = {30958132}, issn = {1744-957X}, support = {BB/G023913/2//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Feeding Behavior ; Plant Leaves ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Animals that manufacture foraging tools face the challenge of identifying suitable raw materials among a multitude of options. New Caledonian crows exhibit strong population-specific material preferences for the manufacture of hooked stick tools, but it is unknown how they identify their favourite plants. We investigated experimentally whether crows pay attention to the stems of plants (from which the tools are made) and/or their leaves (which are usually discarded during manufacture but may enable rapid and reliable species identification at a distance). Subjects were highly selective in choice trials with multiple plant species. Two additional treatments with experimental leaf-stem combinations revealed that birds can identify their preferred plant species by its stems alone, and possibly also its leaves. These findings encourage future experiments that investigate whether New Caledonian crows attend to features of the stem that are required for the production of efficient hooked stick tools. Our study provides one of the most detailed assessments to date of how non-human animals identify raw materials for tool manufacture.}, }
@article {pmid30930524, year = {2019}, author = {Boucherie, PH and Loretto, MC and Massen, JJM and Bugnyar, T}, title = {What constitutes "social complexity" and "social intelligence" in birds? Lessons from ravens.}, journal = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology}, volume = {73}, number = {1}, pages = {12}, pmid = {30930524}, issn = {0340-5443}, support = {P 29705/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, abstract = {In the last decades, the assumption that complex social life is cognitively challenging, and thus can drive mental evolution, has received much support from empirical studies in nonhuman primates. While extending the scope to other mammals and birds, different views have been adopted on what constitutes social complexity and which specific cognitive skills are selected for. Notably, many avian species form "open" groups as non-breeders (i.e., seasonally and before sexual maturity) that have been largely ignored as potential sources of social complexity. Reviewing 30 years of research on ravens, we illustrate the socio-ecological conditions faced by these birds as non-breeders and discuss how these relate to their socio-cognitive skills. We argue that the non-breeding period is key to understand raven social life and, to a larger extent, avian social life in general. We furthermore emphasize how the combination of the large-scale perspective (defining social system components: e.g., social organization, mating system) and the individual-scale perspective on social systems allows to better capture the complete set of social challenges experienced by individuals throughout their life, ultimately resulting on a more comprehensive understanding of species' social complexity.}, }
@article {pmid30916391, year = {2019}, author = {Maron, JL and Agrawal, AA and Schemske, DW}, title = {Plant-herbivore coevolution and plant speciation.}, journal = {Ecology}, volume = {100}, number = {7}, pages = {e02704}, doi = {10.1002/ecy.2704}, pmid = {30916391}, issn = {1939-9170}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; *Herbivory ; Insecta ; Phenotype ; Phylogeny ; *Plants ; }, abstract = {More than five decades ago, Ehrlich and Raven proposed a revolutionary idea-that the evolution of novel plant defense could spur adaptive radiation in plants. Despite motivating much work on plant-herbivore coevolution and defense theory, Ehrlich and Raven never proposed a mechanism for their "escape and radiate" model. Recent intriguing mechanisms proposed by Marquis et al. include sympatric divergence, pleiotropic effects of plant defense traits on reproductive isolation, and strong postzygotic isolation, but these may not be general features of herbivore-mediated speciation. An alternate view is that herbivores may impose strong divergent selection on defenses in allopatric plant populations, with plant-herbivore coevolution driving local adaptation resulting in plant speciation. Building on these ideas, we propose three scenarios that consider the role of herbivores in plant speciation. These include (1) vicariance, subsequent coevolution within populations and adaptive divergence between geographically isolated populations, (2) colonization of a new habitat lacking effective herbivores followed by loss of defense and then re-evolution and coevolution of defense in response to novel herbivores, and (3) evolution of a new defense followed by range expansion, vicariance, and coevolution. We discuss the general role of coevolution in plant speciation and consider outstanding issues related to understanding: (1) the mechanisms behind cospeciation of plants and insects, (2) geographic variation in defense phenotypes, (3) how defensive traits and geography map on plant phylogenies, and (4) the role of herbivores in driving character displacement in defense phenotypes of related species in sympatry.}, }
@article {pmid30913135, year = {2019}, author = {Matsui, H and Izawa, EI}, title = {Control of bill-grasping aperture with varying food size in crows.}, journal = {Neuroreport}, volume = {30}, number = {7}, pages = {522-525}, doi = {10.1097/WNR.0000000000001240}, pmid = {30913135}, issn = {1473-558X}, mesh = {Animals ; *Beak ; Crows/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Reaction Time ; }, abstract = {Grasping movement in primates is known to be a visually guided behavior and the aperture of hand opening is adjusted to the target size on the basis of visual information. The analogous behavior can be found in birds, called 'pecking', consisting of head-reaching and bill-grasping. Bill-grasping has been investigated mainly in pigeons and an aperture adjustment as seen in primates has been reported. This study focused on kinematics of pecking in crows, known to possess dexterous visuomotor skills, to examine whether crows adjust the grasping aperture to food diameter with a kinematic mechanism similar to that in pigeons. The pecking at a small piece of food was video recorded to analyze the grasping aperture. The results showed that the grasping aperture was proportional to food diameter. Kinematic analysis showed that the aperture adjustment was mediated by grasping velocity and grasping duration, which is consistent with the findings of previous research on pecking in pigeons. However, the relative contribution of grasping velocity was much higher than that of grasping duration. Our findings suggest the different sensorimotor mechanisms to control bill-grasping between the avian species with different foraging ecology.}, }
@article {pmid30905182, year = {2020}, author = {Wu, T and Shen, H and Sheng, Y and Zhao, F and Guo, N and Liao, L and Li, L and Li, Y and Dong, X}, title = {Use of cognitive correction training improves learning for children with mathematics learning disability.}, journal = {Applied neuropsychology. Child}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, pages = {172-178}, doi = {10.1080/21622965.2018.1552866}, pmid = {30905182}, issn = {2162-2973}, mesh = {Child ; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/*methods ; Cognitive Remediation/*methods ; *Executive Function ; Female ; Humans ; *Inhibition, Psychological ; Learning Disabilities/physiopathology/*rehabilitation ; Male ; Mathematics/*education ; *Memory, Short-Term ; Prospective Studies ; Therapy, Computer-Assisted/methods ; }, abstract = {Children with normal intelligence may experience varying degrees of mathematics learning disabilities (MD). This study aims to conduct training to improve the brain's cognitive ability for mathematics learning by focusing on two important mathematical cognitive abilities. This was a prospective study of 70 children in grades 2-5 from two primary schools in Changzhou and with MD enrolled from June 2015 to February 2017. The children were randomized 1:1 to the training and control groups. A training cycle included 40 sessions (5/weeks) (30 min each session). The efficacy of learning was assessed by assessing number learning and graph reasoning, and by using the Raven standard reasoning test score. In the training group, backward number memory (from 6.1 ± 1.8 to 6.7 ± 1.3, P = 0.02), number sequential connection (from 54.4 ± 14.5 to 47.1 ± 12.1, P < 0.01), and rapid graph judgment (from 531.9 ± 76.3 to 557.8 ± 85.7, P = 0.04) were improved by training, while there was no effect on forward number memory (P = 0.13). There were significant differences in total score and scores of b, c, and e series before and after training (all P < 0.05). The children in the control group had no improvement after 8 weeks. There was a correlation between the ability of rapid graphic judgment before and after training and the score of the Raven E series (r = 0.384, P = 0.024), and between the score of the Raven C series and the score of the Raven D series (r = 0.468, P = 0.013). Cognitive correction training improved the sensitivity to numbers and mathematics learning in children with MD.}, }
@article {pmid30891367, year = {2019}, author = {Policht, R and Hart, V and Goncharov, D and Surový, P and Hanzal, V and Červený, J and Burda, H}, title = {Vocal recognition of a nest-predator in black grouse.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {7}, number = {}, pages = {e6533}, pmid = {30891367}, issn = {2167-8359}, abstract = {Corvids count among the important predators of bird nests. They are vocal animals and one can expect that birds threatened by their predation, such as black grouse, are sensitive to and recognize their calls. Within the framework of field studies, we noticed that adult black grouse were alerted by raven calls during periods outside the breeding season. Since black grouse are large, extremely precocial birds, this reaction can hardly be explained by sensitization specifically to the threat of nest predation by ravens. This surprising observation prompted us to study the phenomenon more systematically. According to our knowledge, the response of birds to corvid vocalization has been studied in altricial birds only. We tested whether the black grouse distinguishes and responds specifically to playback calls of the common raven. Black grouse recognized raven calls and were alerted, displaying typical neck stretching, followed by head scanning, and eventual escape. Surprisingly, males tended to react faster and exhibited a longer duration of vigilance behavior compared to females. Although raven calls are recognized by adult black grouse out of the nesting period, they are not directly endangered by the raven. We speculate that the responsiveness of adult grouse to raven calls might be explained as a learned response in juveniles from nesting hens that is then preserved in adults, or by a known association between the raven and the red fox. In that case, calls of the raven would be rather interpreted as a warning signal of probable proximity of the red fox.}, }
@article {pmid30889388, year = {2019}, author = {Bugnyar, T}, title = {Tool Use: New Caledonian Crows Engage in Mental Planning.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {29}, number = {6}, pages = {R200-R202}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.059}, pmid = {30889388}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Food ; Humans ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {New Caledonian crows are able to flexibly use different tools in a sequence to retrieve food, whereby each step is out-of-sight of the others. Mental planning is thus not a human-specific trait.}, }
@article {pmid30867014, year = {2019}, author = {Gutiérrez-López, R and Martínez-de la Puente, J and Gangoso, L and Soriguer, R and Figuerola, J}, title = {Effects of host sex, body mass and infection by avian Plasmodium on the biting rate of two mosquito species with different feeding preferences.}, journal = {Parasites &amp; vectors}, volume = {12}, number = {1}, pages = {87}, pmid = {30867014}, issn = {1756-3305}, support = {CGL2012-30759//Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Gobierno de España (ES)/ ; CGL2015-65055-P//Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Gobierno de España/ ; 2017 Leonardo Grant for Researchers//Fundación BBVA/ ; Cultural Creators//Fundación BBVA/ ; 747729 "EcoEvoClim"//H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions/ ; P11-RNM-7038//Agencia de Innovación y Desarrollo de Andalucía/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Bird Diseases/parasitology/*transmission ; Crows ; Culex/*parasitology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Host Specificity ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Insect Bites and Stings/veterinary ; Malaria/parasitology/transmission/*veterinary ; Male ; Mosquito Vectors/*parasitology ; Ochlerotatus/*parasitology ; Phenotype ; Plasmodium/*physiology ; Sex Factors ; Sparrows ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: The transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens is strongly influenced by the contact rates between mosquitoes and susceptible hosts. The biting rates of mosquitoes depend on different factors including the mosquito species and host-related traits (i.e. odour, heat and behaviour). However, host characteristics potentially affecting intraspecific differences in the biting rate of mosquitoes are poorly known. Here, we assessed the impact of three host-related traits on the biting rate of two mosquito species with different feeding preferences: the ornithophilic Culex pipiens and the mammophilic Ochlerotatus (Aedes) caspius. Seventy-two jackdaws Corvus monedula and 101 house sparrows Passer domesticus were individually exposed to mosquito bites to test the effect of host sex, body mass and infection status by the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium on biting rates.<br><br>RESULTS: Ochlerotatus caspius showed significantly higher biting rates than Cx. pipiens on jackdaws, but non-significant differences were found on house sparrows. In addition, more Oc. caspius fed on female than on male jackdaws, while no differences were found for Cx. pipiens. The biting rate of mosquitoes on house sparrows increased through the year. The bird infection status and body mass of both avian hosts were not related to the biting rate of both mosquito species.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Host sex was the only host-related trait potentially affecting the biting rate of mosquitoes, although its effect may differ between mosquito and host species.}, }
@article {pmid30850691, year = {2019}, author = {Shimmura, T and Tamura, M and Ohashi, S and Sasaki, A and Yamanaka, T and Nakao, N and Ihara, K and Okamura, S and Yoshimura, T}, title = {Cholecystokinin induces crowing in chickens.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {3978}, pmid = {30850691}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Chickens/*metabolism/*physiology ; Cholecystokinin/*metabolism ; Crows/*metabolism/*physiology ; Gene Expression/physiology ; Male ; Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism ; Receptor, Cholecystokinin B/metabolism ; Sound ; Testosterone/metabolism ; Up-Regulation/physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/physiology ; }, abstract = {Animals that communicate using sound are found throughout the animal kingdom. Interestingly, in contrast to human vocal learning, most animals can produce species-specific patterns of vocalization without learning them from their parents. This phenomenon is called innate vocalization. The underlying molecular basis of both vocal learning in humans and innate vocalization in animals remains unknown. The crowing of a rooster is also innately controlled, and the upstream center is thought to be localized in the nucleus intercollicularis (ICo) of the midbrain. Here, we show that the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR) is a regulatory gene involved in inducing crowing in roosters. Crowing is known to be a testosterone (T)-dependent behavior, and it follows that roosters crow but not hens. Similarly, T-administration induces chicks to crow. By using RNA-sequencing to compare gene expression in the ICo between the two comparison groups that either crow or do not crow, we found that CCKBR expression was upregulated in T-containing groups. The expression of CCKBR and its ligand, cholecystokinin (CCK), a neurotransmitter, was observed in the ICo. We also showed that crowing was induced by intracerebroventricular administration of an agonist specific for CCKBR. Our findings therefore suggest that the CCK system induces innate vocalization in roosters.}, }
@article {pmid30800378, year = {2019}, author = {McCune, KB and Jablonski, P and Lee, SI and Ha, RR}, title = {Captive jays exhibit reduced problem-solving performance compared to wild conspecifics.}, journal = {Royal Society open science}, volume = {6}, number = {1}, pages = {181311}, pmid = {30800378}, issn = {2054-5703}, 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 additional food rewards (learning speed). Our findings differ from the few other studies that have statistically compared wild and captive performance on assessments of problem-solving and learning. This indicates that without explicitly testing it, we cannot assume that captive animal performance on experimental tasks can be generalized to the species as a whole. To better understand the causes and consequences of a variety of animal cognitive abilities, we should measure performance in the social and physical environment in which the ability in question evolved.}, }
@article {pmid30763308, year = {2019}, author = {Bauch, C and Boonekamp, JJ and Korsten, P and Mulder, E and Verhulst, S}, title = {Epigenetic inheritance of telomere length in wild birds.}, journal = {PLoS genetics}, volume = {15}, number = {2}, pages = {e1007827}, pmid = {30763308}, issn = {1553-7404}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/*genetics ; Birds/*genetics ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Epigenesis, Genetic/*genetics ; Epigenomics/methods ; Fathers ; Female ; Heredity/*genetics ; Male ; Paternal Age ; Reproduction/genetics ; Spermatozoa/physiology ; Telomere/*genetics ; }, abstract = {Telomere length (TL) predicts health and survival across taxa. Variation in TL between individuals is thought to be largely of genetic origin, but telomere inheritance is unusual, because zygotes already express a TL phenotype, the TL of the parental gametes. Offspring TL changes with paternal age in many species including humans, presumably through age-related TL changes in sperm, suggesting an epigenetic inheritance mechanism. However, present evidence is based on cross-sectional analyses, and age at reproduction is confounded with between-father variation in TL. Furthermore, the quantitative importance of epigenetic TL inheritance is unknown. Using longitudinal data of free-living jackdaws Corvus monedula, we show that erythrocyte TL of subsequent offspring decreases with parental age within individual fathers, but not mothers. By cross-fostering eggs, we confirmed the paternal age effect to be independent of paternal age dependent care. Epigenetic inheritance accounted for a minimum of 34% of the variance in offspring TL that was explained by paternal TL. This is a minimum estimate, because it ignores the epigenetic component in paternal TL variation and sperm TL heterogeneity within ejaculates. Our results indicate an important epigenetic component in the heritability of TL with potential consequences for offspring fitness prospects.}, }
@article {pmid30744978, year = {2019}, author = {Gruber, R and Schiestl, M and Boeckle, M and Frohnwieser, A and Miller, R and Gray, RD and Clayton, NS and Taylor, AH}, title = {New Caledonian Crows Use Mental Representations to Solve Metatool Problems.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {29}, number = {4}, pages = {686-692.e3}, pmid = {30744978}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; *Imagination ; *Problem Solving ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {One of the mysteries of animal problem-solving is the extent to which animals mentally represent problems in their minds. Humans can imagine both the solution to a problem and the stages along the way [1-3], such as when we plan one or two moves ahead in chess. The extent to which other animals can do the same is far less clear [4-25]. Here, we presented New Caledonian crows with a series of metatool problems where each stage was out of sight of the others and the crows had to avoid either a distractor apparatus containing a non-functional tool or a non-functional apparatus containing a functional tool. Crows were able to mentally represent the sub-goals and goals of metatool problems: crows kept in mind the location and identities of out-of-sight tools and apparatuses while planning and performing a sequence of tool behaviors. This provides the first conclusive evidence that birds can plan several moves ahead while using tools.}, }
@article {pmid30683665, year = {2019}, author = {Matsui, H and Izawa, EI}, title = {Rapid adjustment of pecking trajectory to prism-induced visual shifts in crows as compared with pigeons.}, journal = {The Journal of experimental biology}, volume = {222}, number = {Pt 4}, pages = {}, doi = {10.1242/jeb.182345}, pmid = {30683665}, issn = {1477-9145}, mesh = {Animals ; Columbidae/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; *Motor Activity ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; *Vision, Ocular ; }, abstract = {Pecking in birds is analogous to reaching and grasping movements in primates. Earlier studies on visuomotor control in birds, which were conducted mostly in pigeons, suggested that avian pecking is controlled feedforwardly, and is out of the control of visual guidance during movement. However, recent studies using crows suggested a role of vision in pecking control during movement. To unveil what visuomotor mechanisms underlie the flexibility of pecking in crows, we examined whether pigeons and crows adjust their pecking to the visual distortion induced by prisms. Because prisms induce visual shifts of object positions, birds were required to adjust their movements. Pecking kinematics were examined before and after attaching prisms in front of the birds' eyes. Analysis of lateral deviation caused by the prisms showed that crows rapidly adjusted their pecking trajectories, but pigeons did so slowly. Angular displacement also increased in pigeons after attachment of the prism, but decreased in crows. These responses to prisms were consistent among individuals in pigeons but varied in crows, though the adjustment of pecking commonly succeeded in crows. These results suggest that pecking in pigeons predominantly involves feedforward control and that the movement is determined depending on the visual information available before the initiation of pecking. In contrast, the results from crows suggest that their pecking trajectories are corrected during the movement, supporting on-line visual control. Our findings provide the first evidence to suggest the on-line visual control of pecking in birds.}, }
@article {pmid30679660, year = {2019}, author = {Umbers, KDL and White, TE and De Bona, S and Haff, T and Ryeland, J and Drinkwater, E and Mappes, J}, title = {The protective value of a defensive display varies with the experience of wild predators.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {463}, pmid = {30679660}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Australia ; Behavior, Animal ; *Gryllidae ; *Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {Predation has driven the evolution of diverse adaptations for defence among prey, and one striking example is the deimatic display. While such displays can resemble, or indeed co-occur with, aposematic 'warning' signals, theory suggests deimatic displays may function independently of predator learning. The survival value of deimatic displays against wild predators has not been tested before. Here we used the mountain katydid Acripeza reticulata to test the efficacy of a putative deimatic display in the wild. Mountain katydids have a complex defence strategy; they are camouflaged at rest, but reveal a striking red-, blue-, and black-banded abdomen when attacked. We presented live katydids to sympatric (experienced) and allopatric (naive) natural predators, the Australian magpie Cracticus tibicen, and observed bird reactions and katydid behaviors and survival during repeated interactions. The efficacy of the katydids' defence differed with predator experience. Their survival was greatest when faced with naïve predators, which provided clear evidence of the protective value of the display. In contrast, katydid survival was consistently less likely when facing experienced predators. Our results suggest that sympatric predators have learned to attack and consume mountain katydids despite their complex defense, and that their post-attack display can be an effective deterrent, particularly against naïve predators. These results suggest that deimatism does not require predator learning to afford protection, but that a predator can learn to expect the display and subsequently avoid it or ignore it. That sympatric predators learn to ignore the defense is a possible explanation for the mountain katydid's counter-intuitive behavior of revealing warning colors only after tactile stimuli from predator attack.}, }
@article {pmid30663512, year = {2019}, author = {Kleider-Offutt, HM}, title = {Afraid of one afraid of all: When threat associations spread across face-types.}, journal = {The Journal of general psychology}, volume = {146}, number = {1}, pages = {93-110}, doi = {10.1080/00221309.2018.1540397}, pmid = {30663512}, issn = {1940-0888}, mesh = {African Americans/psychology ; Anxiety/*psychology ; Face ; Fear/*psychology ; Female ; Generalization, Psychological/*physiology ; Humans ; Judgment ; Male ; Prejudice/*psychology ; Psychological Distance ; Reaction Time ; *Social Perception ; *Stereotyping ; Whites/psychology ; }, abstract = {Fear can be acquired for objects not inherently associated with threat (e.g. birds), and this threat may generalize from prototypical to peripheral category members (e.g. crows vs. penguins). When categorizing people, pervasive stereotypes link Black men to assumed violence and criminality. Faces with Afrocentric features (prototypical) are more often associated with threat and criminality than non-Afrocentric (peripheral) faces regardless of whether the individual is Black or White. In this study, using a priming paradigm, threat associations related to negative racial stereotypes were tested as a vehicle for spreading fear across face-type categories. Results showed more negative than positive judgments for White face targets but only when the prime was primarily non-Afrocentric (i.e. Eurocentric). Black face targets were judged more negatively than positively regardless of prime. This suggests some cognitive processes related to threat generalizations of objects extend to complex social categories.}, }
@article {pmid30650339, year = {2019}, author = {Rubi, TL and Clark, DL and Keller, JS and Uetz, GW}, title = {Courtship behavior and coloration influence conspicuousness of wolf spiders (Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz)) to avian predators.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {162}, number = {}, pages = {215-220}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2018.12.023}, pmid = {30650339}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; *Courtship ; Freezing Reaction, Cataleptic ; Male ; *Mating Preference, Animal ; Passeriformes ; *Pigmentation ; Predatory Behavior ; *Selection, Genetic ; *Spiders ; Walking ; }, abstract = {Signalers must balance the benefits of detection by intended receivers with the costs of detection by eavesdroppers. This trade-off is exemplified by sexual signaling systems, in which signalers experience sexual selection for conspicuousness to mates as well as natural selection for crypsis to predators. In this study, we examined how courtship behavior and body coloration influenced the conspicuousness of males to avian predators in the well-studied brush-legged wolf spider system (Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz)). We focused on three behaviors (courtship, walking, and freezing) and two coloration schemes (natural coloration and idealized background-matching coloration). We presented captive blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) with video playbacks of male spiders in a presence-absence detection task and characterized conspicuousness by measuring response latency and detectability. We found that any type of motion significantly increased detectability, and that body coloration and behavior interacted to determine detectability while the spiders were in motion. Among spiders in motion, courting spiders were detected faster than walking spiders. Stationary (frozen) spiders, in contrast, were rarely detected. These results illustrate that male S. ocreata can be both highly conspicuous and highly cryptic to avian predators. Thus, while we find that courtship is conspicuous to avian predators in this system, we suggest that behavioral plasticity may mitigate some of the predation costs of the sexual signal.}, }
@article {pmid30586006, year = {2019}, author = {Huerta-Franco, MR and Vargas-Luna, M and Somoza, X and Delgadillo-Holtfort, I and Balleza-Ordaz, M and Kashina, S}, title = {Gastric responses to acute psychological stress in climacteric women: a pilot study.}, journal = {Menopause (New York, N.Y.)}, volume = {26}, number = {5}, pages = {469-475}, doi = {10.1097/GME.0000000000001274}, pmid = {30586006}, issn = {1530-0374}, mesh = {Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Anxiety/psychology ; Constipation ; Estradiol/blood ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human/blood ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Menopause/*physiology/*psychology ; Middle Aged ; *Peristalsis ; Pilot Projects ; Psychological Tests ; Stress, Psychological/*physiopathology ; }, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: Women exhibit reduced ovarian sex hormones during the menopausal period that result in well-known physical and psychological symptoms. However, symptoms related to gastric motility (GM) have not been thoroughly investigated. We hypothesized that stress response gastric motility (SRGM) is lower in postmenopausal (PM) and perimenopausal (PERIM) women than in premenopausal (PREM) women. Estrogenic decline leads to neuroendocrine changes in different areas of the brain. These changes can result in hypothalamic vasomotor symptoms, disorders in eating behaviours, and altered blood pressure, in addition to psychological disorders such as stress, anxiety, depression, and irritability related to alterations in the limbic system.<br><br>METHODS: In this pilot study, 55 PREM, PERIM, and PM women were clinically evaluated using the Nowack stress profile (SP) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). GM was assessed via electrical bioimpedance using two psychological stress tests (Stroop and Raven tests).<br><br>RESULTS: Basal SP and STAI-anxiety test scores were similar among the three groups of women (P > 0.05). PERIM women had lower GM in the basal state (P < 0.05) than did other women. PREM and PM women had significantly decreased GM during the stress tests (P < 0.05). However, PERIM did not exhibit GM changes during stress tests (P > 0.05).<br><br>CONCLUSION: Changes in sex hormones during PERIM may affect GM and SRGM.}, }
@article {pmid30564390, year = {2018}, author = {Lind, J}, title = {What can associative learning do for planning?.}, journal = {Royal Society open science}, volume = {5}, number = {11}, pages = {180778}, pmid = {30564390}, issn = {2054-5703}, abstract = {There is a new associative learning paradox. The power of associative learning for producing flexible behaviour in non-human animals is downplayed or ignored by researchers in animal cognition, whereas artificial intelligence research shows that associative learning models can beat humans in chess. One phenomenon in which associative learning often is ruled out as an explanation for animal behaviour is flexible planning. However, planning studies have been criticized and questions have been raised regarding both methodological validity and interpretations of results. Due to the power of associative learning and the uncertainty of what causes planning behaviour in non-human animals, I explored what associative learning can do for planning. A previously published sequence learning model which combines Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning was used to simulate two planning studies, namely Mulcahy &amp; Call 2006 'Apes save tools for future use.' Science 312, 1038-1040 and Kabadayi &amp; Osvath 2017 'Ravens parallel great apes in flexible planning for tool-use and bartering.' Science 357, 202-204. Simulations show that behaviour matching current definitions of flexible planning can emerge through associative learning. Through conditioned reinforcement, the learning model gives rise to planning behaviour by learning that a behaviour towards a current stimulus will produce high value food at a later stage; it can make decisions about future states not within current sensory scope. The simulations tracked key patterns both between and within studies. It is concluded that one cannot rule out that these studies of flexible planning in apes and corvids can be completely accounted for by associative learning. Future empirical studies of flexible planning in non-human animals can benefit from theoretical developments within artificial intelligence and animal learning.}, }
@article {pmid30536039, year = {2019}, author = {Ashton, BJ and Ridley, AR and Thornton, A}, title = {Smarter through group living: A response to Smulders.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {47}, number = {4}, pages = {277-279}, pmid = {30536039}, issn = {1543-4508}, support = {DP140101921//Australian Research Council/International ; BB/H021817/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; Female ; *Motivation ; }, abstract = {We recently identified a strong, positive relationship between group size and individual cognitive performance, and a strong, positive relationship between female cognitive performance and reproductive success (Ashton, Ridley, Edwards, &amp; Thornton in Nature, 554, 364-367, 2018). An opinion piece by Smulders (Learning &amp; Behavior, https://doi.org/10.3758/s13420-018-0335-0, 2018) raised the interesting notion that these patterns may be underlined by motivational factors. In this commentary, we highlight why none of the available data are consistent with this explanation, but instead support the argument that the demands of group living influence cognitive development, with knock-on consequences for fitness.}, }
@article {pmid30534343, year = {2018}, author = {Klump, BC and Masuda, BM and St Clair, JJH and Rutz, C}, title = {Preliminary observations of tool-processing behaviour in Hawaiian crows Corvus hawaiiensis.}, journal = {Communicative &amp; integrative biology}, volume = {11}, number = {4}, pages = {e1509637}, pmid = {30534343}, issn = {1942-0889}, abstract = {Very few animal species habitually make and use foraging tools. We recently discovered that the Hawaiian crow is a highly skilled, natural tool user. Most captive adults in our experiment spontaneously used sticks to access out-of-reach food from a range of extraction tasks, exhibiting a surprising degree of dexterity. Moreover, many birds modified tools before or during deployment, and some even manufactured tools from raw materials. In this invited addendum article, we describe and discuss these observations in more detail. Our preliminary data, and comparisons with the better-studied New Caledonian crow, suggest that the Hawaiian crow has extensive tool-modification and manufacture abilities. To chart the full extent of the species' natural tool-making repertoire, we have started conducting dedicated experiments where subjects are given access to suitable raw materials for tool manufacture, but not ready-to-use tools.}, }
@article {pmid30508564, year = {2019}, author = {Kelly, DM and Bisbing, TA and Magnotti, JF}, title = {Use of medial axis for reorientation by the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana).}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {158}, number = {}, pages = {192-199}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2018.11.011}, pmid = {30508564}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Cues ; Orientation, Spatial/*physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Space Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Many animals are challenged with the task of reorientation. Considerable research over the years has shown a diversity of species extract geometric information (e.g., distance and direction) from continuous surfaces or boundaries to reorient. How this information is extracted from the environment is less understood. Three encoding strategies that have received the most study are the use of principal axes, medial axis or local geometric cues. We used a modeling approach to investigate which of these three general strategies best fit the spatial search data of a highly-spatial corvid, the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana). Individual nutcrackers were trained in a rectangular-shaped arena, and once accurately locating a hidden goal, received non-reinforced tests in an L-shaped arena. The specific shape of this arena allowed us to dissociate among the three general encoding strategies. Furthermore, we reanalyzed existing data from chicks, pigeons and humans using our modeling approach. Overall, we found the most support for the use of the medial axis, although we additionally found that pigeons and humans may have engaged in random guessing. As with our previous studies, we find no support for the use of principal axes.}, }
@article {pmid30487308, year = {2018}, author = {Cunningham, CX and Johnson, CN and Barmuta, LA and Hollings, T and Woehler, EJ and Jones, ME}, title = {Top carnivore decline has cascading effects on scavengers and carrion persistence.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {285}, number = {1892}, pages = {}, pmid = {30487308}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Cats/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; *Food Chain ; Introduced Species ; Marsupialia/*physiology ; Population Dynamics ; *Predatory Behavior ; Tasmania ; }, abstract = {Top carnivores have suffered widespread global declines, with well-documented effects on mesopredators and herbivores. We know less about how carnivores affect ecosystems through scavenging. Tasmania's top carnivore, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), has suffered severe disease-induced population declines, providing a natural experiment on the role of scavenging in structuring communities. Using remote cameras and experimentally placed carcasses, we show that mesopredators consume more carrion in areas where devils have declined. Carcass consumption by the two native mesopredators was best predicted by competition for carrion, whereas consumption by the invasive mesopredator, the feral cat (Felis catus), was better predicted by the landscape-level abundance of devils, suggesting a relaxed landscape of fear where devils are suppressed. Reduced discovery of carcasses by devils was balanced by the increased discovery by mesopredators. Nonetheless, carcasses persisted approximately 2.6-fold longer where devils have declined, highlighting their importance for rapid carrion removal. The major beneficiary of increased carrion availability was the forest raven (Corvus tasmanicus). Population trends of ravens increased 2.2-fold from 1998 to 2017, the period of devil decline, but this increase occurred Tasmania-wide, making the cause unclear. This case study provides a little-studied potential mechanism for mesopredator release, with broad relevance to the vast areas of the world that have suffered carnivore declines.}, }
@article {pmid30482600, year = {2018}, author = {Kent, SJW and Morrison, R}, title = {Rural and urban differences in orthognathic surgical patients in the north east of Scotland.}, journal = {The British journal of oral &amp; maxillofacial surgery}, volume = {56}, number = {10}, pages = {931-935}, doi = {10.1016/j.bjoms.2018.10.271}, pmid = {30482600}, issn = {1532-1940}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Facial Asymmetry/epidemiology/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Health Services Accessibility/statistics &amp; numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion/epidemiology/pathology/surgery ; Middle Aged ; Orthognathic Surgical Procedures/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics &amp; numerical data ; Retrospective Studies ; Rural Population/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Scotland/epidemiology ; Severity of Illness Index ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Urban Population/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {We have previously identified differences in the presentation and treatment of cancer between patients who live in rural compared with urban areas, but have not yet seen differences in those treated by orthognathic surgery. We hypothesised that patients from areas further away from the hospital face higher costs to attend and may not present with minor problems as often as those who live nearby. We therefore retrospectively reviewed all those (n=216) who had presented for orthognathic surgery over a six-year period (May 2011 to May 2017). The severity of malocclusion and facial asymmetry was established by combining measurements of intraoperative movements. Rurality was measured as the distance from home to the hospital at the time of operation. Those with smaller intraoperative movements (less than 7mm combined movement) lived significantly closer to the hospital as the crow flies (mean difference 15.13 miles, 95% CI 0.20 to 30.48, p=0.05) and could travel there more quickly (mean difference 65minutes 95% CI 9.8 to 121.7, p=0.02) than those with larger movements. Our results suggest that patients with small malocclusions and slight facial asymmetry who live further away from the hospital, may be less likely to present for operation than those who live closer. We explain why socioeconomic class is unlikely to confound our results, and suggest potential ways to minimise the effect observed.}, }
@article {pmid30457220, year = {2019}, author = {Amici, F}, title = {An Evolutionary Approach to the Study of Collaborative Remembering?.}, journal = {Topics in cognitive science}, volume = {11}, number = {4}, pages = {811-816}, doi = {10.1111/tops.12398}, pmid = {30457220}, issn = {1756-8765}, mesh = {Adaptation, Psychological/physiology ; Biological Evolution ; *Cooperative Behavior ; Humans ; Knowledge ; Memory/*physiology ; Mental Recall/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; Social Learning/physiology ; }, abstract = {Hope and Gabbert (2008) and Jay and colleagues (in press) show us that collaborative remembering, in certain contexts, may result in incomplete and less accurate memories. Here, I will discuss the evolutionary origins of this behavior, linking it to phenomena such as social contagion, conformity, and social learning, which are highly adaptive and widespread across non-human taxa.}, }
@article {pmid30410111, year = {2018}, author = {Laumer, IB and Call, J and Bugnyar, T and Auersperg, AMI}, title = {Spontaneous innovation of hook-bending and unbending in orangutans (Pongo abelii).}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {16518}, pmid = {30410111}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {P 29075/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; P 29084/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior/physiology ; Female ; Locomotion ; Male ; Pongo abelii/*physiology ; Stereotyped Behavior/*physiology ; Tool Use Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Betty the crow astonished the scientific world as she spontaneously crafted hook-tools from straight wire in order to lift a basket out of vertical tubes. Recently it was suggested that this species' solution was strongly influenced by predispositions from behavioural routines from habitual hook-tool manufacture. Nevertheless, the task became a paradigm to investigate tool innovation. Considering that young humans had surprising difficulties with the task, it was yet unclear whether the innovation of a hooked tool would be feasible to primates that lacked habitual hook making. We thus tested five captive orangutans in a hook bending and unbending task. Orangutans are habitually tool-using primates that have been reported to use but not craft hooked tools for locomotion in the wild. Two orangutans spontaneously innovated hook tools and four unbent the wire from their first trial on. Pre-experience with ready-made hooks had some effect but did not lead to continuous success. Further subjects improved the hook-design feature when the task required the subjects to bent the hook at a steeper angle. Our results indicate that the ability to represent and manufacture tools according to a current need does not require stereotyped behavioural routines, but can indeed arise innovatively. Furthermore, the present study shows that the capacity for hook tool innovation is not limited to large brained birds within non-human animals.}, }
@article {pmid30356096, year = {2018}, author = {Bayern, AMPV and Danel, S and Auersperg, AMI and Mioduszewska, B and Kacelnik, A}, title = {Compound tool construction by New Caledonian crows.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {15676}, pmid = {30356096}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; Decision Making ; Executive Function ; Female ; Food ; Inventions ; Male ; *Problem Solving ; Reward ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The construction of novel compound tools through assemblage of otherwise non-functional elements involves anticipation of the affordances of the tools to be built. Except for few observations in captive great apes, compound tool construction is unknown outside humans, and tool innovation appears late in human ontogeny. We report that habitually tool-using New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) can combine objects to construct novel compound tools. We presented 8 naïve crows with combinable elements too short to retrieve food targets. Four crows spontaneously combined elements to make functional tools, and did so conditionally on the position of food. One of them made 3- and 4-piece tools when required. In humans, individual innovation in compound tool construction is often claimed to be evolutionarily and mechanistically related to planning, complex task coordination, executive control, and even language. Our results are not accountable by direct reinforcement learning but corroborate that these crows possess highly flexible abilities that allow them to solve novel problems rapidly. The underlying cognitive processes however remain opaque for now. They probably include the species' typical propensity to use tools, their ability to judge affordances that make some objects usable as tools, and an ability to innovate perhaps through virtual, cognitive simulations.}, }
@article {pmid30355809, year = {2018}, author = {Ling, H and Mclvor, GE and Nagy, G and MohaimenianPour, S and Vaughan, RT and Thornton, A and Ouellette, NT}, title = {Simultaneous measurements of three-dimensional trajectories and wingbeat frequencies of birds in the field.}, journal = {Journal of the Royal Society, Interface}, volume = {15}, number = {147}, pages = {}, pmid = {30355809}, issn = {1742-5662}, mesh = {Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Crows/*physiology ; Flight, Animal/*physiology ; Wings, Animal/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Tracking the movements of birds in three dimensions is integral to a wide range of problems in animal ecology, behaviour and cognition. Multi-camera stereo-imaging has been used to track the three-dimensional (3D) motion of birds in dense flocks, but precise localization of birds remains a challenge due to imaging resolution in the depth direction and optical occlusion. This paper introduces a portable stereo-imaging system with improved accuracy and a simple stereo-matching algorithm that can resolve optical occlusion. This system allows us to decouple body and wing motion, and thus measure not only velocities and accelerations but also wingbeat frequencies along the 3D trajectories of birds. We demonstrate these new methods by analysing six flocking events consisting of 50 to 360 jackdaws (Corvus monedula) and rooks (Corvus frugilegus) as well as 32 jackdaws and 6 rooks flying in isolated pairs or alone. Our method allows us to (i) measure flight speed and wingbeat frequency in different flying modes; (ii) characterize the U-shaped flight performance curve of birds in the wild, showing that wingbeat frequency reaches its minimum at moderate flight speeds; (iii) examine group effects on individual flight performance, showing that birds have a higher wingbeat frequency when flying in a group than when flying alone and when flying in dense regions than when flying in sparse regions; and (iv) provide a potential avenue for automated discrimination of bird species. We argue that the experimental method developed in this paper opens new opportunities for understanding flight kinematics and collective behaviour in natural environments.}, }
@article {pmid30313452, year = {2018}, author = {Passanha, V and Brescovit, AD}, title = {On the Neotropical spider Subfamily Masteriinae (Araneae, Dipluridae).}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4463}, number = {1}, pages = {1-73}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4463.1.1}, pmid = {30313452}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures ; Animals ; Body Size ; Brazil ; Colombia ; Dominican Republic ; Female ; Martinique ; Organ Size ; Peru ; *Spiders ; Trinidad and Tobago ; Venezuela ; }, abstract = {The Neotropical species of the diplurid subfamily Masteriinae are revised and redefined. Masteriinae now comprises four genera, Masteria L. Koch, 1893, Striamea Raven, 1981, a new genus, Siremata n. gen. and Edwa Raven, 2015, a fossil genus. The type species, Masteria hirsuta L. Koch, 1893, was used as basis for comparison and the knowledge of the genus has increased. Twelve species of Masteria are redescribed and eight new species are described: M. amarumayu n. sp. and M. mutum n. sp., from Brazil; M. yacambu n. sp., from Venezuela; M. sabrinae n. sp., from Martinique; M. tayrona n. sp., from Colombia; M. aguaruna n. sp., from Peru, M. soucouyant n. sp., from Trinidad and Tobago; and M. galipote n. sp., from the Dominican Republic. Females of Masteria aimeae (Alayón, 1995) and M. golovatchi Alayón, 1995 are described for the first time. Females of M. spinosa (Petrunkevitch, 1925), M. petrunkevitchi (Chickering, 1964), M. lewisi (Chickering, 1964), M. barona (Chickering, 1966), M. downeyi (Chickering, 1966), M. simla (Chickering, 1966), M. colombiensis Raven, 1981 and M. pecki Gertsch, 1982 are illustrated for the first time and rediagnosed. Masteria tovarensis (Simon, 1889) and M. cyclops (Simon, 1889) are synonymized with M. lucifuga (Simon, 1889). Masteria modesta (Simon, 1892) is considered as species inquirendae and M. emboaba Pedroso, Baptista Bertani, 2015 is considered as incertae sedis, as the type is lost. Both species of Striamea are revised and redescribed. A new genus, Siremata n. gen., is described and includes three Amazonian species: S. valteri n. sp., S. juruti n. sp., S. lucasae n. sp. Knowledge of the distribution ranges of the Neotropical Masteriinae are increased.}, }
@article {pmid30313189, year = {2018}, author = {Almeida, MQ and Salvatierra, L and De Morais, JW}, title = {A new species of Masteria L. Koch, 1873 (Dipluridae: Masteriinae) from Guyana.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4434}, number = {2}, pages = {366-368}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4434.2.6}, pmid = {30313189}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Guyana ; Male ; *Spiders ; }, abstract = {Mygalomorphs are a diverse spider group with primitive characteristics composed of the largest spider species in the world, however some species may be very small (Bond et al. 2012; Rogerio et al. 2013). The small spiders of the subfamily Masteriinae (Dipluridae, Mygalomorphae) can be found in Asia and South America (Raven 1981; Pedroso et al. 2015; WSC 2017). The subfamily is represented by two genera: Masteria L. Koch, 1873 and Striamea Raven, 1981. Masteria species can be identified by the following combination of characters: absence of cuspules in endites and labium; zero, two, six or eight eyes; and with or without paraembolic apophysis on the male palpal bulb (Raven 1981, 1985, 1991; Alayón 1995; Bertani et al. 2013; Pedroso et al. 2015). Currently, 24 species of Masteria are described, with 6 species found in South America: Masteria colombiensis, Raven, 1981 from Colombia; M. manauara Bertani, Cruz Oliveira 2013 and M. emboaba Pedroso, Baptista Bertani, 2015 from Brazil; M. cyclops (Simon 1889), M. tovarensis (Simon, 1889) and M. lucifuga (Simon, 1889) from Venezuela (WSC 2017). We document herein the first record and description of a new species of the genus Masteria from Guyana.}, }
@article {pmid30307964, year = {2018}, author = {Hausberger, M and Boigné, A and Lesimple, C and Belin, L and Henry, L}, title = {Wide-eyed glare scares raptors: From laboratory evidence to applied management.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {13}, number = {10}, pages = {e0204802}, pmid = {30307964}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Eye/*physiopathology ; Glare ; Predatory Behavior/physiology ; Raptors/*physiology ; Vision, Ocular/physiology ; Visual Perception/physiology ; }, abstract = {Raptors are one of the most important causes of fatalities due to their collisions with aircrafts as well as being the main victims of collisions with constructions. They are difficult to deter because they are not influenced by other airspace users or ground predators. Because vision is the primary sensory mode of many diurnal raptors, we evaluated the reactions of captive raptors to a "superstimulus" (a "paradoxical effect whereby animals show greater responsiveness to an exaggerated stimulus than to the natural stimulus") that combined an "eye shape" stimulus (as many species have an aversion for this type of stimulus) and a looming movement (LE). This looming stimulus mimics an impending collision and induces avoidance in a wide range of species. In captivity, raptors showed a clear aversion for this LE stimulus. We then tested it in a real life setting: at an airport where raptors are abundant. This study is the first to show the efficiency of a visual non-invasive repellent system developed on the basis of both captive and field studies. This system deterred birds of prey and corvids through aversion, and did not induce habituation. These findings suggest applications for human security as well as bird conservation, and further research on avian visual perception and sensitivity to signals.}, }
@article {pmid30288960, year = {2019}, author = {Taufique, ST and Prabhat, A and Kumar, V}, title = {Light at night affects hippocampal and nidopallial cytoarchitecture: Implication for impairment of brain function in diurnal corvids.}, journal = {Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology}, volume = {331}, number = {2}, pages = {149-156}, doi = {10.1002/jez.2238}, pmid = {30288960}, issn = {2471-5646}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Brain/*radiation effects ; *Circadian Rhythm ; Cognition/physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Hippocampus/*radiation effects ; Light/*adverse effects ; Neurons/*radiation effects ; Photoperiod ; }, abstract = {Our previous studies have shown that light at night (LAN) impaired cognitive performance and affected neurogenesis and neurochemistry in the cognition-associated brain regions, particularly the hippocampus (HP) and lateral caudal nidopallium (NCL) of Indian house crows (Corvus splendens). Here, we examined the cytoarchitecture and mapped out the morphology of neurons and glia-neuron density in HP and NCL regions of crows that were first entrained to 12-hr light (LL): 12-hr darkness (LD) and then exposed to the light regime in which 12-hr darkness was either replaced by daytime light (i.e., constant light, LL) or by dim light (i.e., dim light at night, dLAN), with controls continued on LD 12:12. Compared with LD, there was a significant decrease in the soma size, suggesting reduced neuronal plasticity without affecting the neuronal density of both HP and NCL of crows under LL and dLAN conditions. In parallel, we found a reduced number of glia cells and, hence, decreased glia-neuron ratio positively correlated with soma size in both, HP and NCL regions. These results for the first time demonstrate LAN-induced negative effects on the brain cytoarchitecture of a diurnal species and give insight for possible influence on the brain health and functions in animals including humans that might be inadvertently exposed to LAN in an emerging night-illuminated urban environment.}, }
@article {pmid30286069, year = {2018}, author = {Mitchell, PW}, title = {The fault in his seeds: Lost notes to the case of bias in Samuel George Morton's cranial race science.}, journal = {PLoS biology}, volume = {16}, number = {10}, pages = {e2007008}, pmid = {30286069}, issn = {1545-7885}, mesh = {Anatomy, Comparative/history ; Craniotomy/*history ; History, 19th Century ; Humans ; Organ Size ; Philadelphia ; Racial Groups ; Racism/*history ; Skull/anatomy &amp; histology ; }, abstract = {The discovery of nearly 180-year-old cranial measurements in the archives of 19th century American physician and naturalist Samuel George Morton can address a lingering debate, begun in the late 20th century by paleontologist and historian of science Stephen Jay Gould, about the unconscious bias alleged in Morton's comparative data of brain size in human racial groups. Analysis of Morton's lost data and the records of his studies does not support Gould's arguments about Morton's biased data collection. However, historical contextualization of Morton with his scientific peers, especially German anatomist Friedrich Tiedemann, suggests that, while Morton's data may have been unbiased, his cranial race science was not. Tiedemann and Morton independently produced similar data about human brain size in different racial groups but analyzed and interpreted their nearly equivalent results in dramatically different ways: Tiedemann using them to argue for equality and the abolition of slavery, and Morton using them to entrench racial divisions and hierarchy. These differences draw attention to the epistemic limitations of data and the pervasive role of bias within the broader historical, social, and cultural context of science.}, }
@article {pmid30282404, year = {2018}, author = {Shin, DA and Kim, C and Yudoyono, F and Yun, Y and Ha, Y and Kang, S}, title = {Feasibility of Percutaneous Robot-Assisted Epiduroscopic System.}, journal = {Pain physician}, volume = {21}, number = {5}, pages = {E565-E571}, pmid = {30282404}, issn = {2150-1149}, mesh = {Animals ; Endoscopy/*instrumentation/methods ; Epidural Space/*surgery ; Feasibility Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/*instrumentation/*methods ; Robotics/instrumentation/methods ; Swine ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Endoscopy has replaced open surgery, especially in spinal surgery. Among them, image-guided epiduroscopy allows pain generators to be identified, including epidural adhesion, fibrotic tissues, root compression, and spinal stenosis. However, the heavy lead apron worn by pain physicians to avoid exposure to radiation can induce occupational hazards, such as orthopedic complications and radiation-induced cancer. Hence, we developed a robotic system to address these problems.<br><br>OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of a robot-controlled epiduroscopic system.<br><br>STUDY DESIGN: In vivo animal experiment.<br><br>SETTING: University in Republic of Korea.<br><br>METHODS: The robot-controlled epiduroscopic system was developed using the open architecture robot system (The Raven Surgical Robotic System, CITRIS, Berkley, CA, USA). The robotic system consists of a lab-made epiduroscope, steering section, robotic arm, and manipulator. For the in vivo study, 2 Yorkshire pigs were used to simulate an epiduroscopic procedure with the robotic system.<br><br>RESULTS: The insertion and steering of the catheter was performed safely, and epiduroscopic visualization was obtained without side effects. There were no device-related complications. Radiation exposure for the primary operator was 80% lower than the levels found during conventional epiduroscopic procedures. All live pigs showed normal behavior without any signs of pain. The mean time to reach the target region was less than 8 minutes.<br><br>LIMITATIONS: The epiduroscopic procedure was performed on pigs and not on humans. The dimensions of the spinal canal of pigs cannot compare to those of humans.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the feasibility of the robot-assisted epiduroscopic system.<br><br>KEY WORDS: Epiduroscopy, robotic system, spine, pig, animal model.}, }
@article {pmid30256169, year = {2018}, author = {Elderbrock, EK and Small, TW and Schoech, SJ}, title = {Adult Provisioning Influences Nestling Corticosterone Levels in Florida Scrub Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens).}, journal = {Physiological and biochemical zoology : PBZ}, volume = {91}, number = {6}, pages = {1083-1090}, doi = {10.1086/700258}, pmid = {30256169}, issn = {1537-5293}, mesh = {Animals ; Corticosterone/*blood ; Female ; *Maternal Behavior ; *Nesting Behavior ; Songbirds/*physiology ; }, abstract = {We studied Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) nestlings to examine the relationship between parental feeding rates and levels of corticosterone (CORT), a metabolic and stress-related steroid hormone hypothesized to play a role in mediating begging behavior. It has been documented that nutritional deficiency results in increased glucocorticoid levels in nestling birds. Further, previous studies have found that CORT levels of Florida scrub jay nestlings are negatively correlated with parental nest attendance and provisioning rates; however, the behavioral observations were made several days before the collection of samples to assess CORT levels. Few studies have investigated whether experience immediately before sampling impacts nestling glucocorticoid levels, especially in a free-living species. By monitoring parental activity at the nest before sample collection, we found that nestling CORT levels varied as a function of parental provisioning rate and the time since their last feed. However, counter to our predictions, higher provisioning rates and more recent feedings were associated with higher CORT levels in nestlings rather than lower CORT levels. These results suggest that some aspect of parental provisioning results in increased CORT levels in nestling Florida scrub jays.}, }
@article {pmid30253153, year = {2018}, author = {Rutz, C and Hunt, GR and St Clair, JJH}, title = {Corvid Technologies: How Do New Caledonian Crows Get Their Tool Designs?.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {28}, number = {18}, pages = {R1109-R1111}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.08.031}, pmid = {30253153}, issn = {1879-0445}, support = {BB/G023913/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {*Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Recent research shows that New Caledonian crows can incorporate information from researcher-made objects into objects they subsequently manufacture. This 'mental template matching' is one of several possible - mutually compatible - mechanisms for the cultural transmission of tool designs among wild crows.}, }
@article {pmid30238146, year = {2018}, author = {Ganz, K and Jenni, L and Madry, MM and Kraemer, T and Jenny, H and Jenny, D}, title = {Acute and Chronic Lead Exposure in Four Avian Scavenger Species in Switzerland.}, journal = {Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology}, volume = {75}, number = {4}, pages = {566-575}, doi = {10.1007/s00244-018-0561-7}, pmid = {30238146}, issn = {1432-0703}, mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Birds ; Bone and Bones/chemistry ; Crows ; Eagles ; Ecotoxicology/methods ; Environmental Exposure/*analysis ; Environmental Pollutants/*analysis/pharmacokinetics ; Falconiformes ; Lead/*analysis/pharmacokinetics ; Lead Poisoning/*veterinary ; Liver/chemistry ; Species Specificity ; Switzerland ; Tissue Distribution ; }, abstract = {Despite irrefutable evidence of its negative impact on animal behaviour and physiology, lethal and sublethal lead poisoning of wildlife is still persistent and widespread. For scavenging birds, ingestion of ammunition, or fragments thereof, is the major exposure route. In this study, we examined the occurrence of lead in four avian scavengers of Switzerland and how it differs between species, regions, and age of the bird. We measured lead concentration in liver and bone of the two main alpine avian scavengers (golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos and bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus) over the entire area of the Swiss Alps and two of the main avian scavengers occurring in the lowlands of Switzerland (red kite Milvus milvus and common raven Corvus corax). Of those four species, only the bearded vulture is an obligate scavenger. We found that lead burdens in the two alpine avian scavengers were higher than those found for the same species elsewhere in Europe or North America and reached levels compatible with acute poisoning, whereas lead burdens of the two lowland avian scavengers seemed to be lower. Several golden eagles, but only one red kite with abnormally high bone lead concentrations were found. In all four species, a substantial proportion of birds had elevated levels which presumably represent recent (liver lead levels) or past (bone lead levels) uptake of sublethal doses of lead.}, }
@article {pmid30222228, year = {2019}, author = {Townsend, AK and Taff, CC and Jones, ML and Getman, KH and Wheeler, SS and Hinton, MG and Logsdon, RM}, title = {Apparent inbreeding preference despite inbreeding depression in the American crow.}, journal = {Molecular ecology}, volume = {28}, number = {5}, pages = {1116-1126}, doi = {10.1111/mec.14866}, pmid = {30222228}, issn = {1365-294X}, support = {(13-2735)//ANR Competitive Grant from the University of California at Davis/International ; 1555754//National Science Foundation/International ; }, mesh = {Animals ; California ; Crows/*genetics/physiology ; Heterozygote ; Inbreeding ; Inbreeding Depression/*genetics ; Microsatellite Repeats/*genetics ; New York ; Reproduction/*genetics ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; }, abstract = {Although matings between relatives can have negative effects on offspring fitness, apparent inbreeding preference has been reported in a growing number of systems, including those with documented inbreeding depression. Here, we examined evidence for inbreeding depression and inbreeding preference in two populations (Clinton, New York, and Davis, California, USA) of the cooperatively breeding American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). We then compared observed inbreeding strategies with theoretical expectations for optimal, adaptive levels of inbreeding, given the inclusive fitness benefits and population-specific magnitude of inbreeding depression. We found that low heterozygosity at a panel of 33 microsatellite markers was associated with low survival probability (fledging success) and low white blood cell counts among offspring in both populations. Despite these costs, our data were more consistent with inbreeding preference than avoidance: The observed heterozygosity among 396 sampled crow offspring was significantly lower than expected if local adults were mating by random chance. This pattern was consistent across a range of spatial scales in both populations. Adaptive levels of inbreeding, given the magnitude of inbreeding depression, were predicted to be very low in the California population, whereas complete disassortative mating was predicted in the New York population. Sexual conflict might have contributed to the apparent absence of inbreeding avoidance in crows. These data add to an increasing number of examples of an "inbreeding paradox," where inbreeding appears to be preferred despite inbreeding depression.}, }
@article {pmid30218624, year = {2018}, author = {Taufique, SKT and Prabhat, A and Kumar, V}, title = {Illuminated night alters hippocampal gene expressions and induces depressive-like responses in diurnal corvids.}, journal = {The European journal of neuroscience}, volume = {48}, number = {9}, pages = {3005-3018}, doi = {10.1111/ejn.14157}, pmid = {30218624}, issn = {1460-9568}, mesh = {Animals ; Biomarkers/blood ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/biosynthesis/genetics ; Circadian Rhythm/*physiology ; Corticosterone/blood ; Crows ; Depression/etiology/*genetics/*metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Hippocampus/*metabolism ; Lighting/*adverse effects ; Melatonin/blood/genetics ; Photoperiod ; }, abstract = {Artificial light at night induces circadian disruptions and causes cognitive impairment and mood disorders; yet very little is known about the neural and molecular correlates of these effects in diurnal animals. We manipulated the night environment and examined cellular and molecular changes in hippocampus, the brain region involved in cognition and mood, of Indian house crows (Corvus splendens) exposed to 12 hr light (150 lux): 12 hr darkness (0 lux). Diurnal corvids are an ideal model species with cognitive abilities at par with mammals. Dim light (6 lux) at night (dLAN) altered daily activity:rest pattern, reduced sleep, and induced depressive-like responses (decreased eating and self-grooming, self-mutilation, and reduced novel object exploration); return to an absolute dark night reversed these negative effects. dLAN suppressed nocturnal melatonin levels; however, diurnal corticosterone levels were unaffected. Concomitant reduction of immunoreactivity for DCX and BDNF suggested dLAN-induced suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis and compromised neuronal health. dLAN also negatively influenced hippocampal expression of genes associated with depressive-like responses (bdnf, il-1β, tnfr1, nr4a2), but not of those associated with neuronal plasticity (egr1, creb, syngap, syn2, grin2a, grin2b), cellular oxidative stress (gst, sod3, cat1) and neuronal death (caspase2, caspase3, foxo3). Furthermore, we envisaged the role of BDNF and showed epigenetic modification of bdnf gene by decreased histone H3 acetylation and increased hdac4 expression under dLAN. These results demonstrate transcriptional and epigenetic bases of dLAN-induced negative effects in diurnal crows, and provide insights into the risks of exposure to illuminated nights to animals including humans in an urban setting.}, }
@article {pmid30215276, year = {2019}, author = {Simonds, VW and Kim, FL and LaVeaux, D and Pickett, V and Milakovich, J and Cummins, J}, title = {Guardians of the Living Water: Using a Health Literacy Framework to Evaluate a Child as Change Agent Intervention.}, journal = {Health education &amp; behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education}, volume = {46}, number = {2}, pages = {349-359}, pmid = {30215276}, issn = {1552-6127}, support = {P20 GM103474/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; P20 GM104417/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Child ; Community-Based Participatory Research ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; *Health Literacy ; Humans ; Indians, North American/*psychology ; Male ; Program Development ; Program Evaluation ; *Water Pollution ; *Water Supply ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: American Indian communities in the United States experience considerable health inequities, including increased exposure to environmental contaminants. Consequently, community members of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation identified the lack of water-related environmental knowledge among children as an area of concern.<br><br>AIM: The purpose of this study was to provide a feasibility evaluation of an increasingly sophisticated environmental health literacy program for children.<br><br>METHOD: A community-academic partnership developed and piloted the Guardians of the Living Water program to increase environmental health literacy among children and their families on the Crow reservation. Nutbeam's framework for health literacy, a schema based on functional, interactive, and critical literacy, shaped the program evaluation. We used a within-subjects, quasi-experimental design without a control group. Interviews with children and parents were used to assess the feasibility of the program, while pre-/posttests assessed changes in knowledge, skills, and behavior.<br><br>RESULTS: Compared with preintervention responses, those from postintervention indicated significant increases for selected knowledge and attitude components. Based on qualitative interviews with children and caregivers, the camp was a valuable experience and increased knowledge of water quality science and reinforced cultural knowledge.<br><br>DISCUSSION: This success of our program stems from the trust initially built between partners and then expanded throughout the community. The program and the evaluation benefited from both the health literacy framework and from our integration of Apsáalooke values.<br><br>CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a community-based intervention designed to increase environmental health literacy among youth and their social networks is feasible and acceptable to this American Indian community.}, }
@article {pmid30205027, year = {2018}, author = {Wheatcroft, D and Price, TD}, title = {Collective Action Promoted by Key Individuals.}, journal = {The American naturalist}, volume = {192}, number = {4}, pages = {401-414}, doi = {10.1086/698874}, pmid = {30205027}, issn = {1537-5323}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Cooperative Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Nesting Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; *Social Behavior ; Songbirds/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Explaining why individuals participate in risky group behaviors has been a long-term challenge. We experimentally studied the formation of groups of birds (mobs) that aggressively confront predators and avian nest parasites and developed a theoretical model to evaluate the conditions under which mobs arise. We presented taxidermied mounts of predators on adult birds (hawks and owls) and of nest threats (crows and cuckoos) at different distances to nests of Phylloscopus warblers. Even when alone, birds are aggressive toward predators of adult birds, both at and away from their nests. By contrast, birds aggressively confront nest threats alone only when they have a nest nearby. However, strong initial responses by nest owners lead individuals without nearby nests to increase their responses, thereby generating a mob. Building on these findings, we derive the conditions in which individuals are incentivized to invest more when joining a high-gain individual compared to when acting alone. Strong responses of high-gain individuals acting alone tend to reduce the investments of other high-gain individuals that subsequently join. However, individuals that benefit sufficiently little from acting alone increase their investments when joining a high-gain individual and can even be sufficiently incentivized to join in when they would otherwise not act alone. Together, these results suggest an important role for key individuals in the generation of some group behaviors.}, }
@article {pmid30132156, year = {2018}, author = {Hennefield, L and Hwang, HG and Weston, SJ and Povinelli, DJ}, title = {Meta-analytic techniques reveal that corvid causal reasoning in the Aesop's Fable paradigm is driven by trial-and-error learning.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {21}, number = {6}, pages = {735-748}, pmid = {30132156}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {F32 HD093273/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; *Learning ; *Problem Solving ; Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The classic Aesop's fable, Crow and the Pitcher, has inspired a major line of research in comparative cognition. Over the past several years, five articles (over 32 experiments) have examined the ability of corvids (e.g., rooks, crows, and jays) to complete lab-based analogs of this fable, by requiring them to drop stones and other objects into tubes of water to retrieve a floating worm (Bird and Emery in Curr Biol 19:1-5, 2009b; Cheke et al. in Anim Cogn 14:441-455, 2011; Jelbert et al. in PLoS One 3:e92895, 2014; Logan et al. in PLoS One 7:e103049, 2014; Taylor et al. in Gray R D 12:e26887, 2011). These researchers have stressed the unique potential of this paradigm for understanding causal reasoning in corvids. Ghirlanda and Lind (Anim Behav 123:239-247, 2017) re-evaluated trial-level data from these studies and concluded that initial preferences for functional objects, combined with trial-and-error learning, may account for subjects' performance on key variants of the paradigm. In the present paper, we use meta-analytic techniques to provide more precise information about the rate and mode of learning that occurs within and across tasks. Within tasks, subjects learned from successful (but not unsuccessful) actions, indicating that higher-order reasoning about phenomena such as mass, volume, and displacement is unlikely to be involved. Furthermore, subjects did not transfer information learned in one task to subsequent tasks, suggesting that corvids do not engage with these tasks as variants of the same problem (i.e., how to generate water displacement to retrieve a floating worm). Our methodological analysis and empirical findings raise the question: Can Aesop's fable studies distinguish between trial-and-error learning and/or higher-order causal reasoning? We conclude they cannot.}, }
@article {pmid30127351, year = {2018}, author = {Mason, LD and Wardell-Johnson, G and Luxton, SJ and Bateman, PW}, title = {Predators Show Seasonal Predilections for Model Clay Spiders in an Urban Environment.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {12444}, pmid = {30127351}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Environment ; Predatory Behavior/*physiology ; Seasons ; Spiders/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Predator-prey interactions may be altered under human-induced rapid environmental change, such as urbanisation. Extensive clearing in urban areas may leave short-range endemic species, such as mygalomorph spiders, more vulnerable to local extinction through predation in remaining remnants. Predation rates on Australian mygalomorph spiders were assessed using clay models of two size classes (5 cm, 3 cm), during two time periods in 2016 (January-February, July-August). Size and phenology of models resembled the mygalomorph genera Aname and Teyl occurring in these local urban remnants. Local predator guilds were significantly influenced by leaf-litter cover (%) and proportion of surrounding parkland. Preference for spider vs. control models was consistent across all predator types (bird, rodent, lizard and wasp), but specialist spider wasps (Pompilidae) only attacked spider models. Generalist predators (birds, lizards and rodents) were more opportunistic. Lizards and rodents exhibit similar predation behaviour, indicating there may be some inter-specific competition. Invasive generalists (e. g. rodents) or urban adapters (e. g. corvids) are more likely to represent an increased threat to spiders than are co-evolved specialists (e.g. spider wasps).}, }
@article {pmid30111659, year = {2018}, author = {Steyaert, SMJG and Frank, SC and Puliti, S and Badia, R and Arnberg, MP and Beardsley, J and Økelsrud, A and Blaalid, R}, title = {Special delivery: scavengers direct seed dispersal towards ungulate carcasses.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {14}, number = {8}, pages = {}, pmid = {30111659}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds ; Ericaceae ; Feces ; Feeding Behavior ; Foxes ; Norway ; Reindeer ; *Seed Dispersal ; Seeds ; }, abstract = {Cadaver decomposition islands around animal carcasses can facilitate establishment of various plant life. Facultative scavengers have great potential for endozoochory, and often aggregate around carcasses. Hence, they may disperse plant seeds that they ingest across the landscape towards cadaver decomposition islands. Here, we demonstrate this novel mechanism along a gradient of wild tundra reindeer carcasses. First, we show that the spatial distribution of scavenger faeces (birds and foxes) was concentrated around carcasses. Second, faeces of the predominant scavengers (corvids) commonly contained viable seeds of crowberry, a keystone species of the alpine tundra with predominantly vegetative reproduction. We suggest that cadaver decomposition islands function as endpoints for directed endozoochory by scavengers. Such a mechanism could be especially beneficial for species that rely on small-scale disturbances in soil and vegetation, such as several Nordic berry-producing species with cryptic generative reproduction.}, }
@article {pmid30071975, year = {2018}, author = {Campo, JV and Bridge, JA}, title = {Exploring the Impact of 13 Reasons Why: Looking for Light Amidst the Heat . . .}, journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry}, volume = {57}, number = {8}, pages = {547-549}, doi = {10.1016/j.jaac.2018.05.012}, pmid = {30071975}, issn = {1527-5418}, mesh = {Adolescent ; *Bullying ; Female ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; *Suicide ; }, abstract = {A Letter to the Editor by Kieling and collegues1 in this month's Journal attempts to explore the impact of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (13RW) on the thinking and behavior of adolescent viewers. The series is an adaptation of a 2007 novel by Jay Asher, and tells the story of an adolescent girl who dies by suicide following a series of traumas and disappointments that she catalogues before her death on 13 audiotapes. The tapes are left behind with the expectation that each of the individuals presumably responsible for her suicide will listen and better understand their individual and collective failures. Since its release and airing in 2017, the show has generated considerable heated debate and controversy, largely due to concerns about its potential for suicide contagion.}, }
@article {pmid30071683, year = {2018}, author = {Sutton, JT and Helmkampf, M and Steiner, CC and Bellinger, MR and Korlach, J and Hall, R and Baybayan, P and Muehling, J and Gu, J and Kingan, S and Masuda, BM and Ryder, OA}, title = {A High-Quality, Long-Read De Novo Genome Assembly to Aid Conservation of Hawaii's Last Remaining Crow Species.}, journal = {Genes}, volume = {9}, number = {8}, pages = {}, pmid = {30071683}, issn = {2073-4425}, abstract = {Abstract: Genome-level data can provide researchers with unprecedented precision to examine the causes and genetic consequences of population declines, which can inform conservation management. Here, we present a high-quality, long-read, de novo genome assembly for one of the world's most endangered bird species, the 'Alalā (Corvus hawaiiensis; Hawaiian crow). As the only remaining native crow species in Hawai'i, the 'Alalā survived solely in a captive-breeding program from 2002 until 2016, at which point a long-term reintroduction program was initiated. The high-quality genome assembly was generated to lay the foundation for both comparative genomics studies and the development of population-level genomic tools that will aid conservation and recovery efforts. We illustrate how the quality of this assembly places it amongst the very best avian genomes assembled to date, comparable to intensively studied model systems. We describe the genome architecture in terms of repetitive elements and runs of homozygosity, and we show that compared with more outbred species, the 'Alalā genome is substantially more homozygous. We also provide annotations for a subset of immunity genes that are likely to be important in conservation management, and we discuss how this genome is currently being used as a roadmap for downstream conservation applications.}, }
@article {pmid30012749, year = {2018}, author = {Gonçalves, A and Biro, D}, title = {Comparative thanatology, an integrative approach: exploring sensory/cognitive aspects of death recognition in vertebrates and invertebrates.}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences}, volume = {373}, number = {1754}, pages = {}, pmid = {30012749}, issn = {1471-2970}, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; *Cues ; *Death ; *Invertebrates ; *Perception ; Thanatology ; *Vertebrates ; }, abstract = {Evolutionary thanatology benefits from broad taxonomic comparisons of non-human animals' responses to death. Furthermore, exploring the sensory and cognitive bases of these responses promises to allow classification of the underlying mechanisms on a spectrum from phylogenetically ancient to more derived traits. We draw on studies of perception and cognition in invertebrate and vertebrate taxa (with a focus on arthropods, corvids, proboscids, cetaceans and primates) to explore the cues that these animals use to detect life and death in others, and discuss proximate and ultimate drivers behind their capacities to do so. Parallels in thanatological behaviour exhibited by the last four taxa suggest similar sensory-cognitive processing rules for dealing with corpses, the evolution of which may have been driven by complex social environments. Uniting these responses is a phenomenon we term 'animacy detection malfunction', whereupon the corpse, having both animate and inanimate attributes, creates states of fear/curiosity manifested as approach/avoidance behaviours in observers. We suggest that integrating diverse lines of evidence (including the 'uncanny valley' effect originating from the field of robotics) provides a promising way to advance the field, and conclude by proposing avenues for future research.This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary thanatology: impacts of the dead on the living in humans and other animals'.}, }
@article {pmid30012745, year = {2018}, author = {Swift, K and Marzluff, JM}, title = {Occurrence and variability of tactile interactions between wild American crows and dead conspecifics.}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences}, volume = {373}, number = {1754}, pages = {}, pmid = {30012745}, issn = {1471-2970}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/*physiology ; *Death ; Feeding Behavior ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; *Motivation ; Territoriality ; Thanatology ; *Touch ; Washington ; }, abstract = {Observations of some mammals and birds touching their dead provoke questions about the motivation and adaptive value of this potentially risky behaviour. Here, we use controlled experiments to determine if tactile interactions are characteristic of wild American crow responses to dead crows, and what the prevalence and nature of tactile interactions suggests about their motivations. In Experiment 1, we test if food or information acquisition motivates contact by presenting crows with taxidermy-prepared dead crows, and two species crows are known to scavenge: dead pigeons and dead squirrels. In Experiment 2, we test if territoriality motivates tactile interactions by presenting crows with taxidermy crows prepared to look either dead or upright and life-like. In Experiment 1, we find that crows are significantly less likely to make contact but more likely to alarm call and recruit other birds in response to dead crows than to dead pigeons and squirrels. In addition, we find that aggressive and sexual encounters with dead crows are seasonally biased. These findings are inconsistent with feeding or information acquisition-based motivation. In Experiment 2, we find that crows rarely dive-bomb and more often alarm call and recruit other crows to dead than to life-like crows, behaviours inconsistent with responses given to live intruders. Consistent with a danger response hypothesis, our results show that alarm calling and neighbour recruitment occur more frequently in response to dead crows than other stimuli, and that touching dead crows is atypical. Occasional contacts, which take a variety of aggressive and sexual forms, may result from an inability to mediate conflicting stimuli.This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary thanatology: impacts of the dead on the living in humans and other animals'.}, }
@article {pmid30002396, year = {2018}, author = {Gómez-Olivencia, A and Sala, N and Núñez-Lahuerta, C and Sanchis, A and Arlegi, M and Rios-Garaizar, J}, title = {First data of Neandertal bird and carnivore exploitation in the Cantabrian Region (Axlor; Barandiaran excavations; Dima, Biscay, Northern Iberian Peninsula).}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {10551}, pmid = {30002396}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Archaeology ; Body Remains ; Carnivory/*physiology ; Crows ; Eagles ; Europe ; Fossils ; Humans ; Lynx ; Neanderthals/*physiology ; Wolves ; }, abstract = {Neandertals were top predators who basically relied on middle- to large-sized ungulates for dietary purposes, but there is growing evidence that supports their consumption of plants, leporids, tortoises, marine resources, carnivores and birds. The Iberian Peninsula has provided the most abundant record of bird exploitation for meat in Europe, starting in the Middle Pleistocene. However, the bird and carnivore exploitation record was hitherto limited to the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula. Here we present the first evidence of bird and carnivore exploitation by Neandertals in the Cantabrian region. We have found cut-marks in two golden eagles, one raven, one wolf and one lynx remain from the Mousterian levels of Axlor. The obtaining of meat was likely the primary purpose of the cut-marks on the golden eagle and lynx remains. Corvids, raptors, felids and canids in Axlor could have likely acted as commensals of the Neandertals, scavenging upon the carcasses left behind by these hunter-gatherers. This could have brought them closer to Neandertal groups who could have preyed upon them. These new results provide additional information on their dietary scope and indicate a more complex interaction between Neandertals and their environment.}, }
@article {pmid29992421, year = {2019}, author = {Smulders, TV}, title = {Smarter through group living?.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {47}, number = {4}, pages = {275-276}, pmid = {29992421}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; Australia ; *Cognition ; }, abstract = {Wild Australian magpies living (or growing up) in larger social groups take fewer trials to solve a battery of four cognitive tests than those living (or growing up) in smaller groups. The tests all draw on a common underlying factor, but is this factor cognitive or motivational?}, }
@article {pmid29975360, year = {2018}, author = {Wójciak, P and Rybakowski, J}, title = {Clinical picture, pathogenesis and psychometric assessment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.}, journal = {Psychiatria polska}, volume = {52}, number = {2}, pages = {185-197}, doi = {10.12740/PP/70610}, pmid = {29975360}, issn = {2391-5854}, mesh = {Emotions ; Humans ; Interview, Psychological/*standards ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Psychological Tests/standards ; Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis ; Schizophrenia/*diagnosis ; *Schizophrenic Psychology ; Social Behavior ; Symptom Assessment/*standards ; }, abstract = {Negative symptoms of schizophrenia constitute a serious diagnostic and therapeutic problem. They substantially account for the impairment of health, social functioning and quality of life whereas treatment is difficult. In this paper the development of the concept of schizophrenia and negative symptoms is presented. The models of positive and negative symptoms, introduced in the 1980's by Timothy Crow and Nancy Andreasen, and William Carpenter's concept of so-called deficit syndrome with the criteria of the division of negative symptoms into the primary and secondary, are discussed. Current views on the pathogenesis of negative symptoms are shown with reference to neuroimaging studies, neurotransmitter alterations, neuropsychological deficits, genetic, immunological and epidemiological studies. A subsection is devoted to the diagnostics tools for negative symptoms. Chronologically, they are divided into scales of the 1st and 2nd generation. The first generation includes: the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome (SDS), and the Proxy for Deficit Syndrome. The second generation scales, developed as a result of the recommendation by American experts in 2006, include: the Brief Negative Syndrome Scale (BNSS) and the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS), also the self-assessment scales: the Motivation and Pleasure Scale - Self Report (MAP-SR) and the Self-assessment of Negative Symptoms (SNS). The BNSS and the SNS scales, whose Polish versions were elaborated in the Department of Adult Psychiatry of Poznan University of Medical Sciences, are discussed in-depth.}, }
@article {pmid29958041, year = {2018}, author = {Hirst, RB and Conaboy, C and Vaughn, D and H Enriquez, R and Wickham, R}, title = {The "Jay-Dar" Phenomenon: Individuals Discriminate Cannabis Users from Nonusers Based Upon a Photograph.}, journal = {Substance use &amp; misuse}, volume = {53}, number = {14}, pages = {2359-2367}, doi = {10.1080/10826084.2018.1474228}, pmid = {29958041}, issn = {1532-2491}, mesh = {Adult ; Aged ; *Drug Users ; Female ; Humans ; *Judgment ; Male ; *Marijuana Use ; Middle Aged ; Social Perception ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: With increasing legalization of medicinal and recreational cannabis, use is on the rise. Research suggests individuals may be able to guess cannabis user status based upon appearance; however, these findings utilized a small sample of photographs that was not balanced on user status or gender. Further, no studies examined whether raters with cannabis experience are better at judging others' cannabis use, or what physical features they use to make these judgments. This study explored these factors using a larger, balanced photograph database.<br><br>METHOD: An American sample (n = 249, 48.6% female, mean age = 35.19 years) rated 36 photographs (18 cannabis users, 18 nonusers) balanced on gender and age on the likelihood that the photographed individuals use cannabis, producing 8964 ratings. Respondents also reported physical features considered in their ratings, as well as their own cannabis use history.<br><br>RESULTS: As hypothesized, photographs of users received higher ratings on the Marijuana Use Likelihood Index relative to nonusers. Further, results revealed a gender by rater user status interaction, indicating that raters with no previous cannabis experience rated males higher than females, while raters with cannabis experience did not demonstrate this rating discrepancy. Cannabis use explained over 9% of the variance in ratings across all photographs.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest individuals do rate cannabis users as more likely to be users, relative to nonusers, based upon appearance alone. These findings have important implications, not only for research on chronic cannabis use effects, but also for social and achievement factors such as potential stigma.}, }
@article {pmid29955154, year = {2018}, author = {Jelbert, SA and Hosking, RJ and Taylor, AH and Gray, RD}, title = {Mental template matching is a potential cultural transmission mechanism for New Caledonian crow tool manufacturing traditions.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {8956}, pmid = {29955154}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Cognition/physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Food Dispensers, Automatic ; Imitative Behavior/physiology ; Intelligence Tests ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology ; Reward ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Tool Use Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Cumulative cultural evolution occurs when social traditions accumulate improvements over time. In humans cumulative cultural evolution is thought to depend on a unique suite of cognitive abilities, including teaching, language and imitation. Tool-making New Caledonian crows show some hallmarks of cumulative culture; but this claim is contentious, in part because these birds do not appear to imitate. One alternative hypothesis is that crows' tool designs could be culturally transmitted through a process of mental template matching. That is, individuals could use or observe conspecifics' tools, form a mental template of a particular tool design, and then reproduce this in their own manufacture - a process analogous to birdsong learning. Here, we provide the first evidence supporting this hypothesis, by demonstrating that New Caledonian crows have the cognitive capacity for mental template matching. Using a novel manufacture paradigm, crows were first trained to drop paper into a vending machine to retrieve rewards. They later learnt that only items of a particular size (large or small templates) were rewarded. At test, despite being rewarded at random, and with no physical templates present, crows manufactured items that were more similar in size to previously rewarded, than unrewarded, templates. Our results provide the first evidence that this cognitive ability may underpin the transmission of New Caledonian crows' natural tool designs.}, }
@article {pmid29926397, year = {2019}, author = {Hampton, R}, title = {Parallel overinterpretation of behavior of apes and corvids.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {47}, number = {2}, pages = {105-106}, pmid = {29926397}, issn = {1543-4508}, support = {P51 OD011132/OD/NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; *Hominidae ; }, abstract = {The report by Kabadayi and Osvath (Science, 357(6347), 202-204, 2017) does not demonstrate planning in ravens. The behavior of corvids and apes is fascinating and will be best appreciated through well-designed experiments that explicitly test alternative explanations and that are interpreted without unjustified anthropomorphic embellishment.}, }
@article {pmid29920164, year = {2018}, author = {Komar, N and Panella, NA and Golnar, AJ and Hamer, GL}, title = {Forage Ratio Analysis of the Southern House Mosquito in College Station, Texas.}, journal = {Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)}, volume = {18}, number = {9}, pages = {485-490}, doi = {10.1089/vbz.2018.2285}, pmid = {29920164}, issn = {1557-7759}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*blood ; Culex/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Mammals/*blood ; Species Specificity ; Texas ; }, abstract = {Culex quinquefasciatus is the principal vector of West Nile virus (WNV) in the South Central United States, yet limited data on host utilization are available. We evaluated host utilization over a 3-month period in 2013 in a residential landscape in College Station, Texas. PCR sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene permitted molecular identification of vertebrate bloodmeals to the species level. Forage ratio analysis identified bird species that were overutilized and underutilized by comparing community feeding index values to expected relative abundance values of bird species, derived from eBird data. Community feeding index values were also used in conjunction with reservoir competence data from the literature to generate reservoir capacity index values, a means of identifying relative importance of vertebrate reservoir hosts. Of 498 blood-engorged Cx. quinquefasciatus, 313 (62.9%) were identified to vertebrate species. The majority (95.5%) of bloodmeals originated from avian species with the remainder from mammals, but not humans. Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) was the principal host for mosquito feeding in June and July, but northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) became primary host in August. Forage ratio analysis revealed the overutilization of house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), American robin (Turdus migratorius), northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica), and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura). Great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), and Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) were under-utilized relative to availability. Reservoir capacity calculations suggested that northern mockingbird and northern cardinal were the principal amplifiers in the study area. These data identify the primary avian species contributing to the enzootic amplification of WNV in East-Central Texas and reveal that the heavy feeding on moderately competent hosts and no feeding on humans likely limit epidemics in this region.}, }
@article {pmid29875298, year = {2018}, author = {Szipl, G and Ringler, E and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Attacked ravens flexibly adjust signalling behaviour according to audience composition.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {285}, number = {1880}, pages = {}, pmid = {29875298}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {*Aggression ; *Animal Communication ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; *Social Dominance ; }, abstract = {A fundamental attribute of social intelligence is the ability to monitor third-party relationships, which has been repeatedly demonstrated in primates, and recently also in captive ravens. It is yet unknown how ravens make use of this ability when dealing with different types of social relationships simultaneously during complex real-life situations. Free-ranging non-breeder ravens live in societies characterized by high fission-fusion dynamics and structured by age, pair-bond status and kinship. Here, we show that free-ranging ravens modify communication during conflicts according to audience composition. When being attacked by dominant conspecifics, victims of aggression signal their distress via defensive calls. Victims increased call rates when their kin were in the bystander audience, but reduced call rates when the bystanders were bonding partners of their aggressors. Hence, ravens use social knowledge flexibly and probably based on their own need (i.e. alert nearby allies and avoid alerting nearby rivals).}, }
@article {pmid29790246, year = {2018}, author = {Roos, S and Smart, J and Gibbons, DW and Wilson, JD}, title = {A review of predation as a limiting factor for bird populations in mesopredator-rich landscapes: a case study of the UK.}, journal = {Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society}, volume = {93}, number = {4}, pages = {1915-1937}, doi = {10.1111/brv.12426}, pmid = {29790246}, issn = {1469-185X}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Mammals/*physiology ; Population Density ; *Predatory Behavior ; United Kingdom ; }, abstract = {The impact of increasing vertebrate predator numbers on bird populations is widely debated among the general public, game managers and conservationists across Europe. However, there are few systematic reviews of whether predation limits the population sizes of European bird species. Views on the impacts of predation are particularly polarised in the UK, probably because the UK has a globally exceptional culture of intensive, high-yield gamebird management where predator removal is the norm. In addition, most apex predators have been exterminated or much depleted in numbers, contributing to a widely held perception that the UK has high numbers of mesopredators. This has resulted in many high-quality studies of mesopredator impacts over several decades. Here we present results from a systematic review of predator trends and abundance, and assess whether predation limits the population sizes of 90 bird species in the UK. Our results confirm that the generalist predators Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Crows (Corvus corone and C. cornix) occur at high densities in the UK compared with other European countries. In addition, some avian and mammalian predators have increased numerically in the UK during recent decades. Despite these high and increasing densities of predators, we found little evidence that predation limits populations of pigeons, woodpeckers and passerines, whereas evidence suggests that ground-nesting seabirds, waders and gamebirds can be limited by predation. Using life-history characteristics of prey species, we found that mainly long-lived species with high adult survival and late onset of breeding were limited by predation. Single-brooded species were also more likely to be limited by predation than multi-brooded species. Predators that depredate prey species during all life stages (i.e. from nest to adult stages) limited prey numbers more than predators that depredated only specific life stages (e.g. solely during the nest phase). The Red Fox and non-native mammals (e.g. the American Mink Neovison vison) were frequently identified as numerically limiting their prey species. Our review has identified predator-prey interactions that are particularly likely to result in population declines of prey species. In the short term, traditional predator-management techniques (e.g. lethal control or fencing to reduce predation by a small number of predator species) could be used to protect these vulnerable species. However, as these techniques are costly and time-consuming, we advocate that future research should identify land-use practices and landscape configurations that would reduce predator numbers and predation rates.}, }
@article {pmid29774435, year = {2018}, author = {Stow, MK and Vernouillet, A and Kelly, DM}, title = {Neophobia does not account for motoric self-regulation performance as measured during the detour-reaching cylinder task.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {21}, number = {4}, pages = {565-574}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-018-1189-8}, pmid = {29774435}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {312379-2009//Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Attention ; Exploratory Behavior ; Fear ; *Learning ; Passeriformes/physiology ; *Self-Control ; }, abstract = {The ability to restrain a prepotent response in favor of a more adaptive behavior, or to exert inhibitory control, has been used as a measure of a species' cognitive abilities. Inhibitory control defines a spectrum of behaviors varying in complexity, ranging from self-control to motoric self-regulation. Several factors underlying inhibitory control have been identified, however, the influence of neophobia (i.e., aversion to novelty) on inhibitory control has not received much attention. Neophobia is known to affect complex cognitive abilities, but whether neophobia also influences more basic cognitive abilities, such as motoric self-regulation, has received less attention. Further, it remains unclear whether an individual's response to novelty is consistent across different paradigms purported to assess neophobia. We tested two North American corvid species, black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia) and California scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica) using two well-established neophobia paradigms to assess response stability between contexts. We then evaluated neophobia scores against the number of trials needed to learn a motoric self-regulation task, as well as subsequent task performance. Neophobia scores did not correlate across paradigms, nor did the responses during either paradigm account for motoric self-regulation performance.}, }
@article {pmid29768124, year = {2018}, author = {Fronzetti Colladon, A and Grippa, F}, title = {The Importance of Being Honest: Correlating Self-Report Accuracy and Network Centrality with Academic Performance.}, journal = {The Journal of psychology}, volume = {152}, number = {5}, pages = {304-324}, doi = {10.1080/00223980.2018.1459443}, pmid = {29768124}, issn = {1940-1019}, mesh = {Academic Performance/*psychology/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Deception ; Engineering/education ; Female ; Friends/psychology ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Male ; Personality ; Self Report/*standards ; Students/*psychology/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Trust/psychology ; *Truth Disclosure ; Universities ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {This study investigates the correlation of self-report accuracy with academic performance. The sample was composed of 289 undergraduate students (96 senior and 193 junior) enrolled in two engineering classes. Age ranged between 22 and 24 years, with a slight over representation of male students (53%). Academic performance was calculated based on students' final grades in each class. The tendency to report inaccurate information was measured at the end of the Raven Progressive Matrices Test, by asking students to report their exact finishing times. We controlled for gender, age, personality traits, intelligence, and past academic performance. We also included measures of centrality in their friendship, advice and trust networks. Correlation and multiple regression analyses results indicate that lower achieving students were significantly less accurate in self-reporting data. We also found that being more central in the advice network was correlated with higher performance (r = .20, p < .001). The results are aligned with existing literature emphasizing the individual and relational factors associated with academic performance and, pending future studies, may be utilized to include a new metric of self-report accuracy that is not dependent on academic records.}, }
@article {pmid29764777, year = {2018}, author = {Monshizadeh, L and Vameghi, R and Sajedi, F and Yadegari, F and Hashemi, SB and Kirchem, P and Kasbi, F}, title = {Comparison of Social Interaction between Cochlear-Implanted Children with Normal Intelligence Undergoing Auditory Verbal Therapy and Normal-Hearing Children: A Pilot Study.}, journal = {The journal of international advanced otology}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, pages = {34-38}, pmid = {29764777}, issn = {1308-7649}, mesh = {Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Implantation/*adverse effects/methods ; Cochlear Implants/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Correction of Hearing Impairment/methods ; Female ; Hearing/*physiology ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/*surgery ; Humans ; Intelligence/*physiology ; Interpersonal Relations ; Iran/epidemiology ; Language Development ; Male ; Speech Perception/physiology ; }, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: A cochlear implant is a device that helps hearing-impaired children by transmitting sound signals to the brain and helping them improve their speech, language, and social interaction. Although various studies have investigated the different aspects of speech perception and language acquisition in cochlear-implanted children, little is known about their social skills, particularly Persian-speaking cochlear-implanted children. Considering the growing number of cochlear implants being performed in Iran and the increasing importance of developing near-normal social skills as one of the ultimate goals of cochlear implantation, this study was performed to compare the social interaction between Iranian cochlear-implanted children who have undergone rehabilitation (auditory verbal therapy) after surgery and normal-hearing children.<br><br>MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study compared the social interaction level of 30 children with normal hearing and 30 with cochlear implants who were conveniently selected. The Raven test was administered to the both groups to ensure normal intelligence quotient. The social interaction status of both groups was evaluated using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, and statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.<br><br>RESULTS: After controlling age as a covariate variable, no significant difference was observed between the social interaction scores of both the groups (p > 0.05). In addition, social interaction had no correlation with sex in either group.<br><br>CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation followed by auditory verbal rehabilitation helps children with sensorineural hearing loss to have normal social interactions, regardless of their sex.}, }
@article {pmid29743545, year = {2018}, author = {Woods, RD and Kings, M and McIvor, GE and Thornton, A}, title = {Caller characteristics influence recruitment to collective anti-predator events in jackdaws.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {7343}, pmid = {29743545}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/H021817/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; 630051486/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Social Behavior ; *Social Responsibility ; Vocalization, Animal/physiology ; }, abstract = {Across the animal kingdom, examples abound of individuals coming together to repel external threats. When such collective actions are initiated by recruitment signals, individuals may benefit from being selective in whom they join, so the identity of the initiator may determine the magnitude of the group response. However, the role of signaller discrimination in coordinating group-level responses has yet to be tested. Here we show that in wild jackdaws, a colonial corvid species, collective responses to anti-predator recruitment calls are mediated by caller characteristics. In playbacks next to nestboxes, the calls of nestbox residents attracted most recruits, followed in turn by other colony members, non-colony members and rooks (a sympatric corvid). Playbacks in fields outside nestbox colonies, where the immediate threat to broods was lower, showed similar results, with highest recruitment to nearby colony members' calls. Responses were further influenced by caller sex: calls from non-colony member females were less likely to elicit responsive scolding by recruits than other calls, potentially reflecting social rank associated with sex and colony membership. These results show that vocal discrimination mediates jackdaws' collective responses and highlight the need for further research into the cognitive basis of collective actions in animal groups.}, }
@article {pmid29690109, year = {2018}, author = {Hammer, MP and Allen, GR and Martin, KC and Adams, M and Ebner, BC and Raadik, TA and Unmack, PJ}, title = {Revision of the Australian Wet Tropics endemic rainbowfish genus Cairnsichthys (Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae), with description of a new species.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4413}, number = {2}, pages = {271-294}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3}, pmid = {29690109}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Australia ; Ecosystem ; *Fishes ; Male ; Queensland ; }, abstract = {The freshwater melanotaeniid genus Cairnsichthys is endemic to a relatively small area of specialised habitat within the Wet Tropics bioregion of north-eastern Queensland, Australia. It was previously considered as monotypic, including only a single species, C. rhombosomoides (Nichols Raven, 1928). The recent discovery of an apparently-isolated population in the Daintree rainforest, approximately 120 km north of the known range extent, prompted a detailed investigation of its taxonomic status using a combined lines of evidence approach. We provide compelling evidence from multiple nuclear genetic markers (52 allozyme loci), mitochondrial DNA sequence data (1141 bp cytochrome b) and morphology (examination of a suite of 38 morphometric and meristic characters) that supports north-south splitting of C. rhombosomoides. Accordingly, we describe the northern population as a distinct species, C. bitaeniatus sp. nov., on the basis of 25 specimens, 34.7-65.6 mm SL. The new species differs morphologically primarily by having a more slender and narrow shape, featuring a flatter, straighter predorsal profile and shorter second dorsal fin base; possession of slightly smaller scales, reflected in higher counts of lateral scales and predorsal scales; typically more vertebrae; and colour differences including a more robust, short black stripe across the upper operculum, a pronounced yellow patch on the anteroventral body and usually a more conspicuous second dark stripe on the lower body, with adult males generally having yellowish compared to reddish fins. We also provide a generic diagnosis for Cairnsichthys and a redescription of C. rhombosomoides. Information on the known distribution, habitats and conservation status of species in the genus is summarised, the new species being of particular concern as a narrow range endemic with specific environmental requirements.}, }
@article {pmid29643220, year = {2018}, author = {Duque, JF and Leichner, W and Ahmann, H and Stevens, JR}, title = {Mesotocin influences pinyon jay prosociality.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {14}, number = {4}, pages = {}, pmid = {29643220}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Altruism ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Oxytocin/*analogs &amp; derivatives/metabolism ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Many species exhibit prosocial behaviour, in which one individual's actions benefit another individual, often without an immediate benefit to itself. The neuropeptide oxytocin is an important hormonal mechanism influencing prosociality in mammals, but it is unclear whether the avian homologue mesotocin plays a similar functional role in birds. Here, we experimentally tested prosociality in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), a highly social corvid species that spontaneously shares food with others. First, we measured prosocial preferences in a prosocial choice task with two different pay-off distributions: Prosocial trials delivered food to both the subject and either an empty cage or a partner bird, whereas Altruism trials delivered food only to an empty cage or a partner bird (none to subject). In a second experiment, we examined whether administering mesotocin influenced prosocial preferences. Compared to choices in a control condition, we show that subjects voluntarily delivered food rewards to partners, but only when also receiving food for themselves (Prosocial trials), and administration of high levels of mesotocin increased these behaviours. Thus, in birds, mesotocin seems to play a similar functional role in facilitating prosocial behaviours as oxytocin does in mammals, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved hormonal mechanism for prosociality.}, }
@article {pmid29620454, year = {2018}, author = {Scott, AB and Phalen, D and Hernandez-Jover, M and Singh, M and Groves, P and Toribio, JLML}, title = {Wildlife Presence and Interactions with Chickens on Australian Commercial Chicken Farms Assessed by Camera Traps.}, journal = {Avian diseases}, volume = {62}, number = {1}, pages = {65-72}, doi = {10.1637/11761-101917-Reg.1}, pmid = {29620454}, issn = {1938-4351}, mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Animals, Wild/*physiology ; Birds ; Chickens/*physiology ; New South Wales ; Photography/*veterinary ; Queensland ; }, abstract = {The types of wildlife and the frequency of their visits to commercial chicken farms in Australia were assessed using infrared and motion-sensing camera traps. Cameras were set up on 14 free-range layer farms, three cage layer farms, two barn layer farms, five non-free-range meat chicken farms, and six free-range meat chicken farms in the Sydney basin region and South East Queensland. Wildlife visits were found on every farm type and were most frequent on cage layer farms (73%), followed by free-range layer farms (15%). The common mynah (Acridotheres tristis) was the most frequent wildlife visitor in the study (23.9%), followed by corvids (22.9%) and Columbiformes (7.5%). Most wildlife visits occurred during the day from 6 am to 6 pm (85%). There were infrequent observations of direct contact between chickens and wildlife, suggesting the indirect route of pathogen transfer may be more significant. The level of biosecurity on the farm is suggested to impact the frequency of wildlife visits more so than the farm type.}, }
@article {pmid29576946, year = {2018}, author = {Brecht, KF and Ostojić, L and Legg, EW and Clayton, NS}, title = {Difficulties when using video playback to investigate social cognition in California scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica).}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {e4451}, pmid = {29576946}, issn = {2167-8359}, abstract = {Previous research has suggested that videos can be used to experimentally manipulate social stimuli. In the present study, we used the California scrub-jays' cache protection strategies to assess whether video playback can be used to simulate conspecifics in a social context. In both the lab and the field, scrub-jays are known to exhibit a range of behaviours to protect their caches from potential pilferage by a conspecific, for example by hiding food in locations out of the observer's view or by re-caching previously made caches once the observer has left. Here, we presented scrub-jays with videos of a conspecific observer as well as two non-social conditions during a caching period and assessed whether they would cache out of the observer's "view" (Experiment 1) or would re-cache their caches once the observer was no longer present (Experiment 2). In contrast to previous studies using live observers, the scrub-jays' caching and re-caching behaviour was not influenced by whether the observer was present or absent. These findings suggest that there might be limitations in using video playback of social agents to mimic real-life situations when investigating corvid decision making.}, }
@article {pmid29563949, year = {2018}, author = {Boeckle, M and Szipl, G and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Raven food calls indicate sender's age and sex.}, journal = {Frontiers in zoology}, volume = {15}, number = {}, pages = {5}, pmid = {29563949}, issn = {1742-9994}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Acoustic parameters of animal signals have been shown to correlate with various phenotypic characteristics of the sender. These acoustic characteristics can be learned and categorized and thus are a basis for perceivers' recognition abilities. One of the most demanding capacities is individual recognition, achievable only after repeated interactions with the same individual. Still, class-level recognition might be potentially important to perceivers who have not previously encountered callers but can classify unknown individuals according to the already learned categories. Especially for species with high fission-fusion dynamics that repeatedly encounter unknown individuals it may be advantageous to develop class-level recognition. We tested whether frequency-, temporal-, and amplitude-related acoustic parameters of vocalizations emitted by ravens, a species showing high fission-fusion dynamics in non-breeder aggregations, are connected to phenotypic characteristics and thus have the potential for class-level recognition.<br><br>RESULTS: The analysis of 418 food calls revealed that some components summarizing acoustic parameters were differentiated by age-classes and sex.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Together, the results provide evidence for the co-variation of vocal characteristics and respective sex and age categories, a prerequisite for class-level recognition in perceivers. Perceivers that are ignorant of the caller's identity can thus potentially recognize these class-level differences for decision-making processes in feeding contexts.}, }
@article {pmid29551415, year = {2018}, author = {Wagener, L and Loconsole, M and Ditz, HM and Nieder, A}, title = {Neurons in the Endbrain of Numerically Naive Crows Spontaneously Encode Visual Numerosity.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {28}, number = {7}, pages = {1090-1094.e4}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.02.023}, pmid = {29551415}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Crows ; Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology ; *Mathematical Concepts ; Neurons/*physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Endowed with an elaborate cerebral cortex, humans and other primates can assess the number of items in a set, or numerosity, from birth on [1] and without being trained [2]. Whether spontaneous numerosity extraction is a unique feat of the mammalian cerebral cortex [3-7] or rather an adaptive property that can be found in differently designed and independently evolved neural substrates, such as the avian enbrain [8], is unknown. To address this question, we recorded single-cell activity from the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a high-level avian association brain area [9-11], of numerically naive crows. We found that a proportion of NCL neurons were spontaneously responsive to numerosity and tuned to the number of items, even though the crows were never trained to assess numerical quantity. Our data show that numerosity-selective neuronal responses are spontaneously present in the distinct endbrains of diverge vertebrate taxa. This seemingly hard-wired property of the avian endbrain to extract numerical quantity explains how birds in the wild, or right after hatching, can exploit numerical cues when making foraging or social decisions. It suggests that endbrain circuitries that evolved based on convergent evolution, such as the avian endbrain, give rise to the same numerosity code.}, }
@article {pmid29499250, year = {2018}, author = {Luo, Y and Zhang, L and Teng, Z and DeAngelis, DL}, title = {A parasitism-mutualism-predation model consisting of crows, cuckoos and cats with stage-structure and maturation delays on crows and cuckoos.}, journal = {Journal of theoretical biology}, volume = {446}, number = {}, pages = {212-228}, doi = {10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.02.028}, pmid = {29499250}, issn = {1095-8541}, mesh = {Animals ; Cats/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; *Models, Biological ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Predatory Behavior/*physiology ; *Symbiosis ; }, abstract = {In this paper, a parasitism-mutualism-predation model is proposed to investigate the dynamics of multi-interactions among cuckoos, crows and cats with stage-structure and maturation time delays on cuckoos and crows. The crows permit the cuckoos to parasitize their nestlings (eggs) on the crow chicks (eggs). In return, the cuckoo nestlings produce a malodorous cloacal secretion to protect the crow chicks from predation by the cats, which is apparently beneficial to both the crow and cuckoo population. The multi-interactions, i.e., parasitism and mutualism between the cuckoos (nestlings) and crows (chicks), predation between the cats and crow chicks are modeled both by Holling-type II and Beddington-DeAngelis-type functional responses. The existence of positive equilibria of three subsystems of the model are discussed. The criteria for the global stability of the trivial equilibrium are established by the Krein-Rutman theorem and other analysis methods. Moreover, the threshold dynamics for the coexistence and weak persistence of the model are obtained, and we show, both analytically and numerically, that the stabilities of the interior equilibria may change with the increasing maturation time delays. We find there exists an evident difference in the dynamical properties of the parasitism-mutualism-predation model based on whether or not we consider the effects of stage-structure and maturation time delays on cuckoos and crows. Inclusion of stage structure results in many varied dynamical complexities which are difficult to encompass without this inclusion.}, }
@article {pmid29491996, year = {2017}, author = {Pesendorfer, MB and Sillett, TS and Morrison, SA}, title = {Spatially biased dispersal of acorns by a scatter-hoarding corvid may accelerate passive restoration of oak habitat on California's largest island.}, journal = {Current zoology}, volume = {63}, number = {4}, pages = {363-367}, pmid = {29491996}, issn = {1674-5507}, abstract = {Scatter hoarding by corvids (crows, jays, magpies, and nutcrackers) provides seed dispersal for many large-seeded plants, including oaks and pines. When hoarding seeds, corvids often choose nonrandom locations throughout the landscape, resulting in differential survival of seeds. In the context of habitat restoration, such disproportional storing of seeds in areas suitable for germination and establishment can accelerate expansion and recovery of large-seeded tree populations and their associated ecosystems. Here, we investigate the spatial preferences of island scrub jays Aphelocoma insularis during scatter hoarding of acorns (Quercus spp.) on Santa Cruz Island. We use a large behavioral data set on the birds' behavior in combination with seedling surveys and spatial analysis to determine whether 1) island scrub jays disproportionally cache seeds in specific habitat types, and 2) whether the preferred habitat type is suitable for oak regeneration. Our results show that the jays nonrandomly cache acorns across the landscape; they use chaparral and coastal sage scrub disproportionally while avoiding open and grassy areas. The areas used most often for caching were also the areas with the highest oak seedling densities. We discuss the potential role of these findings for the recovery of Santa Cruz Island's oak habitat since the 1980s.}, }
@article {pmid29491479, year = {2018}, author = {Bose, A and Dürr, T and Klenke, RA and Henle, K}, title = {Collision sensitive niche profile of the worst affected bird-groups at wind turbine structures in the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {3777}, pmid = {29491479}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; *Ecosystem ; Flight, Animal/*physiology ; Germany ; *Power Plants ; Renewable Energy/*adverse effects ; Risk Assessment ; }, abstract = {Biodiversity-related impacts at wind energy facilities have increasingly become a cause of conservation concern, central issue being the collision of birds. Utilizing spatial information of their carcass detections at wind turbines (WTs), we quantified the detections in relation to the metric distances of the respective turbines to different land-use types. We used ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) to identify combinations of land-use distances with respect to the spatial allocation of WTs that led to higher proportions of collisions among the worst affected bird-groups: Buntings, Crows, Larks, Pigeons and Raptors. We also assessed their respective similarities to the collision phenomenon by checking for overlaps amongst their distance combinations. Crows and Larks showed the narrowest "collision sensitive niche"; a part of ecological niche under higher risk of collisions with turbines, followed by that of Buntings and Pigeons. Raptors had the broadest niche showing significant overlaps with the collision sensitive niches of the other groups. This can probably be attributed to their larger home range combined with their hunting affinities to open landscapes. Identification of collision sensitive niches could be a powerful tool for landscape planning; helping avoid regions with higher risks of collisions for turbine allocations and thus protecting sensitive bird populations.}, }
@article {pmid29414945, year = {2018}, author = {Ashton, BJ and Ridley, AR and Edwards, EK and Thornton, A}, title = {Cognitive performance is linked to group size and affects fitness in Australian magpies.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {554}, number = {7692}, pages = {364-367}, pmid = {29414945}, issn = {1476-4687}, support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/physiology ; Australia ; *Biological Evolution ; Cognition/*physiology ; Female ; *Genetic Fitness ; Intelligence/physiology ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Population Density ; Reproduction/physiology ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {The social intelligence hypothesis states that the demands of social life drive cognitive evolution. This idea receives support from comparative studies that link variation in group size or mating systems with cognitive and neuroanatomical differences across species, but findings are contradictory and contentious. To understand the cognitive consequences of sociality, it is also important to investigate social variation within species. Here we show that in wild, cooperatively breeding Australian magpies, individuals that live in large groups show increased cognitive performance, which is linked to increased reproductive success. Individual performance was highly correlated across four cognitive tasks, indicating a 'general intelligence factor' that underlies cognitive performance. Repeated cognitive testing of juveniles at different ages showed that the correlation between group size and cognition emerged in early life, suggesting that living in larger groups promotes cognitive development. Furthermore, we found a positive association between the task performance of females and three indicators of reproductive success, thus identifying a selective benefit of greater cognitive performance. Together, these results provide intraspecific evidence that sociality can shape cognitive development and evolution.}, }
@article {pmid29386519, year = {2018}, author = {Stanford, R and Lockley, MG and Tucker, C and Godfrey, S and Stanford, SM}, title = {A diverse mammal-dominated, footprint assemblage from wetland deposits in the Lower Cretaceous of Maryland.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {741}, pmid = {29386519}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Fossils ; Geography ; Geologic Sediments ; *Mammals ; Maryland ; Paleontology ; *Wetlands ; }, abstract = {A newly discovered assemblage of predominantly small tracks from the Cretaceous Patuxent Formation at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, reveals one of the highest track densities and diversities ever reported (~70 tracks, representing at least eight morphotypes from an area of only ~2 m2). The assemblage is dominated by small mammal tracks including the new ichnotxon Sederipes goddardensis, indicating sitting postures. Small crow-sized theropod trackways, the first from this unit, indicate social trackmakers and suggest slow-paced foraging behavior. Tracks of pterosaurs, and other small vertebrates suggest activity on an organic-rich substrate. Large well-preserved sauropod and nodosaurs tracks indicate the presence of large dinosaurs. The Patuxent Formation together with the recently reported Angolan assemblage comprise the world's two largest Mesozoic mammal footprint assemblages. The high density of footprint registration at the NASA site indicates special preservational and taphonomic conditions. These include early, penecontemporaneous deposition of siderite in organic rich, reducing wetland settings where even the flesh of body fossils can be mummified. Thus, the track-rich ironstone substrates of the Patuxent Formation, appear to preserve a unique vertebrate ichnofacies, with associated, exceptionally-preserved body fossil remains for which there are currently no other similar examples preserved in the fossil record.}, }
@article {pmid29375193, year = {2018}, author = {Maziarz, M and Piggott, C and Burgess, M}, title = {Predator recognition and differential behavioural responses of adult wood warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix.}, journal = {Acta ethologica}, volume = {21}, number = {1}, pages = {13-20}, pmid = {29375193}, issn = {0873-9749}, abstract = {Birds often engage in nest defence against predators to improve breeding success, but defence efficiency requires the capability to assess the threat level posed by potential predators. For species with low breeding-site tenacity, which may encounter varying occurrence and density of predators in different areas, threat recognition could be compromised due to naivety, and so predator recognition may focus on broad key features to diminish the risk of misidentification. We experimentally tested this hypothesis by recording behavioural reactions of the nomadic wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix to objects reflecting various levels of threat: least weasel and Eurasian jay taxidermy mounts, an inanimate object and an empty display mount. To assess actual nest predators, we used remote cameras to record predation events at wood warbler nests. As in other studies in Western Europe, Eurasian jay was found to be the main nest predator, with occasional predation by least weasel. The reaction of adult warblers to the models was generally to remain silent and on nests during the incubation stage presumably due to the need to maintain efficient nest camouflage and concealment. During the nestling stage, behavioural responses of adult warblers, calling and suspended feeding of young, showed the strongest effects from the jay taxidermy mount, moderate to the weasel and weakest to the inanimate object and empty mount. As the reaction of wood warblers reflected the degree of genuine threat posed by the predators depicted by the models, we conclude that predator recognition may be present in this species.}, }
@article {pmid29373167, year = {2018}, author = {Claes, R and Muyshondt, PGG and Dirckx, JJJ and Aerts, P}, title = {Do high sound pressure levels of crowing in roosters necessitate passive mechanisms for protection against self-vocalization?.}, journal = {Zoology (Jena, Germany)}, volume = {126}, number = {}, pages = {65-70}, doi = {10.1016/j.zool.2017.12.002}, pmid = {29373167}, issn = {1873-2720}, mesh = {Animals ; Chickens/*physiology ; Crowding/psychology ; Ear/anatomy &amp; histology/physiology ; Female ; Male ; Sex Characteristics ; Sound/adverse effects ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; }, abstract = {High sound pressure levels (>120dB) cause damage or death of the hair cells of the inner ear, hence causing hearing loss. Vocalization differences are present between hens and roosters. Crowing in roosters is reported to produce sound pressure levels of 100dB measured at a distance of 1m. In this study we measured the sound pressure levels that exist at the entrance of the outer ear canal. We hypothesize that roosters may benefit from a passive protective mechanism while hens do not require such a mechanism. Audio recordings at the level of the entrance of the outer ear canal of crowing roosters, made in this study, indeed show that a protective mechanism is needed as sound pressure levels can reach amplitudes of 142.3dB. Audio recordings made at varying distances from the crowing rooster show that at a distance of 0.5m sound pressure levels already drop to 102dB. Micro-CT scans of a rooster and chicken head show that in roosters the auditory canal closes when the beak is opened. In hens the diameter of the auditory canal only narrows but does not close completely. A morphological difference between the sexes in shape of a bursa-like slit which occurs in the outer ear canal causes the outer ear canal to close in roosters but not in hens.}, }
@article {pmid29358606, year = {2018}, author = {St Clair, JJH and Klump, BC and Sugasawa, S and Higgott, CG and Colegrave, N and Rutz, C}, title = {Hook innovation boosts foraging efficiency in tool-using crows.}, journal = {Nature ecology &amp; evolution}, volume = {2}, number = {3}, pages = {441-444}, doi = {10.1038/s41559-017-0429-7}, pmid = {29358606}, issn = {2397-334X}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The New Caledonian crow is the only non-human animal known to craft hooked tools in the wild, but the ecological benefit of these relatively complex tools remains unknown. Here, we show that crows acquire food several times faster when using hooked rather than non-hooked tools, regardless of tool material, prey type and extraction context. This implies that small changes to tool shape can strongly affect energy-intake rates, highlighting a powerful driver for technological advancement.}, }
@article {pmid29338711, year = {2018}, author = {Shurulinkov, P and Spasov, L and Stoyanov, G and Chakarov, N}, title = {Blood parasite infections in a wild population of ravens (Corvus corax) in Bulgaria.}, journal = {Malaria journal}, volume = {17}, number = {1}, pages = {33}, pmid = {29338711}, issn = {1475-2875}, support = {PIEF-GA-2013-625883//H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Bulgaria/epidemiology ; *Crows ; Cytochromes b/analysis ; Haemosporida/classification/*isolation &amp; purification ; Phylogeny ; Protozoan Infections, Animal/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Protozoan Proteins/analysis ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Blood parasites have been studied intensely in many families of avian hosts, but corvids, a particularly cosmopolitan family, remain underexplored. Haemosporidian parasites of the common raven (Corvus corax) have not been studied, although it is the largest, most adaptable, and widespread corvid. Genetic sequence data from parasites of ravens can enhance the understanding of speciation patterns and specificity of haemosporidian parasites in corvids, and shed light how these hosts cope with parasite pressure.<br><br>METHODS: A baited cage trap was used to catch 86 ravens and a nested PCR protocol was used to amplify a 479 bp fragment of the haemosporidian cytochrome b gene from the samples. The obtained sequences were compared with the MalAvi database of all published haemosporidian lineages and a phylogenetic tree including all detected raven parasites was constructed. An examination of blood smears was performed for assessment of infection intensity.<br><br>RESULTS: Twenty blood parasite lineages were recovered from ravens caught in a wild population in Bulgaria. The prevalence of generalist Plasmodium lineages was 49%, and the prevalence of Leucocytozoon lineages was 31%. Out of 13 detected Leucocytozoon lineages six were known from different corvids, while seven others seem to be specific to ravens. A phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that Leucocytozoon lineages of ravens and other corvids are not monophyletic, with some groups appearing closely related to parasites of other host families.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Several different, morphologically cryptic groups of Leucocytozoon parasites appear to infect corvids. Ravens harbour both generalist corvid Leucocytozoon as well as apparently species-specific lineages. The extraordinary breeding ecology and scavenging lifestyle possibly allow ravens to evade vectors and have relatively low blood parasite prevalence compared to other corvids.}, }
@article {pmid29337074, year = {2018}, author = {Padget, O and Bond, SL and Kavelaars, MM and van Loon, E and Bolton, M and Fayet, AL and Syposz, M and Roberts, S and Guilford, T}, title = {In Situ Clock Shift Reveals that the Sun Compass Contributes to Orientation in a Pelagic Seabird.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {28}, number = {2}, pages = {275-279.e2}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2017.11.062}, pmid = {29337074}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; *Circadian Clocks ; *Orientation, Spatial ; *Solar System ; *Spatial Navigation ; Taxis Response ; Wales ; }, abstract = {Compass orientation is central to the control of animal movement from the scale of local food-caching movements around a familiar area in parids [1] and corvids [2, 3] to the first autumn vector navigation of songbirds embarking on long-distance migration [4-6]. In the study of diurnal birds, where the homing pigeon, Columba livia, has been the main model, a time-compensated sun compass [7] is central to the two-step map-and-compass process of navigation from unfamiliar places, as well as guiding movement via a representation of familiar area landmarks [8-12]. However, its use by an actively navigating wild bird is yet to be shown. By phase shifting an animal's endogenous clock, known as clock-shifting [13-15], sun-compass use can be demonstrated when the animal incorrectly consults the sun's azimuthal position while homing after experimental displacement [15-17]. By applying clock-shift techniques at the nest of a wild bird during natural incubation, we show here that an oceanic navigator-the Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus-incorporates information from a time-compensated sun compass during homeward guidance to the breeding colony after displacement. Consistently with homing pigeons navigating within their familiar area [8, 9, 11, 18], we find that the effect of clock shift, while statistically robust, is partial in nature, possibly indicating the incorporation of guidance from landmarks into movement decisions.}, }
@article {pmid29320499, year = {2018}, author = {Morrison, R and Reiss, D}, title = {Precocious development of self-awareness in dolphins.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {13}, number = {1}, pages = {e0189813}, pmid = {29320499}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Awareness ; Bottle-Nosed Dolphin/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Mirror-self recognition (MSR) is a behavioral indicator of self-awareness in young children and only a few other species, including the great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies. The emergence of self-awareness in children typically occurs during the second year and has been correlated with sensorimotor development and growing social and self-awareness. Comparative studies of MSR in chimpanzees report that the onset of this ability occurs between 2 years 4 months and 3 years 9 months of age. Studies of wild and captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have reported precocious sensorimotor and social awareness during the first weeks of life, but no comparative MSR research has been conducted with this species. We exposed two young bottlenose dolphins to an underwater mirror and analyzed video recordings of their behavioral responses over a 3-year period. Here we report that both dolphins exhibited MSR, indicated by self-directed behavior at the mirror, at ages earlier than generally reported for children and at ages much earlier than reported for chimpanzees. The early onset of MSR in young dolphins occurs in parallel with their advanced sensorimotor development, complex and reciprocal social interactions, and growing social awareness. Both dolphins passed subsequent mark tests at ages comparable with children. Thus, our findings indicate that dolphins exhibit self-awareness at a mirror at a younger age than previously reported for children or other species tested.}, }
@article {pmid29316266, year = {2019}, author = {Subias, L and Griffin, AS and Guez, D}, title = {Inference by exclusion in the red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii).}, journal = {Integrative zoology}, volume = {14}, number = {2}, pages = {193-203}, doi = {10.1111/1749-4877.12299}, pmid = {29316266}, issn = {1749-4877}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Cockatoos ; Discrimination, Psychological ; Female ; Male ; *Psychomotor Performance ; }, abstract = {Inference by exclusion is the ability to select a given option by excluding the others. When designed appropriately, tests of this ability can reveal choices that cannot be explained by associative processes. Over the past decade, exclusion reasoning has been explored in several non-human taxonomic groups, including birds, mainly in Corvids and Parrots. To increase our understanding of the taxonomic distribution of exclusion reasoning and, therefore, its evolution, we investigated exclusion performances in red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii), an Australian relative of the Goffin cockatoo (Cacatua goffini), using a food-finding task. Cockatoos were required to find a food item hidden in 1 of the 2 experimenter's hands. Following training sessions in which they reliably selected the closed baited hand they had just been shown open, each individual was tested on 4 different conditions. Critical to demonstrating exclusion reasoning was the condition in which they were shown the empty hand and then offered a choice of both closed hands. The performance of all birds was above chance on all experimental conditions but not on an olfactory and/or cuing control condition. The results suggest that the birds might be able to infer by exclusion, although an explanation based on rule learning cannot be excluded. This first experiment in red-tailed black cockatoo highlights the potential of this species as a model to study avian cognition and paves the pathway for future investigations.}, }
@article {pmid29299036, year = {2017}, author = {Szipl, G and Ringler, E and Spreafico, M and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Calls during agonistic interactions vary with arousal and raise audience attention in ravens.}, journal = {Frontiers in zoology}, volume = {14}, number = {}, pages = {57}, pmid = {29299036}, issn = {1742-9994}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Acoustic properties of vocalizations can vary with the internal state of the caller, and may serve as reliable indicators for a caller's emotional state, for example to prevent conflicts. Thus, individuals may associate distinct characteristics in acoustic signals of conspecifics with specific social contexts, and adjust their behaviour accordingly to prevent escalation of conflicts. Common ravens (Corvus corax) crowd-forage with individuals of different age classes, sex, and rank, assemble at feeding sites, and engage in agonistic interactions of varying intensity. Attacked individuals frequently utter defensive calls in order to appease the aggressor. Here, we investigated if acoustic properties of defensive calls change with varying levels of aggression, and if bystanders respond to these changes.<br><br>RESULTS: Individuals were more likely to utter defensive calls when the attack involved contact aggression, and when the attacker was higher in rank than the victim. Defensive calls produced during intense conflicts were longer and uttered at higher rates, and showed higher fundamental frequency- and amplitude-related measures than calls uttered during low-intensity aggression, indicating arousal-based changes in defensive calls. Playback experiments showed that ravens were more likely to react in response to defensive calls with higher fundamental frequency by orientating towards the speakers as compared to original calls and calls manipulated in duration.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Arousal-based changes are encoded in acoustic parameters of defensive calls in attacked ravens, and bystanders in the audience pay attention to the degree of arousal in attacked conspecifics. Our findings imply that common ravens can regulate conflicts with conspecifics by means of vocalizations, and are able to gather social knowledge from conspecific calls.}, }
@article {pmid30956930, year = {2018}, author = {Rubio, E and Sanllorente, O and Tieleman, BI and Ibáñez-Álamo, JD}, title = {Fecal sacs do not increase nest predation in a ground nester.}, journal = {Journal of ornithology}, volume = {159}, number = {4}, pages = {985-990}, pmid = {30956930}, issn = {2193-7192}, abstract = {Most altricial birds remove their nestlings' feces from the nest, but the evolutionary forces driving this behavior are poorly understood. A possible adaptive explanation for this could be that birds avoid the attraction of nest predators to their nests due to the visual or olfactory cues produced by feces (nest predation hypothesis). This hypothesis has received contrasting support indicating that additional experimental studies are needed, particularly with respect to the visual component of fecal sacs. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment manipulating the presence of fecal sacs on inactive Woodlark (Lullula arborea) nests. This ground nester has highly cryptic nests that are mainly depredated by visually oriented nest predators (i.e., corvids) in our study population, making it an excellent system to test for the nest predation hypothesis. Our results showed that the presence of fecal sacs in the nest does not seem to be an important factor explaining nest predation. Interestingly, the effect of nest concealment, the most important factor explaining nest predation in Woodlark nests, depended on whether the nest was depredated the previous year or not, supporting the importance of using different nesting sites between years. Our findings indicate that this important nest sanitation behavior is not likely motivated by nest predation and highlight the need to explore alternative selective pressures in this context.}, }
@article {pmid29274762, year = {2018}, author = {Gallup, GG and Anderson, JR}, title = {The "olfactory mirror" and other recent attempts to demonstrate self-recognition in non-primate species.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {148}, number = {}, pages = {16-19}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2017.12.010}, pmid = {29274762}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; *Ego ; Olfactory Perception/*physiology ; Recognition, Psychology/*physiology ; Smell/physiology ; }, abstract = {The recent attempt by Horowitz (2017) to develop an "olfactory mirror" test of self-recognition in domestic dogs raises some important questions about the kinds of data that are required to provide definitive evidence for self-recognition in dogs and other species. We conclude that the "olfactory mirror" constitutes a compelling analog to the mark test for mirror self-recognition in primates, but despite claims to the contrary neither dogs, elephants, dolphins, magpies, horses, manta rays, squid, nor ants have shown compelling, reproducible evidence for self-recognition in any modality.}, }
@article {pmid29257965, year = {2017}, author = {van Casteren, A}, title = {Tool Use: Crows Craft the Right Tool for the Job.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {27}, number = {24}, pages = {R1314-R1316}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.022}, pmid = {29257965}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Language ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {New research into tool crafting in New Caledonian crows has uncovered factors that influence tool shape and the foraging advantages that these characteristics confer.}, }
@article {pmid29249025, year = {2018}, author = {Grúz, A and Déri, J and Szemerédy, G and Szabó, K and Kormos, É and Bartha, A and Lehel, J and Budai, P}, title = {Monitoring of heavy metal burden in wild birds at eastern/north-eastern part of Hungary.}, journal = {Environmental science and pollution research international}, volume = {25}, number = {7}, pages = {6378-6386}, pmid = {29249025}, issn = {1614-7499}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/*metabolism ; Birds/*metabolism ; Body Burden ; Environmental Monitoring/*methods ; Environmental Pollutants/*analysis ; Feathers/*chemistry ; Hungary ; Metals, Heavy/*analysis ; }, abstract = {Concentrations of different heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) were examined in the contour feathers of long-eared owl (Asio otus), little owl (Athene noctua), tawny owl (Strix aluco), barn owl (Tyto alba), Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), rook (Corvus frugilegus), hooded crow (Corvus cornix), carrion crow (Corvus corone), common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). The samples were collected from the Hortobágyi Madárpark (Bird Hospital Foundation) in Hungary. The bird species were classified into six groups based on their nourishment. Feathers were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The aim of our study was to determine the concentration of the above-mentioned heavy metals in the six different groups and to compare them by the groups, to find a possible connection between the concentrations and the age of birds and to get some information about the heavy metal burden of the environment. The highest As concentration was measured in little owl (0.65 ± 0.56 mg/kg). The highest Cd, Cr and Pb concentration was found in the feathers of barn swallow (0.13 ± 0.06 mg/kg; 1.69 ± 0.44 mg/kg; 5.36 ± 1.46 mg/kg), while the highest Cu and Hg concentration (65.45 ± 17.66 mg/kg; 2.72 ± 1.08 mg/kg) in sparrowhawk feathers and the highest Zn concentration in owls (157.21 ± 57.3 mg/kg). Statistically significant difference has been determined between the juvenile and adult crows in the case of Cd (p = 0.011). The higher concentration was measured in adults (0.14 ± 0.04 mg/kg) than that in juveniles (0.08 ± 0.02 mg/kg). Based on our results, the examined area is not contaminated by these heavy metals on that level, which can cause any adverse effect or poisoning in birds, so this region is safe to wildlife.}, }
@article {pmid29238321, year = {2017}, author = {Kabadayi, C and Jacobs, I and Osvath, M}, title = {The Development of Motor Self-Regulation in Ravens.}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {8}, number = {}, pages = {2100}, pmid = {29238321}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {Inhibitory control refers to the ability to stop impulses in favor of more appropriate behavior, and it constitutes one of the underlying cognitive functions associated with cognitive flexibility. Much attention has been given to cross-species comparisons of inhibitory control; however, less is known about how and when these abilities develop. Mapping the ontogeny of inhibitory control in different species may therefore reveal foundational elements behind cognitive processes and their evolution. In this study, we tested the development of motor self-regulation in raven chicks (Corvus corax), using two detour tasks that required inhibition of motor impulses to directly reach for a visible reward behind a barrier. One task included a mesh barrier, which partly occluded the reward, and the other task used a completely transparent barrier, the cylinder task. The results suggest that the more visible a reward is, the more difficult it is to inhibit motor impulses toward it, and further, that this inhibitory challenge gradually decreases during development. The mesh barrier is reliably detoured before the animals pass the task with the wholly transparent cylinder. As the majority of the birds begun testing as nestlings, and as we provided them with experiences they normally would not receive in a nest, it is likely that they showed the earliest possible onset of these skills. A control subject, tested at a later age, showed that the mesh detours required no particular training, but that tasks including complete transparency likely require more specific experiences. Adult ravens without explicit training are highly proficient in inhibitory detour tasks, and, together with chimpanzees, they are the best performers of all tested species in the cylinder task. Our results suggest that their skills develop early in life, around their third month. Their developmental pattern of inhibitory skills for detours resembles that of children and rhesus macaques, albeit the pace of development is markedly faster in ravens. Investigating the development of cognition is crucial to understanding its foundations within and across species.}, }
@article {pmid29229413, year = {2018}, author = {Taufique, SKT and Prabhat, A and Kumar, V}, title = {Constant light environment suppresses maturation and reduces complexity of new born neuron processes in the hippocampus and caudal nidopallium of a diurnal corvid: Implication for impairment of the learning and cognitive performance.}, journal = {Neurobiology of learning and memory}, volume = {147}, number = {}, pages = {120-127}, doi = {10.1016/j.nlm.2017.12.001}, pmid = {29229413}, issn = {1095-9564}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Association Learning/*physiology ; Cerebral Cortex/metabolism/*physiology ; Circadian Rhythm/*physiology ; Crows/metabolism/*physiology ; Doublecortin Domain Proteins ; Doublecortin Protein ; Hippocampus/physiology ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/*metabolism ; Neurogenesis/*physiology ; Neuropeptides/*metabolism ; *Photoperiod ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Spatial Learning/*physiology ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/*metabolism ; }, abstract = {Periodic day-night environment shapes the temporal pattern in the behaviour and physiology (e.g. 24-h activity-rest and sleep-wake cycles) and the advanced brain function, such as learning, memory and decision making. In a previous study, we showed the abolition of 24-h rhythm in the activity-rest pattern, and an attenuated cognitive performance in diurnal Indian house crows (Corvus splendens) under constant light (no-night; LL) environment. Present study extended this, and investigated LL-induced effects on the neurogenesis (birth, maturation and neurite complexity of new born neurons) in the hippocampus and caudal nidopallium, the brain regions directly associated with learning and cognition in birds. We performed immunohistochemistry of doublecortin (DCX; a neurogenesis marker) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a key enzyme of the dopamine biosynthesis) in the brain section containing hippocampus or caudal nidopallium of Indian house crows exposed for 2 weeks to LL, with controls maintained under 12L:12D. As expected, crows showed arrhythmicity with a significantly reduced rest period in the 24-h activity-rest pattern, and a decreased cognitive performance when tested for the spatial and pattern association learning tasks under LL. Importantly, there was a significant decrease in DCX-immunoreactive (ir) cells and, as shown by Sholl analysis, in the complexity of DCX-ir neurites in both, the hippocampus and caudal nidopallium of crows under LL, as compared to those under 12L:12D. The anatomical proximity of DCX-ir neurons with TH-ir fibers suggested a functional association of the new born hippocampal and caudal nidopallial neurons with the learning, and perhaps cognition in Indian house crows. These results give insights into possible impact of the loss of night on brain health and functions in an emerging ecosystem in which other diurnal species including humans may be inadvertently exposed to an illuminated night, such as in an overly lighted metropolitan urban habitat.}, }
@article {pmid29225028, year = {2017}, author = {Sugasawa, S and Klump, BC and St Clair, JJH and Rutz, C}, title = {Causes and Consequences of Tool Shape Variation in New Caledonian Crows.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {27}, number = {24}, pages = {3885-3890.e4}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2017.11.028}, pmid = {29225028}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Hominins have been making tools for over three million years [1], yet the earliest known hooked tools appeared as recently as 90,000 years ago [2]. Hook innovation is likely to have boosted our ancestors' hunting and fishing efficiency [3], marking a major transition in human technological evolution. The New Caledonian crow is the only non-human animal known to craft hooks in the wild [4, 5]. Crows manufacture hooked stick tools in a multi-stage process, involving the detachment of a branch from suitable vegetation; "sculpting" of a terminal hook from the nodal joint; and often additional adjustments, such as length trimming, shaft bending, and bark stripping [4, 6, 7]. Although tools made by a given population share key design features [4, 6, 8], they vary appreciably in overall shape and hook dimensions. Using wild-caught, temporarily captive crows, we experimentally investigated causes and consequences of variation in hook-tool morphology. We found that bird age, manufacture method, and raw-material properties influenced tool morphology, and that hook geometry in turn affected crows' foraging efficiency. Specifically, hook depth varied with both detachment technique and plant rigidity, and deeper hooks enabled faster prey extraction in the provided tasks. Older crows manufactured tools of distinctive shape, with pronounced shaft curvature and hooks of intermediate depth. Future work should explore the interactive effects of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on tool production and deployment. Our study provides a quantitative assessment of the drivers and functional significance of tool shape variation in a non-human animal, affording valuable comparative insights into early hominin tool crafting [9].}, }
@article {pmid29217466, year = {2018}, author = {Elderbrock, EK and Small, TW and Schoech, SJ}, title = {Influence of corticosterone treatment on nestling begging in Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens).}, journal = {General and comparative endocrinology}, volume = {259}, number = {}, pages = {213-222}, doi = {10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.12.003}, pmid = {29217466}, issn = {1095-6840}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; Corticosterone/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Altricial young are dependent on adults for protection and food, and they display nutritional need by begging to elicit feeding from parents. Begging at high levels can be energetically expensive and attract predators; thus, an individual must balance its nutritional needs with these potential costs. Further, because a parent is limited in the amount of food it can provide, begging can contribute to both parent-offspring conflict and sibling-sibling competition. Many extrinsic and intrinsic factors may contribute to begging behavior. One intrinsic factor of interest is corticosterone (CORT), a metabolic hormone hypothesized to play a role in regulating a nestling's begging behavior. We investigated the hypothesis that increased exposure to CORT influences nestling begging behavior in an altricial species, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens). We treated one nestling per treatment nest with a twice-daily dose of exogenous hormone via a CORT-injected waxworm, whereas a second individual received a vehicle-injected waxworm. We monitored individual nestling and adult behavior at all nests with the use of high-definition video cameras on several days during treatment. We found no difference in begging rate between CORT fed and vehicle fed nestlings within a treatment nest. Further, to determine whether CORT treatment had indirect effects on the entire brood, we monitored additional nests, in which nestlings were not manipulated. When treatment and controls were compared, overall begging rates of nestlings in treatment nests were greater than those in control nests. This result suggests that CORT treatment of an individual altered its behavior, as well as that of its siblings.}, }
@article {pmid29213080, year = {2017}, author = {Danel, S and Osiurak, F and von Bayern, AMP}, title = {From the Age of 5 Humans Decide Economically, Whereas Crows Exhibit Individual Preferences.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, pages = {17043}, pmid = {29213080}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Adult ; Animals ; Child, Preschool ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Problem Solving ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Human societies greatly depend on tools, which spare us considerable time and effort. Humans might have evolved a bias to employ tools, using them even when they are unnecessary. This study aimed to investigate whether adult humans and a distantly related habitually tool-using vertebrate species, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides), use tools depending on their necessity. In addition, children aged 3 to 5 years were examined to investigate the developmental pattern. The task involved choosing between using a body part (i.e. crows: beak; humans: hand) or a tool for retrieving a reward from a box. All subjects were tested in two conditions. In the Body+/Tool- condition, using the body was more efficient than using the tool, and conversely in the Body-/Tool+ condition. Our results suggest that the capacity to employ tools economically develops late in humans. Crows, however, failed to choose economically. At the individual level, some subjects exhibited striking individual preferences for either using a tool or their beak throughout the task. Whether such biases depend on individual experience or whether they are genetically determined remains to be investigated. Our findings provide new insights about tool use and its cognitive implementation in two outstanding tool-using taxa.}, }
@article {pmid29187607, year = {2017}, author = {Found, R}, title = {Interactions between cleaner-birds and ungulates are personality dependent.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {13}, number = {11}, pages = {}, pmid = {29187607}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Aggression ; Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Deer/*psychology ; *Passeriformes ; Personality ; }, abstract = {While a growing body of literature explores the ecological implications of consistent individual variation in the behaviour of wildlife, few studies have looked at the reciprocal influences of personality within interspecific interactions, despite the potentially significant impacts on biodiversity. Here I used two species involved in cleaner-bird behaviour-black-billed magpies (Pica pica) and Rocky mountain elk (Cervus canadensis)-to show that the exhibition of mutualistic behaviour can depend on the personality of the individual involved. I recorded suites of correlated behaviours in both elk and magpies to derive personality gradients from 'shy' to 'bold', which I compared with observations of interspecific interactions. I measured each half of this mutualistic relationship separately. I found that bold elk were more likely to aggressively reject magpie landings, while shy elk allowed magpies to land and groom them. Contrastingly, I found it was bold magpies that were willing to risk landings, while shy magpies rarely attempted landings. These results show that the exhibition of interspecific behaviour is predicated on the personality of the individuals, and thus likely contributes to the selection and maintenance of personality variation within populations.}, }
@article {pmid29128976, year = {2018}, author = {Hartmann, K and Veit, L and Nieder, A}, title = {Neurons in the crow nidopallium caudolaterale encode varying durations of visual working memory periods.}, journal = {Experimental brain research}, volume = {236}, number = {1}, pages = {215-226}, pmid = {29128976}, issn = {1432-1106}, support = {NI 618/6-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/International ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Crows ; Female ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology ; Neurons/*physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Time Perception/*physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Adaptive sequential behaviors rely on the bridging and integration of temporally separate information for the realization of prospective goals. Corvids' remarkable behavioral flexibility is thought to depend on the workings of the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a high-level avian associative forebrain area. We trained carrion crows to remember visual items for three alternating delay durations in a delayed match-to-sample task and recorded single-unit activity from the NCL. Sample-selective delay activity, a correlate of visual working memory, was maintained throughout different working memory durations. Delay responses remained selective for the same preferred sample item across blocks with different delay durations. However, selectivity strength decreased with increasing delay durations, mirroring worsened behavioral performance with longer memory delays. Behavioral relevance of delay activity was further evidenced by reduced encoding of the preferred sample item during error trials. In addition, NCL neurons adapted their time-dependent discharges to blocks of different memory durations, so that delay duration could be successfully classified based on population activity a few trials after the delay duration switched. Therefore, NCL neurons not only maintain information from individual trials, but also keep track of the duration for which this information is needed in the context of the task. These results strengthen the role of corvid NCL in maintaining working memory for flexible control of temporally extended goal-directed behavior.}, }
@article {pmid29081434, year = {2017}, author = {Herzberg, D}, title = {Entitled to Addiction?: Pharmaceuticals, Race, and America's First Drug War.}, journal = {Bulletin of the history of medicine}, volume = {91}, number = {3}, pages = {586-623}, pmid = {29081434}, issn = {1086-3176}, support = {G13 LM012050/LM/NLM NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Drug and Narcotic Control/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Racism/*history ; Substance-Related Disorders/*history/psychology ; United States ; United States Food and Drug Administration/*history/organization &amp; administration ; }, abstract = {This article rethinks the formative decades of American drug wars through a social history of addiction to pharmaceutical narcotics, sedatives, and stimulants in the first half of the twentieth century. It argues, first, that addiction to pharmaceutical drugs is no recent aberration; it has historically been more extensive than "street" or illicit drug use. Second, it argues that access to psychoactive pharmaceuticals was a problematic social entitlement constructed as distinctively medical amid the racialized reforms of the Progressive Era. The resulting drug control regime provided inadequate consumer protection for some (through the FDA), and overly punitive policing for others (through the FBN). Instead of seeing these as two separate stories-one a liberal triumph and the other a repressive scourge-both should be understood as part of the broader establishment of a consumer market for drugs segregated by class and race like other consumer markets developed in the era of Progressivism and Jim Crow.}, }
@article {pmid29078034, year = {2018}, author = {Hill, SD and Aryal, A and Pawley, MDM and Ji, W}, title = {So much for the city: Urban-rural song variation in a widespread Asiatic songbird.}, journal = {Integrative zoology}, volume = {13}, number = {2}, pages = {194-205}, doi = {10.1111/1749-4877.12284}, pmid = {29078034}, issn = {1749-4877}, mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Asia ; Cities ; Male ; Noise ; Songbirds/*physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Song plays a fundamental role in intraspecific communication in songbirds. The temporal and structural components of songs can vary in different habitats. These include urban habitats where anthropogenic sounds and alteration of habitat structure can significantly affect songbird vocal behavior. Urban-rural variations in song complexity, song length and syllable rate are not fully understood. In this study, using the oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) as a model, we investigated urban-rural variation in song complexity, song length, syllable rate, syllable length and inter-syllable interval. Comparing urban and rural songs from 7 countries across its natural Asiatic range (Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand), we found no significant differences in oriental magpie-robin song complexity. However, we found significant differences in temporal song variables between urban and rural sites. Longer songs and inter-syllable intervals in addition to slower syllable rates within urban sites contributed the most to this variance. This indicates that the urban environment may have driven production of longer and slower songs to maximize efficient transmission of important song information in urban habitats.}, }
@article {pmid29074881, year = {2017}, author = {Scasta, JD and Stam, B and Windh, JL}, title = {Rancher-reported efficacy of lethal and non-lethal livestock predation mitigation strategies for a suite of carnivores.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, pages = {14105}, pmid = {29074881}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; *Carnivora ; Conservation of Natural Resources/*methods ; *Livestock ; *Predatory Behavior ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; }, abstract = {Pastoralists have dealt with livestock losses from predators for millennia, yet effective mitigation strategies that balance wildlife conservation and sustainable agriculture are still needed today. In Wyoming, USA, 274 ranchers responded to a retrospective survey, and rated the efficacy of predation mitigation strategies for foxes, dogs, coyotes, wolves, bobcats, mountain lions, bears, and birds (buzzards, eagles, hawks, ravens). Rancher reported efficacy of mitigation varied by predator species, mitigation strategy, and lethality of strategies, but not livestock type. Ranchers perceive they were most effective at mitigating predation by foxes and coyotes, moderately effective at mitigating large carnivores, and the least effective at mitigating birds. Ranchers also reported that avian predators seem to be the most challenging predator type. The general perception was lethal mitigation strategies were more effective than non-lethal strategies, with guard animals showing the most potential among the non-lethal options. In general, ranchers did not perceive non-lethal strategies as a proxy for lethal strategies. However, a few ranchers reported being successful with non-lethal options such as herding, fencing, and stalling at night but more details about such successful applications are needed. Innovation in current or novel non-lethal mitigation strategies, and examples of efficacy, are needed to justify producer adoption.}, }
@article {pmid29036268, year = {2018}, author = {Krieger, N and Jahn, JL and Waterman, PD and Chen, JT}, title = {Breast Cancer Estrogen Receptor Status According to Biological Generation: US Black and White Women Born 1915-1979.}, journal = {American journal of epidemiology}, volume = {187}, number = {5}, pages = {960-970}, doi = {10.1093/aje/kwx312}, pmid = {29036268}, issn = {1476-6256}, mesh = {Adult ; African Americans/history/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Americans/history/statistics &amp; numerical data ; Breast Neoplasms/*epidemiology/*ethnology/metabolism ; China/ethnology ; Female ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Racism/history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; Receptors, Estrogen/*analysis ; SEER Program ; United States/epidemiology ; Whites/history/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; }, abstract = {Evidence suggests that contemporary population distributions of estrogen-receptor (ER) status among breast cancer patients may be shaped by earlier major societal events, such as the 1965 abolition of legal racial discrimination in the United States (state and local "Jim Crow" laws) and the Great Famine in China (1959-1961). We analyzed changes in ER status in relation to Jim Crow birthplace among the 46,417 black and 339,830 white US-born, non-Hispanic women in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 13 Registry Group who were born between 1915 and 1979 and diagnosed (ages 25-84 years, inclusive) during 1992-2012. We grouped the cases according to birth cohort and quantified the rate of change using the haldane (which scales change in relation to biological generation). The percentage of ER-positive cases rose according to birth cohort (1915-1919 to 1975-1979) only among women diagnosed before age 55. Changes according to biological generation were greater among black women than among white women, and among black women, they were greatest among those born in Jim Crow (versus non-Jim Crow) states, with this group being the only group to exhibit high haldane values (>|0.3|, indicating high rate of change). Our study's analytical approach and findings underscore the need to consider history and societal context when analyzing ER status among breast cancer patients and racial/ethnic inequities in its distribution.}, }
@article {pmid28989768, year = {2017}, author = {Lambert, ML and Schiestl, M and Schwing, R and Taylor, AH and Gajdon, GK and Slocombe, KE and Seed, AM}, title = {Function and flexibility of object exploration in kea and New Caledonian crows.}, journal = {Royal Society open science}, volume = {4}, number = {9}, pages = {170652}, pmid = {28989768}, issn = {2054-5703}, abstract = {A range of non-human animals frequently manipulate and explore objects in their environment, which may enable them to learn about physical properties and potentially form more abstract concepts of properties such as weight and rigidity. Whether animals can apply the information learned during their exploration to solve novel problems, however, and whether they actually change their exploratory behaviour to seek functional information about objects have not been fully explored. We allowed kea (Nestor notabilis) and New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) to explore sets of novel objects both before and after encountering a task in which some of the objects could function as tools. Following this, subjects were given test trials in which they could choose among the objects they had explored to solve a tool-use task. Several individuals from both species performed above chance on these test trials, and only did so after exploring the objects, compared with a control experiment with no prior exploration phase. These results suggest that selection of functional tools may be guided by information acquired during exploration. Neither kea nor crows changed the duration or quality of their exploration after learning that the objects had a functional relevance, suggesting that birds do not adjust their behaviour to explicitly seek this information.}, }
@article {pmid28978738, year = {2017}, author = {Ręk, P and Magrath, RD}, title = {Deceptive vocal duets and multimodal display in a songbird.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {284}, number = {1864}, pages = {}, pmid = {28978738}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; Australian Capital Territory ; Female ; Male ; Songbirds/*physiology ; *Territoriality ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Many group-living animals cooperatively signal to defend resources, but what stops deceptive signalling to competitors about coalition strength? Cooperative-signalling species include mated pairs of birds that sing duets to defend their territory. Individuals of these species sometimes sing 'pseudo-duets' by mimicking their partner's contribution, but it is unknown if these songs are deceptive, or why duets are normally reliable. We studied pseudo-duets in Australian magpie-larks, Grallina cyanoleuca, and tested whether multimodal signalling constrains deception. Magpie-larks give antiphonal duets coordinated with a visual display, with each sex typically choosing a different song type within the duet. Individuals produced pseudo-duets almost exclusively during nesting when partners were apart, but the two song types were used in sequence rather than antiphonally. Strikingly, birds hid and gave no visual displays, implying deceptive suppression of information. Acoustic playbacks showed that pseudo-duets provoked the same response from residents as true duets, regardless of whether they were sequential or antiphonal, and stronger response than that to true duets consisting of a single song type. By contrast, experiments with robot models showed that songs accompanied by movements of two birds prompted stronger responses than songs accompanied by movements of one bird, irrespective of the number of song types or singers. We conclude that magpie-larks used deceptive pseudo-duets when partners were apart, and suppressed the visual display to maintain the subterfuge. We suggest that the visual component of many species' duets provides the most reliable information about the number of signallers and may have evolved to maintain honesty in duet communication.}, }
@article {pmid28968822, year = {2017}, author = {McPhatter, LP and Su, T and Williams, G and Cheng, ML and Dhillon, M and Gerry, AC}, title = {Host-Feeding Patterns of Culex stigmatosoma (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern California.}, journal = {Journal of medical entomology}, volume = {54}, number = {6}, pages = {1750-1757}, doi = {10.1093/jme/tjx154}, pmid = {28968822}, issn = {1938-2928}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; California ; Cattle ; Cities ; *Culex ; Dogs ; Ecosystem ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; }, abstract = {Knowledge of the blood-feeding patterns exhibited by arthropod vectors is essential for understanding the complex dynamics of vector-borne disease transmission. Some species of mosquitoes belonging to the genus Culex have been implicated as having major roles in the transmission of arboviruses such as West Nile virus, Saint Louis encephalitis virus, and Western equine encephalitis virus. Although the host-feeding patterns for many of these Culex species are well studied, the host-feeding patterns of Culex stigmatosoma Dyar are relatively poorly studied, even though this species is suspected to be an important maintenance vector for West Nile virus and other arboviruses. In the current study, bloodmeals from 976 blood-engorged Cx. stigmatosoma, collected from 30 sites in southern California from 2009-2012, were processed for vertebrate host identification by nucleotide sequencing following polymerase chain reaction to amplify portions of the cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b genes of vertebrate animals. Vertebrate DNA was amplified, sequenced, and identified from a total of 647 Cx. stigmatosoma bloodmeals, revealing that 98.6% of bloodmeals were from birds, 1.2% from three mammal species, and a single bloodmeal was from a reptile species. In total, 40 different host species were identified. The greatest number of bloodmeals identified was from domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus L.) (38% of bloodmeals), house sparrow (Passer domesticus L.) (23%), house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus Müller) (17%), American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos L.) (4%), and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura L.) (3%). However, chicken bloodmeals were identified almost entirely from a single site where mosquito collection devices were placed in the near vicinity of confined domestic chickens. The strongly ornithophilic feeding behavior shown in this study for Cx. stigmatosoma supports the hypothesis that this mosquito species may be an important maintenance (or endemic) vector for arboviruses that circulate among susceptible birds.}, }
@article {pmid28963599, year = {2017}, author = {Stanton, L and Davis, E and Johnson, S and Gilbert, A and Benson-Amram, S}, title = {Adaptation of the Aesop's Fable paradigm for use with raccoons (Procyon lotor): considerations for future application in non-avian and non-primate species.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {20}, number = {6}, pages = {1147-1152}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-017-1129-z}, pmid = {28963599}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; Female ; Male ; *Problem Solving ; Raccoons/*psychology ; Reward ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {To gain a better understanding of the evolution of animal cognition, it is necessary to test and compare the cognitive abilities of a broad array of taxa. Meaningful inter-species comparisons are best achieved by employing universal paradigms that standardize testing among species. Many cognitive paradigms, however, have been tested in only a few taxa, mostly birds and primates. One such example, known as the Aesop's Fable paradigm, is designed to assess causal understanding in animals using water displacement. To evaluate the universal effectiveness of the Aesop's Fable paradigm, we applied this paradigm to a previously untested taxon, the raccoon (Procyon lotor). We first trained captive raccoons to drop stones into a tube of water to retrieve a floating food reward. Next, we presented successful raccoons with objects that differed in the amount of water they displaced to determine whether raccoons could select the most functional option. Raccoons performed differently than corvids and human children did in previous studies of Aesop's Fable, and we found raccoons to be innovative in many aspects of this task. We suggest that raccoon performance in this paradigm reflected differences in tangential factors, such as behavior, morphology, and testing procedures, rather than cognitive deficiencies. We also present insight into previously undocumented challenges that should better inform future Aesop's Fable studies incorporating more diverse taxa.}, }
@article {pmid28953940, year = {2017}, author = {Lee, SI and Lee, H and Jablonski, PG and Choe, JC and Husby, M}, title = {Microbial abundance on the eggs of a passerine bird and related fitness consequences between urban and rural habitats.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {12}, number = {9}, pages = {e0185411}, pmid = {28953940}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Climate ; Colony Count, Microbial ; *Ecosystem ; Eggs/*microbiology ; Passeriformes/*microbiology/physiology ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; }, abstract = {Urban environments present novel and challenging habitats to wildlife. In addition to well-known difference in abiotic factors between rural and urban environments, the biotic environment, including microbial fauna, may also differ significantly. In this study, we aimed to compare the change in microbial abundance on eggshells during incubation between urban and rural populations of a passerine bird, the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica), and examine the consequences of any differences in microbial abundances in terms of hatching success and nestling survival. Using real-time PCR, we quantified the abundances of total bacteria, Escherichia coli/Shigella spp., surfactin-producing Bacillus spp. and Candida albicans on the eggshells of magpies. We found that urban magpie eggs harboured greater abundances of E. coli/Shigella spp. and C. albicans before incubation than rural magpie eggs. During incubation, there was an increase in the total bacterial load, but a decrease in C. albicans on urban eggs relative to rural eggs. Rural eggs showed a greater increase in E. coli/Shigella spp. relative to their urban counterpart. Hatching success of the brood was generally lower in urban than rural population. Nestling survival was differentially related with the eggshell microbial abundance between urban and rural populations, which was speculated to be the result of the difference in the strength of the interaction among the microbes. This is the first demonstration that avian clutches in urban and rural populations differ in eggshell microbial abundance, which can be further related to the difference in hatching success and nestling survival in these two types of environments. We suggest that future studies on the eggshell microbes should investigate the interaction among the microbes, because the incubation and/or environmental factors such as urbanization or climate condition can influence the dynamic interactions among the microbes on the eggshells which can further determine the breeding success of the parents.}, }
@article {pmid28929247, year = {2017}, author = {Kabadayi, C and Krasheninnikova, A and O'Neill, L and van de Weijer, J and Osvath, M and von Bayern, AMP}, title = {Are parrots poor at motor self-regulation or is the cylinder task poor at measuring it?.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {20}, number = {6}, pages = {1137-1146}, pmid = {28929247}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Female ; *Inhibition, Psychological ; Male ; Parrots/*physiology ; Psychomotor Performance ; Research Design ; *Self-Control ; }, abstract = {The ability to inhibit unproductive motor responses triggered by salient stimuli is a fundamental inhibitory skill. Such motor self-regulation is thought to underlie more complex cognitive mechanisms, like self-control. Recently, a large-scale study, comparing 36 species, found that absolute brain size best predicted competence in motor inhibition, with great apes as the best performers. This was challenged when three Corvus species (corvids) were found to parallel great apes despite having much smaller absolute brain sizes. However, new analyses suggest that it is the number of pallial neurons, and not absolute brain size per se, that correlates with levels of motor inhibition. Both studies used the cylinder task, a detour-reaching test where food is presented behind a transparent barrier. We tested four species from the order Psittaciformes (parrots) on this task. Like corvids, many parrots have relatively large brains, high numbers of pallial neurons, and solve challenging cognitive tasks. Nonetheless, parrots performed markedly worse than the Corvus species in the cylinder task and exhibited strong learning effects in performance and response times. Our results suggest either that parrots are poor at controlling their motor impulses, and hence that pallial neuronal numbers do not always correlate with such skills, or that the widely used cylinder task may not be a good measure of motor inhibition.}, }
@article {pmid28922382, year = {2017}, author = {Canestrari, D and Bolopo, D and Turlings, TCJ and Röder, G and Marcos, JM and Baglione, V}, title = {Formal comment to Soler et al.: Great spotted cuckoo nestlings have no antipredatory effect on magpie or carrion crow host nests in southern Spain.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {12}, number = {9}, pages = {e0184446}, pmid = {28922382}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; Crows ; Nesting Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; Spain ; }, }
@article {pmid28914409, year = {2018}, author = {Despinoy, F and Zemiti, N and Forestier, G and Sánchez, A and Jannin, P and Poignet, P}, title = {Evaluation of contactless human-machine interface for robotic surgical training.}, journal = {International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery}, volume = {13}, number = {1}, pages = {13-24}, pmid = {28914409}, issn = {1861-6429}, mesh = {Gestures ; Humans ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/*education/methods ; *User-Computer Interface ; }, abstract = {PURPOSE: Teleoperated robotic systems are nowadays routinely used for specific interventions. Benefits of robotic training courses have already been acknowledged by the community since manipulation of such systems requires dedicated training. However, robotic surgical simulators remain expensive and require a dedicated human-machine interface.<br><br>METHODS: We present a low-cost contactless optical sensor, the Leap Motion, as a novel control device to manipulate the RAVEN-II robot. We compare peg manipulations during a training task with a contact-based device, the electro-mechanical Sigma.7. We perform two complementary analyses to quantitatively assess the performance of each control method: a metric-based comparison and a novel unsupervised spatiotemporal trajectory clustering.<br><br>RESULTS: We show that contactless control does not offer as good manipulability as the contact-based. Where part of the metric-based evaluation presents the mechanical control better than the contactless one, the unsupervised spatiotemporal trajectory clustering from the surgical tool motions highlights specific signature inferred by the human-machine interfaces.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Even if the current implementation of contactless control does not overtake manipulation with high-standard mechanical interface, we demonstrate that using the optical sensor complete control of the surgical instruments is feasible. The proposed method allows fine tracking of the trainee's hands in order to execute dexterous laparoscopic training gestures. This work is promising for development of future human-machine interfaces dedicated to robotic surgical training systems.}, }
@article {pmid28895948, year = {2017}, author = {Marley, SA and Erbe, C and Kent, CPS}, title = {Underwater recordings of the whistles of bottlenose dolphins in Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia.}, journal = {Scientific data}, volume = {4}, number = {}, pages = {170126}, pmid = {28895948}, issn = {2052-4463}, mesh = {Animals ; *Bottle-Nosed Dolphin ; *Vocalization, Animal ; Western Australia ; }, abstract = {Dolphins use frequency-modulated whistles for a variety of social functions. Whistles vary in their characteristics according to context, such as activity state, group size, group composition, geographic location, and ambient noise levels. Therefore, comparison of whistle characteristics can be used to address numerous research questions regarding dolphin populations and behaviour. However, logistical and economic constraints on dolphin research have resulted in data collection biases, inconsistent analytical approaches, and knowledge gaps. This Data Descriptor presents an acoustic dataset of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) whistles recorded in the Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia. Data were collected using an autonomous recorder and analysed using a range of acoustic measurements. Acoustic data review identified 336 whistles, which were subsequently measured for six key characteristics using Raven Pro software. Of these, 164 'high-quality' whistles were manually measured to provide an additional five acoustic characteristics. Digital files of individual whistles and corresponding measurements make this dataset available to researchers to address future questions regarding variations within and between dolphin communities.}, }
@article {pmid28878059, year = {2017}, author = {Laumer, IB and Bugnyar, T and Reber, SA and Auersperg, AMI}, title = {Can hook-bending be let off the hook? Bending/unbending of pliant tools by cockatoos.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {284}, number = {1862}, pages = {}, pmid = {28878059}, issn = {1471-2954}, support = {P 29075/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; P 29084/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Cockatoos ; *Learning ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The spontaneous crafting of hook-tools from bendable material to lift a basket out of a vertical tube in corvids has widely been used as one of the prime examples of animal tool innovation. However, it was recently suggested that the animals' solution was hardly innovative but strongly influenced by predispositions from habitual tool use and nest building. We tested Goffin's cockatoo, which is neither a specialized tool user nor a nest builder, on a similar task set-up. Three birds individually learned to bend hook tools from straight wire to retrieve food from vertical tubes and four subjects unbent wire to retrieve food from horizontal tubes. Pre-experience with ready-made hooks had some effect but was not necessary for success. Our results indicate that the ability to represent and manufacture tools according to a current need does not require genetically hardwired behavioural routines, but can indeed arise innovatively from domain general cognitive processing.}, }
@article {pmid28874011, year = {2017}, author = {Thiemann, TC and Woodward, DL and Fang, Y and Ryan, BM and Nelms, BM and Scott, JJ and Reisen, WK}, title = {Abundance and Bloodfeeding Patterns of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in an Oak Woodland on the Eastern Slope of the Northern Coast Range of California.}, journal = {Journal of medical entomology}, volume = {54}, number = {5}, pages = {1344-1353}, doi = {10.1093/jme/tjx078}, pmid = {28874011}, issn = {1938-2928}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; California ; Culicidae/enzymology/genetics/*physiology ; Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Food Chain ; Forests ; Insect Proteins/genetics ; *Mammals ; Population Dynamics ; Seasons ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; }, abstract = {The abundance and bloodfeeding patterns of mosquitoes was studied from 2008 to 2010 at an 18 ha. oak woodland in Lake County, CA. Host-seeking females were collected weekly from sunset to sunrise by paired dry-ice-baited CDC style traps, whereas resting females were aspirated from paired walk-in red boxes. Sequences of the COI gene amplified from bloodmeals from engorged resting females were used to identify the bloodmeal hosts. Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow) and Aedes increpitus Dyar complex mosquitoes were univoltine, although the timing of emergence and abundance varied temporally and seemed weather dependent. Abundance of both Anopheles franciscanus McCracken and Anopheles freeborni Aitken peaked in mid to late summer. Females of both genera bloodfed primarily on mule deer and black-tailed jackrabbits, and few fed on either dogs or humans that were consistently present within the woodland. In contrast, multivoltine Culex tarsalis Coquillett and Culex stigmatosoma Dyar were abundant throughout summer, especially from July to September. Both Culex species bloodfed on a wide variety of avian hosts, with most bloodmeals originating from California scrub-jay, wild turkey, oak titmouse, and house finch. Culex tarsalis fed on proportionately more mammals as summer progressed, peaking at 33% in September.}, }
@article {pmid28857604, year = {2017}, author = {Schwing, R and Weber, S and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Kea (Nestor notabilis) decide early when to wait in food exchange task.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {131}, number = {4}, pages = {269-276}, doi = {10.1037/com0000086}, pmid = {28857604}, issn = {1939-2087}, support = {//Austrian Science Fund (FWF)/ ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Delay Discounting/*physiology ; Female ; Food ; Male ; Psittaciformes/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The ability to forego an immediate reward in favor of a bigger or better one at a later point has been linked with advanced cognitive skills, such as impulse control and forward-planning, and can be assessed by the classic food exchange paradigm. While the ability to perform in such tasks has long been regarded as an exclusive trait of humans and some mammals, that is, primates and dogs, in recent years some bird species have been found to perform similarly as primates. Here we test 10 captive kea (Nestor notabilis), using a food exchange paradigm standardized in earlier experiments, but adding the use of a container to hold the initial item. The subjects reached waiting times of up to 160 s. They also showed significantly different results depending on the difference in the preference level for the presented food items, as well as clearly nonrandom waiting times, displaying forward-planning and economic evaluation of the situation at hand. As in most other species, results were markedly better when exchanging for quality as opposed to quantity. These results provide further evidence for temporal discounting in birds and fit in with the data gained on corvids and parrots in recent years. (PsycINFO Database Record}, }
@article {pmid28847742, year = {2017}, author = {Fausto, F and Cuevas, E and Valdivia, A and González, A}, title = {A global optimization algorithm inspired in the behavior of selfish herds.}, journal = {Bio Systems}, volume = {160}, number = {}, pages = {39-55}, doi = {10.1016/j.biosystems.2017.07.010}, pmid = {28847742}, issn = {1872-8324}, mesh = {*Algorithms ; Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/physiology ; Insecta/physiology ; *Mass Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {In this paper, a novel swarm optimization algorithm called the Selfish Herd Optimizer (SHO) is proposed for solving global optimization problems. SHO is based on the simulation of the widely observed selfish herd behavior manifested by individuals within a herd of animals subjected to some form of predation risk. In SHO, individuals emulate the predatory interactions between groups of prey and predators by two types of search agents: the members of a selfish herd (the prey) and a pack of hungry predators. Depending on their classification as either a prey or a predator, each individual is conducted by a set of unique evolutionary operators inspired by such prey-predator relationship. These unique traits allow SHO to improve the balance between exploration and exploitation without altering the population size. To illustrate the proficiency and robustness of the proposed method, it is compared to other well-known evolutionary optimization approaches such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Firefly Algorithm (FA), Differential Evolution (DE), Genetic Algorithms (GA), Crow Search Algorithm (CSA), Dragonfly Algorithm (DA), Moth-flame Optimization Algorithm (MOA) and Sine Cosine Algorithm (SCA). The comparison examines several standard benchmark functions, commonly considered within the literature of evolutionary algorithms. The experimental results show the remarkable performance of our proposed approach against those of the other compared methods, and as such SHO is proven to be an excellent alternative to solve global optimization problems.}, }
@article {pmid28821812, year = {2017}, author = {Balakhonov, D and Rose, J}, title = {Crows Rival Monkeys in Cognitive Capacity.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, pages = {8809}, pmid = {28821812}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Cognition ; *Crows ; Fixation, Ocular ; *Haplorhini ; Macaca mulatta ; }, abstract = {The present study compares the 'bandwidth of cognition' between crows and primates. Working memory is the ability to maintain and manipulate information over short periods of time - a core component of cognition. The capacity of working memory is tightly limited, in humans correlated with individual intelligence and commonly used synonymously with cognitive capacity. Crows have remarkable cognitive skills and while birds and mammals share neural principles of working memory, its capacity has not been tested in crows. Here we report the performance of two carrion crows on a working memory paradigm adapted from a recent experiment in rhesus monkeys. Capacity of crows is remarkably similar to monkeys and estimated at about four items. In both species, the visual hemifields show largely independent capacity. These results show that crows, like primates evolved a high-capacity working memory that reflects the result of convergent evolution of higher cognitive abilities in both species.}, }
@article {pmid28767009, year = {2018}, author = {Costello, KA}, title = {A no-man's-land of sex: Reading Stephen Gordon and "her" critics.}, journal = {Journal of lesbian studies}, volume = {22}, number = {2}, pages = {165-184}, doi = {10.1080/10894160.2017.1342457}, pmid = {28767009}, issn = {1540-3548}, mesh = {Female ; *Gender Identity ; History, 20th Century ; Homosexuality, Female/history/*psychology ; Humans ; *Literature, Modern ; Psychological Theory ; }, abstract = {One of the most read novels of lesbian, transgender, and queer criticism, Radclyffe Hall's novel The Well of Loneliness (1928) has given rise to numerous and contradictory interpretations of the protagonist Stephen Gordon's complex relationship to her body. Some have argued that she is a historically specific example of female masculinity, others that she is a lesbian who wishes she were more feminine, and others still that she is a prototypical transsexual character. Focusing on the exemplary essays by Jack Halberstam, Teresa de Lauretis, and Jay Prosser, I argue that the coexistence of mutually exclusive interpretations of Stephen Gordon's relationship to her femaleness suggests that the novel is, in fact, a demand to readers to unmoor identity from sex and to recognize what I call "sexual indeterminacy." Lesbian, transgender, and queer theory's tendency to elide the literariness of literary objects and their reliance on critique as the primary mode of reading and argumentation have made it impossible for critics to see that the novel is explicitly about what cannot be settled.}, }
@article {pmid28762195, year = {2017}, author = {Kraft, FL and Forštová, T and Utku Urhan, A and Exnerová, A and Brodin, A}, title = {No evidence for self-recognition in a small passerine, the great tit (Parus major) judged from the mark/mirror test.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {20}, number = {6}, pages = {1049-1057}, pmid = {28762195}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Cognition ; Female ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Recognition, Psychology ; Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Self-recognition is a trait presumed to be associated with high levels of cognition and something previously considered to be exclusive to humans and possibly apes. The most common test of self-recognition is the mark/mirror test of whether an animal can understand that it sees its own reflection in a mirror. The usual design is that an animal is marked with a colour spot somewhere on the body where the spot can only be seen by the animal by using a mirror. Very few species have passed this test, and among birds, only magpies have been affirmatively demonstrated to pass it. In this study, we tested great tits (Parus major), small passerines, that are known for their innovative foraging skills and good problem-solving abilities, in the mirror self-recognition test. We found no indication that they have any ability of this kind and believe that they are unlikely to be capable of this type of self-recognition.}, }
@article {pmid28724689, year = {2017}, author = {Kelley, LA and Clayton, NS}, title = {California scrub-jays reduce visual cues available to potential pilferers by matching food colour to caching substrate.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {13}, number = {7}, pages = {}, pmid = {28724689}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Animals ; California ; Color ; Cues ; Feeding Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; }, abstract = {Some animals hide food to consume later; however, these caches are susceptible to theft by conspecifics and heterospecifics. Caching animals can use protective strategies to minimize sensory cues available to potential pilferers, such as caching in shaded areas and in quiet substrate. Background matching (where object patterning matches the visual background) is commonly seen in prey animals to reduce conspicuousness, and caching animals may also use this tactic to hide caches, for example, by hiding coloured food in a similar coloured substrate. We tested whether California scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) camouflage their food in this way by offering them caching substrates that either matched or did not match the colour of food available for caching. We also determined whether this caching behaviour was sensitive to social context by allowing the birds to cache when a conspecific potential pilferer could be both heard and seen (acoustic and visual cues present), or unseen (acoustic cues only). When caching events could be both heard and seen by a potential pilferer, birds cached randomly in matching and non-matching substrates. However, they preferentially hid food in the substrate that matched the food colour when only acoustic cues were present. This is a novel cache protection strategy that also appears to be sensitive to social context. We conclude that studies of cache protection strategies should consider the perceptual capabilities of the cacher and potential pilferers.}, }
@article {pmid28724626, year = {2017}, author = {Serrano, FJ and Chiappe, LM}, title = {Aerodynamic modelling of a Cretaceous bird reveals thermal soaring capabilities during early avian evolution.}, journal = {Journal of the Royal Society, Interface}, volume = {14}, number = {132}, pages = {}, pmid = {28724626}, issn = {1742-5662}, mesh = {Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; Birds/*anatomy &amp; histology/*physiology ; Computer Simulation ; Flight, Animal/*physiology ; Fossils ; *Models, Biological ; }, abstract = {Several flight modes are thought to have evolved during the early evolution of birds. Here, we use a combination of computational modelling and morphofunctional analyses to infer the flight properties of the raven-sized, Early Cretaceous bird Sapeornis chaoyangensis-a likely candidate to have evolved soaring capabilities. Specifically, drawing information from (i) mechanical inferences of the deltopectoral crest of the humerus, (ii) wing shape (i.e. aspect ratio), (iii) estimations of power margin (i.e. difference between power required for flight and available power from muscles), (iv) gliding behaviour (i.e. forward speed and sinking speed), and (v) palaeobiological evidence, we conclude that S. chaoyangensis was a thermal soarer with an ecology similar to that of living South American screamers. Our results indicate that as early as 125 Ma, some birds evolved the morphological and aerodynamic requirements for soaring on continental thermals, a conclusion that highlights the degree of ecological, functional and behavioural diversity that resulted from the first major evolutionary radiation of birds.}, }
@article {pmid28706072, year = {2017}, author = {Kabadayi, C and Osvath, M}, title = {Ravens parallel great apes in flexible planning for tool-use and bartering.}, journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)}, volume = {357}, number = {6347}, pages = {202-204}, doi = {10.1126/science.aam8138}, pmid = {28706072}, issn = {1095-9203}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; *Crows ; Female ; Hominidae/*psychology ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The ability to flexibly plan for events outside of the current sensory scope is at the core of being human and is crucial to our everyday lives and society. Studies on apes have shaped a belief that this ability evolved within the hominid lineage. Corvids, however, have shown evidence of planning their food hoarding, although this has been suggested to reflect a specific caching adaptation rather than domain-general planning. Here, we show that ravens plan for events unrelated to caching-tool-use and bartering-with delays of up to 17 hours, exert self-control, and consider temporal distance to future events. Their performance parallels that seen in apes and suggests that planning evolved independently in corvids, which opens new avenues for the study of cognitive evolution.}, }
@article {pmid28695387, year = {2017}, author = {Mitra, S and Karmakar, A and Mukherjee, A and Barik, A}, title = {The Role of Leaf Volatiles of Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) Raven in the Attraction of Altica cyanea (Weber) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).}, journal = {Journal of chemical ecology}, volume = {43}, number = {7}, pages = {679-692}, pmid = {28695387}, issn = {1573-1561}, support = {F. No. - 43-578/2014(SR) from UGC, Govt. of India//University Grants Commission/ ; }, mesh = {Acyclic Monoterpenes ; Animals ; Bicyclic Monoterpenes ; Coleoptera/*physiology ; Female ; *Herbivory ; Monoterpenes/analysis/metabolism ; Olfactometry ; Onagraceae/chemistry/*physiology ; Pest Control, Biological/methods ; Pheromones/analysis/*metabolism ; Plant Leaves/chemistry/*physiology ; Plant Weeds/chemistry/*physiology ; Terpenes/analysis/metabolism ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis/*metabolism ; }, abstract = {Larvae and adults of Altica cyanea (Weber) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feed on the rice-field weed Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) Raven (Onagraceae), commonly known as willow primrose, which is considered a biocontrol agent of the weed. Volatile organic compounds from undamaged plants, plants after 4, 12, and 36 h of continuous feeding by A. cyanea larvae or adult females and after mechanical damaging were identified by GC-MS and GC-FID analyses. Twenty nine compounds were identified from undamaged plants. 2Z-Penten-1-ol, geraniol, and 1-tridecanol were present in all plants damaged by larvae. In contrast, feeding by adults caused the release of 2Z-penten-1-ol only after 12 and 36 h; whereas geraniol and 1-tridecanol appeared only after 36 h. Farnesyl acetone was detected after 12 and 36 h of feeding by larvae and after 36 h of feeding by adults. Farnesene was detected after 36 h of feeding by larvae and adults. Linalool was unique after 36 h of feeding by larvae. In Y-shaped glass tube olfactometer bioassays, A. cyanea females were attracted to volatiles after 36 h of feeding by larvae or adults compared to volatiles released by undamaged plants. The insects were attracted to five synthetic compounds: 3-hexanol, α-pinene, linalool oxide, geraniol, and phytol. Synthetic blends were more attractive than individual compounds. Compared to undamaged plants, volatiles released by plants, damaged by conspecific individuals, were more attractive to A. cyanea females, due to elevated emissions of 3-hexanol, α-pinene, linalool oxide, geraniol, and phytol.}, }
@article {pmid28691148, year = {2017}, author = {Bugelli, V and Papi, L and Fornaro, S and Stefanelli, F and Chericoni, S and Giusiani, M and Vanin, S and Campobasso, CP}, title = {Entomotoxicology in burnt bodies: a case of maternal filicide-suicide by fire.}, journal = {International journal of legal medicine}, volume = {131}, number = {5}, pages = {1299-1306}, pmid = {28691148}, issn = {1437-1596}, mesh = {Adult ; Animals ; Automobiles ; Burns/*pathology ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; Carboxyhemoglobin/analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diazepam/analysis ; *Diptera ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Fires ; Gasoline ; *Homicide ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives/analysis ; Kidney/chemistry ; Larva ; Liver/chemistry ; Male ; Nordazepam/analysis ; Oxazepam/analysis ; *Postmortem Changes ; *Suicide ; }, abstract = {One of the most common methods of maternal filicide is by fire. In this case study, a 40-year-old female and her children were found completely burned in a burnt out car. All bodies showed a degree of destruction by fire consisting to a level 3 of the Crow-Glassman Scale (CGS) and early stage of insect activity. Toxicological analyses were performed on soft tissues and body fluids still available. The results were positive for diazepam and its metabolites only for children with blood concentrations consistent with therapeutic doses of benzodiazepines. Home video surveillance cameras confirmed sedation prior to death recording the mother while administering some drops of sedative drugs in a soft drink to the children just a couple of hours before setting fire to the car. Based on autopsy findings, all victims were still alive at the time of fire. The cause of death was determined as carbon monoxide poisoning and fatal thermal injuries by fire. This case study has a special focus on the entomotoxicology and the potential role of insects in death investigations of burnt bodies, supposed to be an inadequate substratum for insect colonization. It demonstrates that in burnt bodies, arthropod colonization can be quite immediate after fire is extinguished. Toxicological analyses performed on larvae actively feeding on the children's bodies were positive for diazepam and its metabolites in small amount compared with blood concentrations, whereas the larvae collected from the mother's body were totally negative. These data, according to the autopsy findings and the toxicological results from the victim's blood and tissues, supported the suspect of a non-lethal sedation prior to death, which is a common behaviour in maternal filicide.}, }
@article {pmid28689262, year = {2017}, author = {West, EH and Peery, MZ}, title = {Behavioral mechanisms leading to improved fitness in a subsidized predator.}, journal = {Oecologia}, volume = {184}, number = {4}, pages = {787-798}, pmid = {28689262}, issn = {1432-1939}, support = {MSN150028//Save the Redwoods League (US)/International ; MSN160820//Save the Redwoods League (US)/International ; MSN164905//University of Wisconsin Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor Research and Graduate Education/International ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Ecosystem ; *Genetic Fitness ; Human Activities ; Humans ; Predatory Behavior ; Reproduction ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {General mechanisms underlying the distribution and fitness of synanthropic predators in human-influenced landscapes remain unclear. Under the consumer resource-matching hypothesis, synanthropes are expected to distribute themselves among habitats according to resource availability, such that densities are greater in human-subsidized habitats, but mean individual fitness is equal among habitats because of negative density dependence. However, "under-matching" to human food resources can occur, because dominant individuals exclude subordinates from subsidized habitats and realize relatively high fitness. We integrated physiological, behavioral, and demographic information to test resource-matching hypotheses in Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri), a synanthropic nest predator, to understand how behavior and social systems can influence how synanthropes respond to food subsidies. Jays consumed more human foods at subsidized (park campground) sites than jays at unsubsidized (interior forest) sites based on stable isotope analyses. Jays that occurred at higher densities were in better body condition (based on feather growth bars and lipid analyses), and had greater reproductive output at subsidized than unsubsidized sites. Jays with breeding territories in subsidized sites maintained relatively small home ranges that overlapped with multiple conspecifics, and exhibited a social system where dominant individuals typically won contests over food. Thus, jays appeared to be under-matched to prevalent resource subsidies despite high densities and behaviors expected to lead to resource matching. Our results also indicate that local resource subsidies within protected areas can result in source habitats for synanthropes, potentially impacting sensitive species over broader spatial scales.}, }
@article {pmid28688117, year = {2018}, author = {Lim, SM and Geervliet, M and Verhagen, JH and Müskens, GJDM and Majoor, FA and Osterhaus, ADME and Martina, BEE}, title = {Serologic evidence of West Nile virus and Usutu virus infections in Eurasian coots in the Netherlands.}, journal = {Zoonoses and public health}, volume = {65}, number = {1}, pages = {96-102}, doi = {10.1111/zph.12375}, pmid = {28688117}, issn = {1863-2378}, mesh = {Animal Migration ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral/blood ; Bird Diseases/blood/epidemiology/*virology ; Birds ; Cell Line ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods/veterinary ; *Flavivirus ; Flavivirus Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary/virology ; Netherlands ; Population Surveillance ; *West Nile virus ; Zoonoses ; }, abstract = {West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are arboviruses that are maintained in enzootic transmission cycles between mosquitoes and birds and are occasionally transmitted to mammals. As arboviruses are currently expanding their geographic range and emerging in often unpredictable locations, surveillance is considered an important element of preparedness. To determine whether sera collected from resident and migratory birds in the Netherlands as part of avian influenza surveillance would also represent an effective source for proactive arbovirus surveillance, a random selection of such sera was screened for WNV antibodies using a commercial ELISA. In addition, sera of jackdaws and carrion crows captured for previous experimental infection studies were added to the selection. Of the 265 screened serum samples, 27 were found to be WNV-antibody-positive, and subsequent cross-neutralization experiments using WNV and USUV confirmed that five serum samples were positive for only WNV-neutralizing antibodies and seven for only USUV. The positive birds consisted of four Eurasian coots (Fulica atra) and one carrion crow (Corvus corone) for WNV, of which the latter may suggest local presence of the virus, and only Eurasian coots for USUV. As a result, the screening of a small selection of serum samples originally collected for avian influenza surveillance demonstrated a seroprevalence of 1.6% for WNV and 2.8% for USUV, suggesting that this sustained infrastructure could serve as a useful source for future surveillance of arboviruses such as WNV and USUV in the Netherlands.}, }
@article {pmid28684773, year = {2017}, author = {O'Hara, M and Mioduszewska, B and von Bayern, A and Auersperg, A and Bugnyar, T and Wilkinson, A and Huber, L and Gajdon, GK}, title = {The temporal dependence of exploration on neotic style in birds.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, pages = {4742}, pmid = {28684773}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {P 29075/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {*Adaptation, Physiological ; Age Factors ; Animals ; Choice Behavior/*physiology ; Exploratory Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Likelihood Functions ; Male ; Parrots/*physiology ; Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology ; Songbirds/*physiology ; Species Specificity ; Time Factors ; }, abstract = {Exploration (interacting with objects to gain information) and neophobia (avoiding novelty) are considered independent traits shaped by the socio-ecology of a given species. However, in the literature it is often assumed that neophobia inhibits exploration. Here, we investigate how different approaches to novelty (fast or slow) determine the time at which exploration is likely to occur across a number of species. We presented four corvid and five parrot species with a touchscreen discrimination task in which novel stimuli were occasionally interspersed within the familiar training stimuli. We investigated the likelihood that an animal would choose novelty at different stages of its training and found evidence for a shift in the pattern of exploration, depending on neotic style. The findings suggest that faster approaching individuals explored earlier, whilst animals with long initial approach latencies showed similar amounts of exploration but did so later in training. Age rather than species might have influenced the amount of total exploration, with juveniles exploring more than adults. Neotic style varied consistently only for one species and seems to involve a strong individual component, rather than being a purely species-specific trait. This suggests that variation in behavioural phenotypes within a species may be adaptive.}, }
@article {pmid28653410, year = {2017}, author = {Wakefield, ED and Owen, E and Baer, J and Carroll, MJ and Daunt, F and Dodd, SG and Green, JA and Guilford, T and Mavor, RA and Miller, PI and Newell, MA and Newton, SF and Robertson, GS and Shoji, A and Soanes, LM and Votier, SC and Wanless, S and Bolton, M}, title = {Breeding density, fine-scale tracking, and large-scale modeling reveal the regional distribution of four seabird species.}, journal = {Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America}, volume = {27}, number = {7}, pages = {2074-2091}, doi = {10.1002/eap.1591}, pmid = {28653410}, issn = {1051-0761}, mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Charadriiformes/physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Ireland ; Models, Biological ; *Nesting Behavior ; Population Density ; United Kingdom ; }, abstract = {Population-level estimates of species' distributions can reveal fundamental ecological processes and facilitate conservation. However, these may be difficult to obtain for mobile species, especially colonial central-place foragers (CCPFs; e.g., bats, corvids, social insects), because it is often impractical to determine the provenance of individuals observed beyond breeding sites. Moreover, some CCPFs, especially in the marine realm (e.g., pinnipeds, turtles, and seabirds) are difficult to observe because they range tens to ten thousands of kilometers from their colonies. It is hypothesized that the distribution of CCPFs depends largely on habitat availability and intraspecific competition. Modeling these effects may therefore allow distributions to be estimated from samples of individual spatial usage. Such data can be obtained for an increasing number of species using tracking technology. However, techniques for estimating population-level distributions using the telemetry data are poorly developed. This is of concern because many marine CCPFs, such as seabirds, are threatened by anthropogenic activities. Here, we aim to estimate the distribution at sea of four seabird species, foraging from approximately 5,500 breeding sites in Britain and Ireland. To do so, we GPS-tracked a sample of 230 European Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis, 464 Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla, 178 Common Murres Uria aalge, and 281 Razorbills Alca torda from 13, 20, 12, and 14 colonies, respectively. Using Poisson point process habitat use models, we show that distribution at sea is dependent on (1) density-dependent competition among sympatric conspecifics (all species) and parapatric conspecifics (Kittiwakes and Murres); (2) habitat accessibility and coastal geometry, such that birds travel further from colonies with limited access to the sea; and (3) regional habitat availability. Using these models, we predict space use by birds from unobserved colonies and thereby map the distribution at sea of each species at both the colony and regional level. Space use by all four species' British breeding populations is concentrated in the coastal waters of Scotland, highlighting the need for robust conservation measures in this area. The techniques we present are applicable to any CCPF.}, }
@article {pmid28624899, year = {2017}, author = {Fasfous, AF and Al-Joudi, HF and Puente, AE and Pérez-García, M}, title = {Neuropsychological Measures in the Arab World: A Systematic Review.}, journal = {Neuropsychology review}, volume = {27}, number = {2}, pages = {158-173}, pmid = {28624899}, issn = {1573-6660}, mesh = {Africa, Northern ; Arab World ; Humans ; Middle East ; *Neuropsychological Tests ; *Neuropsychology/instrumentation/methods ; }, abstract = {Although Arabic is one of the most widely used languages in the world, little is known on the availability of standardized neuropsychological tests in Arabic. We review the literature published before 2016, using the keywords Arab*, cogniti*, and neuropsycholo*, as well as keywords for each Arab country. PubMed, PsycINFO, Education Source, Academic Search Complete, Education Resources Information Center, Shamaa, and Arabpsynet databases were searched, in addition to a selected number of Arabic medical and educational journals. After excluding case reports, studies conducted on Arab groups residing outside the Arab world or Israel, and studies that employed intelligence scales or cognitive screens without standardization, 384 studies were eventually reviewed. Tests with most extensive use, adaptation, validation and norming were identified. The Raven Matrices, with its variants, was the most normed cognitive test for Arab individuals (normed in 16 countries). The rate of neuropsychology publications from the Arab countries combined, per year, was less than half of that of each American journal (top 10 journals pertaining to cognition). Nonetheless, the rate in Arab countries has increased after 2010. Publications were mostly from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but the ratio of test adaptation-to-publication was the largest in Jordan and Lebanon. Approximately half of these publications did not employ cognitive tests that were developed, translated, adapted, or standardized according to international guidelines of psychological measurement. We provide recommendations on improving clinical neuropsychology to better serve Arab patients.}, }
@article {pmid28619108, year = {2017}, author = {Gomo, G and Mattisson, J and Hagen, BR and Moa, PF and Willebrand, T}, title = {Scavenging on a pulsed resource: quality matters for corvids but density for mammals.}, journal = {BMC ecology}, volume = {17}, number = {1}, pages = {22}, pmid = {28619108}, issn = {1472-6785}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/physiology ; Deer/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Food Chain ; Male ; Norway ; Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Human food subsidies can provide predictable food sources in large quantities for wildlife species worldwide. In the boreal forest of Fennoscandia, gut piles from moose (Alces alces) harvest provide a potentially important food source for a range of opportunistically scavenging predators. Increased populations of predators can negatively affect threatened or important game species. As a response to this, restrictions on field dressing of moose are under consideration in parts of Norway. However, there is a lack of research to how this resource is utilized. In this study, we used camera-trap data from 50 gut piles during 1043 monitoring days. We estimated depletion of gut piles separately for parts with high and low energy content, and used these results to scale up gut pile density in the study area. We identified scavenger species and analyzed the influences of gut pile quality and density on scavenging behavior of mammals and corvids (family Corvidae).<br><br>RESULTS: Main scavengers were corvids and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Parts with high energy content were rapidly consumed, mainly by corvids that were present at all gut piles shortly after the remains were left at the kill site. Corvid presence declined with days since harvest, reflecting reduction in gut pile quality over time independent of gut pile density. Mammals arrived 7-8 days later at the gut piles than corvids, and their presence depended only on gut pile density with a peak at intermediate densities. The decline at high gut pile densities suggest a saturation effect, which could explain accumulation of gut pile parts with low energy content.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that remains from moose harvest can potentially be an important food resource for scavengers, as it was utilized to a high degree by many species. This study gives novel insight into how energy content and density of resources affect scavenging patterns among functional groups of scavengers.}, }
@article {pmid28570966, year = {2017}, author = {O'Donnell, LA and Axelson, DA and Kowatch, RA and Schneck, CD and Sugar, CA and Miklowitz, DJ}, title = {Enhancing quality of life among adolescents with bipolar disorder: A randomized trial of two psychosocial interventions.}, journal = {Journal of affective disorders}, volume = {219}, number = {}, pages = {201-208}, pmid = {28570966}, issn = {1573-2517}, support = {R01 MH073871/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; R01 MH093676/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; R21 MH097007/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Adolescent ; Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use ; Bipolar Disorder/psychology/*therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Communication ; Family Relations ; Family Therapy/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Patient Education as Topic/*methods ; Quality of Life/*psychology ; Treatment Outcome ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD) report lower quality of life (QoL) than adolescents with other psychiatric disorders. This study compared the efficacy of family-focused therapy for adolescents (FFT-A) plus pharmacotherapy to brief psychoeducation (enhanced care, or EC) plus pharmacotherapy on self-rated QoL in adolescents with BD over 2 years.<br><br>METHODS: Participants were 141 adolescents (mean age: 15.6±1.4yr) with BD I or II who had a mood episode in the previous 3 months. Adolescents and parents were randomly assigned to (1) FFT-A, given in 21 sessions in 9 months of psychoeducation, communication enhancement training, and problem-solving skills training, or (2) EC, given in 3 family psychoeducation sessions. Study psychiatrists provided patient participants with protocol-based pharmacotherapy for the duration of the study. QoL was assessed with The KINDLRQuestionnaire (Ravens-Sieberer and Bullinger, 1998) during active treatment (baseline to 9 months) and during a post-treatment follow-up (9-24 months).<br><br>RESULTS: The two treatment groups did not differ in overall QoL scores over 24 months. However, adolescents in FFT-A had greater improvements in quality of family relationships and physical well-being than participants in EC. For quality of friendships, the trajectory during active treatment favored EC, whereas the trajectory during post-treatment favored FFT-A.<br><br>LIMITATIONS: We were unable to standardize medication use or adherence over time. Quality of life was based on self-report rather than on observable functioning.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: A short course of family psychoeducation and skills training may enhance relational functioning and health in adolescents with BD. The effects of different psychosocial interventions on peer relationships deserves further study.}, }
@article {pmid28557688, year = {2017}, author = {Veit, L and Pidpruzhnykova, G and Nieder, A}, title = {Learning Recruits Neurons Representing Previously Established Associations in the Corvid Endbrain.}, journal = {Journal of cognitive neuroscience}, volume = {29}, number = {10}, pages = {1712-1724}, doi = {10.1162/jocn_a_01152}, pmid = {28557688}, issn = {1530-8898}, mesh = {Action Potentials ; Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Association Learning/*physiology ; Attention/physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Electrodes, Implanted ; Feedback, Psychological/physiology ; Neuronal Plasticity/*physiology ; Neurons/*physiology ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Visual Perception/physiology ; }, abstract = {Crows quickly learn arbitrary associations. As a neuronal correlate of this behavior, single neurons in the corvid endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) change their response properties during association learning. In crows performing a delayed association task that required them to map both familiar and novel sample pictures to the same two choice pictures, NCL neurons established a common, prospective code for associations. Here, we report that neuronal tuning changes during learning were not distributed equally in the recorded population of NCL neurons. Instead, such learning-related changes relied almost exclusively on neurons which were already encoding familiar associations. Only in such neurons did behavioral improvements during learning of novel associations coincide with increasing selectivity over the learning process. The size and direction of selectivity for familiar and newly learned associations were highly correlated. These increases in selectivity for novel associations occurred only late in the delay period. Moreover, NCL neurons discriminated correct from erroneous trial outcome based on feedback signals at the end of the trial, particularly in newly learned associations. Our results indicate that task-relevant changes during association learning are not distributed within the population of corvid NCL neurons but rather are restricted to a specific group of association-selective neurons. Such association neurons in the multimodal cognitive integration area NCL likely play an important role during highly flexible behavior in corvids.}, }
@article {pmid28535928, year = {2017}, author = {Luef, EM and Ter Maat, A and Pika, S}, title = {Vocal similarity in long-distance and short-distance vocalizations in raven pairs (Corvus corax) in captivity.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {142}, number = {}, pages = {1-7}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2017.05.013}, pmid = {28535928}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Acoustics ; Animals ; Communication ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; *Pair Bond ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Vocal interactions in many birds are characterized by imitation or the matching of vocalizations whereby one individual makes its vocalizations more similar to those of a conspecific. This behaviour is aided by vocal learning, which allows birds to change the vocalizations already in their repertoires, or to add new ones. The majority of studies on vocal similarity have been focussing on the songs of birds rather than their calls, with evidence for vocal similarity in calls being rather scarce. Here, we investigated whether ravens make their calls acoustically similar to one another by analysing the extent to which short- and long-distance calls of their vocal repertoires exhibited vocal similarity. Our results showed that long-distance calls, but not short-distance calls, are highly similar between pair partners. This effect may be explained by the different functions underlying short- and long-distance communication in ravens, with vocal similarity possibly being scaffolded by specific social matrices such as pair-bonds and/or strong social relationships.}, }
@article {pmid28510577, year = {2017}, author = {Baragli, P and Demuru, E and Scopa, C and Palagi, E}, title = {Are horses capable of mirror self-recognition? A pilot study.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {12}, number = {5}, pages = {e0176717}, pmid = {28510577}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Horses ; Pilot Projects ; *Recognition, Psychology ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Mirror Self-Recognition (MSR) unveils complex cognitive, social and emotional skills and it has been found only in humans and few other species, such as great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies. In this pilot study, we tested if horses show the capacity of MSR. Four subjects living socially under naturalistic conditions were selected for the experiment. We adopted the classical mark test, which consists in placing a coloured mark on an out-of-view body part, visible only through mirror inspection. If the animal considers the image as its own, it will use its reflection to detect the mark and will try to explore it. We enhanced the classical paradigm by introducing a double-check control. Only in the presence of the reflecting surface, animals performed tactile and olfactory exploration of the mirror and looked behind it. These behaviors suggest that subjects were trying to associate multiple sensory cues (visual, tactile and olfactory) to the image in the mirror. The lack of correspondence between the collected stimuli in front of the mirror and the response to the colored mark lead us to affirm that horses are able to perceive that the reflected image is incongruent when compared with the memorized information of a real horse. However, without replication of data, the self-directed behavior towards the colored marks showed by our horses cannot be sufficient per se to affirm that horses are capable of self-recognition.}, }
@article {pmid28499162, year = {2017}, author = {Jaam, M and Ibrahim, MIM and Kheir, N and Awaisu, A}, title = {Factors associated with medication adherence among patients with diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa region: A systematic mixed studies review.}, journal = {Diabetes research and clinical practice}, volume = {129}, number = {}, pages = {1-15}, doi = {10.1016/j.diabres.2017.04.015}, pmid = {28499162}, issn = {1872-8227}, mesh = {Africa, Northern ; Diabetes Mellitus/*drug therapy/psychology ; Drug Therapy, Combination/psychology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Medication Adherence/*psychology ; Middle East ; Treatment Outcome ; }, abstract = {Multiple systematic reviews were conducted investigating factors associated with medication adherence worldwide. However, investigations from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region were largely underrepresented in those reviews. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review is to identify the factors influencing medication adherence among patients with diabetes in the MENA region. A systematic literature search was conducted through Cochrane Library, EBSCO, EMBASE, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS, and ProQuest. Studies were included if they determined factors associated with medication adherence among patients with diabetes within the MENA region. Quality was assessed using Crow Critical Appraisal Tool. Thirty primary studies from 10 MENA countries were included. The factors associated with medication adherence were categorized into demographics-related; disease- and medication-related; perception, attitude and psychological feelings-related; and societal-related factors. Positively associated factors included knowledge about the disease and medications, regular follow-up visits, and patients' positive beliefs about effectiveness and motivations about medications, while negatively associated factors included forgetfulness, side effects, and polypharmacy. Factors associated with medication adherence among patients with diabetes in the MENA region are highly diverse. The identified factors can serve as potential targets for culturally-relevant interventions to improve medication adherence and overall health outcomes.}, }
@article {pmid28499128, year = {2017}, author = {Zarrintab, M and Mirzaei, R}, title = {Stress induced by heavy metals on breeding of magpie (Pica pica) from central Iran.}, journal = {Ecotoxicology and environmental safety}, volume = {143}, number = {}, pages = {28-37}, doi = {10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.04.047}, pmid = {28499128}, issn = {1090-2414}, mesh = {Animals ; Clutch Size/drug effects ; Ecosystem ; Egg Shell/chemistry ; Environmental Monitoring/*methods ; Environmental Pollutants/analysis/*toxicity ; Feathers/chemistry ; Iran ; Metals, Heavy/analysis/*toxicity ; Ovum/chemistry ; Passeriformes/*metabolism/physiology ; Pica ; Random Allocation ; Reproduction/*drug effects ; Stress, Physiological/*drug effects ; }, abstract = {The aim of this study was to address the impacts of some heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni and Cu) contamination on laying behavior, egg quality and breeding performance of Pica pica in north of Isfahan Province, Iran. During the breeding season of 2013, magpie's egg content and eggshell as well as nestling excrements and feathers were collected and total concentrations of heavy metals were measured by ICP-OES. Except for Zn in nestling feathers, the significantly higher concentrations of heavy metals were observed in nestling excrements than other samples. Also, comparison of heavy metals concentrations in egg content and eggshell showed that egg content had significantly higher concentrations of Zn and Pb, instead eggshell had significantly higher amount of Cu and Cd. Except for Cu, all heavy metals concentrations in eggshell had a negative relationship with morphological characters; and also concentration of Cu in egg content showed a significantly negative correlation with egg weight and volume. The most of heavy metals in nestling feathers and excrements had strongly positive correlations with each other. Also all heavy metals levels in eggshell and egg content had significantly positive correlations (except for Cu). Unhatched eggs had significantly lower weight but also greater levels of Zn, Cd, and Pb, than randomly collected eggs. No significant differences were observed for morphometric measurements of eggs between different sites, however, a decreased gradient was observed in egg volume toward the brick kiln site. Samples collected in brick kiln site accumulated higher concentrations of heavy metals than other sites. Although numbers of clutch size in brick kiln site were significantly higher than other sites, however, other breeding variable were lower than other sites. It can be suggested that ecosystem contamination may be caused to decrease the reproduction rate of Pica pica in brick kiln, probably by laying more poor quality eggs per clutch and nestling mortality.}, }
@article {pmid28422953, year = {2017}, author = {Soler, M and de Neve, L and Roldán, M and Pérez-Contreras, T and Soler, JJ}, title = {Great spotted cuckoo nestlings have no antipredatory effect on magpie or carrion crow host nests in southern Spain.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {12}, number = {4}, pages = {e0173080}, pmid = {28422953}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Crows/parasitology/*physiology ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Predatory Behavior/*physiology ; Spain ; Symbiosis/physiology ; }, abstract = {Host defences against cuckoo parasitism and cuckoo trickeries to overcome them are a classic example of antagonistic coevolution. Recently it has been reported that this relationship may turn to be mutualistic in the case of the carrion crow (Corvus corone) and its brood parasite, the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius), given that experimentally and naturally parasitized nests were depredated at a lower rate than non-parasitized nests. This result was interpreted as a consequence of the antipredatory properties of a fetid cloacal secretion produced by cuckoo nestlings, which presumably deters predators from parasitized host nests. This potential defensive mechanism would therefore explain the detected higher fledgling success of parasitized nests during breeding seasons with high predation risk. Here, in a different study population, we explored the expected benefits in terms of reduced nest predation in naturally and experimentally parasitized nests of two different host species, carrion crows and magpies (Pica pica). During the incubation phase non-parasitized nests were depredated more frequently than parasitized nests. However, during the nestling phase, parasitized nests were not depredated at a lower rate than non-parasitized nests, neither in magpie nor in carrion crow nests, and experimental translocation of great spotted cuckoo hatchlings did not reveal causal effects between parasitism state and predation rate of host nests. Therefore, our results do not fit expectations and, thus, do not support the fascinating possibility that great spotted cuckoo nestlings could have an antipredatory effect for host nestlings, at least in our study area. We also discuss different possibilities that may conciliate these with previous results, but also several alternative explanations, including the lack of generalizability of the previously documented mutualistic association.}, }
@article {pmid28412529, year = {2017}, author = {Manrique, HM and Molina, AC and Posada, S and Colell, M}, title = {Vertical string-pulling in green jays (Cyanocorax yncas).}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {140}, number = {}, pages = {74-80}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2017.04.004}, pmid = {28412529}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Choice Behavior ; Cognition/*physiology ; Conditioning, Operant ; Discrimination Learning ; Female ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Problem Solving ; Psychomotor Performance/physiology ; Reinforcement, Psychology ; }, abstract = {The cognition of green jays (Cyanocorax yncas), a non Corvus corvid species, was investigated by using the string-pulling paradigm. Five adult green jays performed a vertical string-pulling task in which they had to retrieve a worm attached to the end of a vertical hanging string while sitting on their perch. In the first experiment, three of the subjects managed to retrieve the worm by pulling on the string with their beaks and stepping on the resulting loop, and thereafter repeating this sequence until the worm was accessible. When subjects were given a choice between two strings in subsequent experiments 2-4, they chose at random between the string connected to the worm and the one connected to a slice of a wooden dowel. In experiment 5, subjects that had failed the previous discrimination series were able, nevertheless, to solve a more stringent vertical string array in which they had to pull up the whole length of the string without any visual access to the worm at the end. We discuss green jays' performance in comparison with other corvid species in which cognition has been more extensively investigated.}, }
@article {pmid28364366, year = {2017}, author = {Uomini, N and Hunt, G}, title = {A new tool-using bird to crow about.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {45}, number = {3}, pages = {205-206}, pmid = {28364366}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; Cognition ; *Crows ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {The Hawaiian crow has been revealed as a skilled tool user, confirmed by testing the last members of this endangered species that survive in captivity. The finding suggests its behavior is tantalizingly similar to that of the famous tool-using New Caledonian crow and has implications for the evolution of tool use and intelligence in birds.}, }
@article {pmid28336913, year = {2017}, author = {Loretto, MC and Schuster, R and Itty, C and Marchand, P and Genero, F and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Fission-fusion dynamics over large distances in raven non-breeders.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {7}, number = {1}, pages = {380}, pmid = {28336913}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {P 29705/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Crows ; Europe ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {The influence of fission-fusion dynamics, i.e., temporal variation in group size and composition, on social complexity has been studied in large-brained mammals that rely on social bonds. Little is known about birds, even though some species like ravens have recently received attention for their socio-cognitive skills and use of social bonds. While raven breeders defend territories year-round, non-breeders roam through large areas and form groups at food sources or night roosts. We here examined the fission-fusion patterns of non-breeding ravens over years, investigating whether birds meet repeatedly either at the same or at different locations. We combined four large datasets: presence-absence observations from two study sites (Austria, Italy) and GPS-tracking of ravens across two study areas (Austria, France). As expected, we found a highly dynamic system in which individuals with long phases of temporary settlement had a high probability of meeting others. Although GPS-tagged ravens spread out over thousands of square kilometres, we found repeated associations between almost half of the possible combinations at different locations. Such a system makes repeated interactions between individuals at different sites possible and likely. High fission-fusion dynamics may thus not hinder but shape the social complexity of ravens and, possibly, other long-term bonded birds.}, }
@article {pmid28327578, year = {2017}, author = {Langin, KM and Sillett, TS and Funk, WC and Morrison, SA and Ghalambor, CK}, title = {Partial support for the central-marginal hypothesis within a population: reduced genetic diversity but not increased differentiation at the range edge of an island endemic bird.}, journal = {Heredity}, volume = {119}, number = {1}, pages = {8-15}, pmid = {28327578}, issn = {1365-2540}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; California ; Evolution, Molecular ; Gene Flow ; Genetic Drift ; *Genetic Variation ; *Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Islands ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Passeriformes/*genetics ; Population Density ; Spatial Analysis ; }, abstract = {Large-scale population comparisons have contributed to our understanding of the evolution of geographic range limits and species boundaries, as well as the conservation value of populations at range margins. The central-marginal hypothesis (CMH) predicts a decline in genetic diversity and an increase in genetic differentiation toward the periphery of species' ranges due to spatial variation in genetic drift and gene flow. Empirical studies on a diverse array of taxa have demonstrated support for the CMH. However, nearly all such studies come from widely distributed species, and have not considered if the same processes can be scaled down to single populations. Here, we test the CMH on a species composed of a single population: the Island Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma insularis), endemic to a 250 km2 island. We examined microsatellite data from a quarter of the total population and found that homozygosity increased toward the island's periphery. However, peripheral portions of the island did not exhibit higher genetic differentiation. Simulations revealed that highly localized dispersal and small total population size, but not spatial variation in population density, were critical for generating fine-scale variation in homozygosity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that microevolutionary processes driving spatial variation in genetic diversity among populations can also be important for generating spatial variation in genetic diversity within populations.}, }
@article {pmid28323477, year = {2017}, author = {Adler, JL}, title = {"The Service I Rendered Was Just as True": African American Soldiers and Veterans as Activist Patients.}, journal = {American journal of public health}, volume = {107}, number = {5}, pages = {675-683}, doi = {10.2105/AJPH.2017.303688}, pmid = {28323477}, issn = {1541-0048}, mesh = {African Americans/*history ; Health Policy/history ; History, 20th Century ; Hospitals, Military/*history ; Humans ; Male ; Military Personnel/*history ; Patient Advocacy/*history ; Prejudice/*history ; United States ; Veterans/*history ; World War I ; }, abstract = {In this article, I examine how African American soldiers and veterans experienced and shaped federally sponsored health care during and after World War I. Building on studies of the struggles of Black leaders and health care providers to win professional and public health advancement in the 1920s and 1930s, and of advocates to mobilize for health care rights in the mid-20th century, I focus primarily on the experiences and activism of patients in the interwar years. Private and government correspondence, congressional testimony, and reports from Black newspapers reveal that African American soldiers and veterans communicated directly with policymakers and bureaucrats regarding unequal treatment, assuming roles as "policy actors" who viewed health and medical care as "politics by other means." In the process, they drew attention to the paradoxes inherent in expanding government entitlements in the era of Jim Crow, and helped shape a veterans' health system that emerged in the 1920s and remained in place for the following century. They also laid the groundwork for the system's precedent-setting desegregation, referred to by advocates of the time as "a shining example to the rest of the country."}, }
@article {pmid28303393, year = {2017}, author = {Castro, J and Molina-Morales, M and Leverkus, AB and Martínez-Baroja, L and Pérez-Camacho, L and Villar-Salvador, P and Rebollo, S and Rey-Benayas, JM}, title = {Effective nut dispersal by magpies (Pica pica L.) in a Mediterranean agroecosystem.}, journal = {Oecologia}, volume = {184}, number = {1}, pages = {183-192}, pmid = {28303393}, issn = {1432-1939}, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior ; *Nuts ; *Pica ; Rodentia ; Seed Dispersal ; Seeds ; }, abstract = {Scatter-hoarding animals such as corvids play a crucial role in the dispersal of nut-producing tree species. This interaction is well known for some corvids, but remains elusive for other species such as the magpie (Pica pica), an abundant corvid in agroecosystems and open landscapes of the Palearctic region. In addition, the establishment of the individual dispersed seeds-a prerequisite for determining seed-dispersal effectiveness-has never before been documented for the interaction between corvids and nut-producing trees. We analyzed walnut dispersal by magpies in an agroecosystem in southern Spain. We used several complementary approaches, including video recording nut removal from feeders, measuring dispersal distance using radio tracking (with radio transmitters placed inside nuts), and monitoring the fate of dispersed nuts to the time of seedling emergence. Magpies were shown to be highly active nut dispersers. The dispersal distance averaged 39.6 ± 4.5 m and ranged from 4.1 to 158.5 m. Some 90% of the removed walnuts were cached later, and most of these (98%) were buried in the soil or hidden under plant material. By the time of seedling emergence, ca. 33% of nuts remained at the caching location. Finally, 12% of the cached nuts germinated and 4% yielded an emerged seedling, facilitating the transition to the next regeneration stage. The results demonstrate for the first time that magpies can be an effective scatter-hoarding disperser of a nut-producing tree species, suggesting that this bird species may play a key role in the regeneration and expansion of broadleaf forests in Eurasia.}, }
@article {pmid28263620, year = {2017}, author = {Marhounová, L and Frynta, D and Fuchs, R and Landová, E}, title = {Object permanence in the food-storing coal tit (Periparus ater) and the non-storing great tit (Parus major): Is the mental representation required?.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {131}, number = {2}, pages = {115-127}, doi = {10.1037/com0000061}, pmid = {28263620}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Coal ; Cognition/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; *Food ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Object permanence is a cognitive ability that enables animals to mentally represent the continuous existence of temporarily hidden objects. Generally, it develops gradually through six qualitative stages, the evolution of which may be connected with some specific ecological and behavioral factors. In birds, the advanced object permanence skills were reported in several storing species of the Corvidae family. In order to test the association between food-storing and achieved performance within the stages, we compared food-storing coal tits (Periparus ater) and nonstoring great tits (Parus major) using an adapted version of Uzgiris &amp; Hunt's Scale 1 tasks. The coal tits significantly outperformed the great tits in searching for completely hidden objects. Most of the great tits could not solve the task when the object disappeared completely. However, the upper limit for both species is likely to be Stage 4. The coal tits could solve problems with simply hidden objects, but they used alternative strategies rather than mental representation when searching for completely hidden objects, especially if choosing between two locations. Our results also suggest that neophobia did not affect the overall performance in the object permanence tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record}, }
@article {pmid28241283, year = {2017}, author = {Neumann, S and Salm, S and Rietz, C and Stenneken, P}, title = {The German Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS-G): Reliability and Validity of a Novel Assessment of Communicative Participation.}, journal = {Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR}, volume = {60}, number = {3}, pages = {675-681}, doi = {10.1044/2016_JSLHR-L-15-0219}, pmid = {28241283}, issn = {1558-9102}, mesh = {Child Behavior/psychology ; Child, Preschool ; *Communication ; Female ; Humans ; Language Development Disorders/*diagnosis ; Male ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; }, abstract = {Purpose: Our purpose was to explore the validity and reliability of the German Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS-G; Thomas-Stonell, Oddson, Robertson, &amp; Rosenbaum, 2010, 2012), which is an authorized adaptation of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (Thomas-Stonell et al., 2010) tool, which measures communicative participation in preschool children.<br><br>Method: Parents of typically developing children (TDC) and of children with speech impairment (CSI) completed the FOCUS-G and the Questionnaire for Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life in Children (KiddyKINDL; Ravens-Sieberer &amp; Bullinger, 2000). To determine test-retest reliability, the FOCUS-G was readministered to a subsample of parents 1 week later.<br><br>Results: The FOCUS-G had high values for internal consistency (α = .959, Ω = .941), test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .974), and split-half reliability (r = .832). Total scores on the FOCUS-G and KiddyKINDL demonstrated significant associations. FOCUS-G total scores and subdomain scores for both samples showed significant correlations, indicating good construct validity. The discriminatory ability of the FOCUS-G was indicated by significantly higher mean scores for TDC (M = 6.03, SD = 0.65) than CSI (M = 5.47, SD = 1.02).<br><br>Conclusion: The overall good psychometric properties of this novel assessment of communicative participation support its use by speech-language pathologists for clinical and research purposes with German-speaking children.}, }
@article {pmid28239221, year = {2017}, author = {Munteanu, AM and Stocker, M and Stöwe, M and Massen, JJ and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Behavioural and Hormonal Stress Responses to Social Separation in Ravens, Corvus corax.}, journal = {Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie}, volume = {123}, number = {2}, pages = {123-135}, pmid = {28239221}, issn = {0179-1613}, abstract = {Social life is profitable, but it facilitates conflicts over resources and creates interdependence between individuals. Separating highly social animals triggers intense reactions aimed at re-establishing lost connections. Less is known, however, about behavioural and physiological responses to separation in socially facultative species, where individuals temporarily form groups and may subsequently leave them. Non-breeding common ravens (Corvus corax) gather in large numbers at feeding and roosting sites, but otherwise spend time seemingly solitary or in small subgroups. We here studied how ravens cope with being socially isolated, and investigated the life characteristics that might explain potential individual differences. For this, we individually separated captive subadult ravens (n = 25) and housed them in physical and visual isolation from their group members across 4 d. During the separation period, we collected behavioural data and measured the amount of immunoreactive corticosterone metabolites from bird droppings to assess the ravens' physiological stress response. We found behavioural indicators of stress at the start of the separation, when ravens showed higher levels of tension than of comfort - a pattern that reversed at the end of the separation. Furthermore, we found that the upbringing of ravens affected their behaviour during separation. Hand-raised birds produced more vocalisations in the beginning of the separation, and were less active at the end, while the reverse pattern occurred with parent-raised ravens. Contrary to our predictions, we did not find differences in hormonal responses between the beginning and end of the separation period or any link between hormonal responses and behaviours. Ravens' behavioural responses to social separation stress seem to be dependent on their arousal states, although possible links with hormonal reactions remain unclear. Our results show that behavioural reactions are not always linked with hormonal responses to stress, and further emphasise the importance of investigating effects of early-life experiences.}, }
@article {pmid28222237, year = {2017}, author = {Morinha, F and Dávila, JA and Bastos, E and Cabral, JA and Frías, Ó and González, JL and Travassos, P and Carvalho, D and Milá, B and Blanco, G}, title = {Extreme genetic structure in a social bird species despite high dispersal capacity.}, journal = {Molecular ecology}, volume = {26}, number = {10}, pages = {2812-2825}, doi = {10.1111/mec.14069}, pmid = {28222237}, issn = {1365-294X}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Gene Flow ; Genetic Drift ; *Genetic Variation ; *Genetics, Population ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Passeriformes/*genetics ; *Social Behavior ; Spain ; }, abstract = {Social barriers have been shown to reduce gene flow and contribute to genetic structure among populations in species with high cognitive capacity and complex societies, such as cetaceans, apes and humans. In birds, high dispersal capacity is thought to prevent population divergence unless major geographical or habitat barriers induce isolation patterns by dispersal, colonization or adaptation limitation. We report that Iberian populations of the red-billed chough, a social, gregarious corvid with high dispersal capacity, show a striking degree of genetic structure composed of at least 15 distinct genetic units. Monitoring of marked individuals over 30 years revealed that long-distance movements over hundreds of kilometres are common, yet recruitment into breeding populations is infrequent and highly philopatric. Genetic differentiation is weakly related to geographical distance, and habitat types used are overall qualitatively similar among regions and regularly shared by individuals of different populations, so that genetic structure is unlikely to be due solely to isolation by distance or isolation by adaptation. Moreover, most population nuclei showed relatively high levels of genetic diversity, suggesting a limited role for genetic drift in significantly differentiating populations. We propose that social mechanisms may underlie this unprecedented level of genetic structure in birds through a pattern of isolation by social barriers not yet described, which may have driven this remarkable population divergence in the absence of geographical and environmental barriers.}, }
@article {pmid28151701, year = {2017}, author = {Wright, AA and Magnotti, JF and Katz, JS and Leonard, K and Vernouillet, A and Kelly, DM}, title = {Corvids Outperform Pigeons and Primates in Learning a Basic Concept.}, journal = {Psychological science}, volume = {28}, number = {4}, pages = {437-444}, doi = {10.1177/0956797616685871}, pmid = {28151701}, issn = {1467-9280}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Concept Formation/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Corvids (birds of the family Corvidae) display intelligent behavior previously ascribed only to primates, but such feats are not directly comparable across species. To make direct species comparisons, we used a same/different task in the laboratory to assess abstract-concept learning in black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia). Concept learning was tested with novel pictures after training. Concept learning improved with training-set size, and test accuracy eventually matched training accuracy-full concept learning-with a 128-picture set; this magpie performance was equivalent to that of Clark's nutcrackers (a species of corvid) and monkeys (rhesus, capuchin) and better than that of pigeons. Even with an initial 8-item picture set, both corvid species showed partial concept learning, outperforming both monkeys and pigeons. Similar corvid performance refutes the hypothesis that nutcrackers' prolific cache-location memory accounts for their superior concept learning, because magpies rely less on caching. That corvids with "primitive" neural architectures evolved to equal primates in full concept learning and even to outperform them on the initial 8-item picture test is a testament to the shared (convergent) survival importance of abstract-concept learning.}, }
@article {pmid28145581, year = {2017}, author = {Laiolo, P}, title = {Phenotypic similarity in sympatric crow species: Evidence of social convergence?.}, journal = {Evolution; international journal of organic evolution}, volume = {71}, number = {4}, pages = {1051-1060}, doi = {10.1111/evo.13195}, pmid = {28145581}, issn = {1558-5646}, mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; Crows/*anatomy &amp; histology/*physiology ; Phenotype ; Phylogeny ; Social Behavior ; *Sympatry ; }, abstract = {Crows, rooks, and ravens (Corvus spp.) display marked morphological and voice similarities that have been hypothesized to stem from competitive interactions, as a case of nonaposematic mimicry. Here, I test predictions of the mimicry hypothesis at the macrovolutionary scale, examining whether species morphological and acoustic traits covary with those of coexisting congeners, and whether phenotypic similarity has facilitated the coexistence of related species after secondary contact. Body size and the temporal patterns of the commonest call display high levels of similarity among sympatric species, even after controlling for the effect of shared climate and habitat, and phylogenetic constraints in the production of variation. When sister species differed in these acoustic and morphological traits, their transition to secondary sympatry was delayed relative to those with more similar traits. No similarity was found in the sexual call of crows, suggesting that convergence occurs only when function does not favour maintenance of species-specific traits. Crow similarities in morphological and acoustic features may therefore be associated with coevolving interactions with congeners, in line with a broad array of studies documenting convergence among species that interact aggressively or forage communally.}, }
@article {pmid29693817, year = {2017}, author = {Washio, Y and Frederick, J and Archibald, A and Bertram, N and Crowe, JA}, title = {Community-I nitiated Pilot Program "My Baby's Breath" to Reduce Prenatal Alcohol Use.}, journal = {Delaware medical journal}, volume = {89}, number = {2}, pages = {46-51}, pmid = {29693817}, issn = {0011-7781}, mesh = {Alcohol Drinking/*prevention &amp; control ; Community Health Services ; Female ; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/*prevention &amp; control ; *Health Education ; Humans ; Pilot Projects ; *Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/*prevention &amp; control ; United States ; }, abstract = {Prenatal alcohol use puts mothers and their children at risk for complications during pregnancy, birth, and the neonatal periods. This paper describes a currently implemented community-based pilot program to reduce drinking among pregnant mothers. The program has worked in collaboration with case managers from Crow Wing County Social Services. Participants were required to provide daily breath samples with monetary incentives on alcohol-negative sample submissions. The program has treated four pregnant mothers so far, with an average of 94 percent compliance rate and no alcohol-positive breath samples. Future planned adjustments include using a remotely reloadlable debit card to reinforce daily sample submission, switching to completely random monitoring schedules to avoid falsenegative results, and expanding the program service in other counties. The community-based program using mobile technology has promise to increase opportunities to reinforce healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.}, }
@article {pmid28135017, year = {2017}, author = {Griesser, M and Wagner, GF and Drobniak, SM and Ekman, J}, title = {Reproductive trade-offs in a long-lived bird species: condition-dependent reproductive allocation maintains female survival and offspring quality.}, journal = {Journal of evolutionary biology}, volume = {30}, number = {4}, pages = {782-795}, doi = {10.1111/jeb.13046}, pmid = {28135017}, issn = {1420-9101}, mesh = {Animals ; Breeding ; *Clutch Size ; Female ; *Passeriformes ; Predatory Behavior ; *Reproduction ; }, abstract = {Life history theory is an essential framework to understand the evolution of reproductive allocation. It predicts that individuals of long-lived species favour their own survival over current reproduction, leading individuals to refrain from reproducing under harsh conditions. Here we test this prediction in a long-lived bird species, the Siberian jay Perisoreus infaustus. Long-term data revealed that females rarely refrain from breeding, but lay smaller clutches in unfavourable years. Neither offspring body size, female survival nor offspring survival until the next year was influenced by annual condition, habitat quality, clutch size, female age or female phenotype. Given that many nests failed due to nest predation, the variance in the number of fledglings was higher than the variance in the number of eggs and female survival. An experimental challenge with a novel pathogen before egg laying largely replicated these patterns in two consecutive years with contrasting conditions. Challenged females refrained from breeding only in the unfavourable year, but no downstream effects were found in either year. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that condition-dependent reproductive allocation may serve to maintain female survival and offspring quality, supporting patterns found in long-lived mammals. We discuss avenues to develop life history theory concerning strategies to offset reproductive costs.}, }
@article {pmid28132659, year = {2017}, author = {Mitra, S and Sarkar, N and Barik, A}, title = {Long-chain alkanes and fatty acids from Ludwigia octovalvis weed leaf surface waxes as short-range attractant and ovipositional stimulant to Altica cyanea (Weber) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).}, journal = {Bulletin of entomological research}, volume = {107}, number = {3}, pages = {391-400}, doi = {10.1017/S0007485316001012}, pmid = {28132659}, issn = {1475-2670}, mesh = {Alkanes/*pharmacology ; Animals ; *Chemotaxis ; Coleoptera/*physiology ; Fatty Acids/*pharmacology ; Female ; Olfactometry ; Onagraceae/*chemistry ; Oviposition/*drug effects ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology ; Plant Leaves/chemistry ; Weed Control ; }, abstract = {The importance of leaf surface wax compounds from the rice-field weed Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) Raven (Onagraceae) was determined in the flea beetle Altica cyanea (Weber) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Extraction, thin layer chromatography and GC-MS and GC-FID analyses of surface waxes of young, mature and senescent leaves revealed 20, 19 and 19 n-alkanes between n-C15 and n-C35, respectively; whereas 14, 14 and 12 free fatty acids between C12:0 and C22:0 fatty acids were identified in young, mature and senescent leaves, respectively. Tricosane was predominant n-alkane in young and mature leaves, whilst eicosane predominated in senescent leaves. Heneicosanoic acid, palmitic acid and docosanoic acid were the most abundant free fatty acids in young, mature and senescent leaves, respectively. A. cyanea females showed attraction to 0.25 mature leaf equivalent surface waxes compared with young or senescent leaves in a short glass Y-tube olfactometer bioassay. The insects were attracted to a synthetic blend of 0.90, 1.86, 1.83, 1.95, 0.50 and 0.18 µg ml-1 petroleum ether of hexadecane, octadecane, eicosane, tricosane, palmitic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, respectively, comparable with the proportions as present in 0.25 mature leaf equivalent surface waxes. A. cyanea also laid eggs on a filter paper moistened with 0.25 mature leaf equivalent surface waxes or a synthetic blend of 0.90, 1.86, 1.83, 1.95, 0.50 and 0.18 µg ml-1 petroleum ether of hexadecane, octadecane, eicosane, tricosane, palmitic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, respectively. This finding could provide a basis for monitoring of the potential biocontrol agent in the field.}, }
@article {pmid28120800, year = {2016}, author = {Horn, L and Scheer, C and Bugnyar, T and Massen, JJ}, title = {Proactive prosociality in a cooperatively breeding corvid, the azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyana).}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {12}, number = {10}, pages = {}, pmid = {28120800}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Cooperative Behavior ; Motivation ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {One of the contemporary hypotheses concerning the evolution of human altruism is the cooperative breeding hypothesis (CBH) which has recently been tested in non-human primates. Using a similar paradigm, we investigated prosociality in a cooperatively breeding corvid, the azure-winged magpie. We found that the magpies delivered food to their group members at high rates, and unlike other corvids, they did so without any cues provided by others. In two control conditions, the magpies stopped participating over time, indicating that they learned to discriminate prosocial tests from controls. Azure-winged magpies are thus the first birds that experimentally show proactive prosociality. Our findings are in line with the CBH; however, additional corvid species need to be tested in this promising paradigm.}, }
@article {pmid28118584, year = {2017}, author = {Ostojić, L and Legg, EW and Brecht, KF and Lange, F and Deininger, C and Mendl, M and Clayton, NS}, title = {Current desires of conspecific observers affect cache-protection strategies in California scrub-jays and Eurasian jays.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {27}, number = {2}, pages = {R51-R53}, pmid = {28118584}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Feeding Behavior ; Mental Recall ; *Motivation ; Passeriformes/classification/*physiology ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Many corvid species accurately remember the locations where they have seen others cache food, allowing them to pilfer these caches efficiently once the cachers have left the scene [1]. To protect their caches, corvids employ a suite of different cache-protection strategies that limit the observers' visual or acoustic access to the cache site [2,3]. In cases where an observer's sensory access cannot be reduced it has been suggested that cachers might be able to minimise the risk of pilfering if they avoid caching food the observer is most motivated to pilfer [4]. In the wild, corvids have been reported to pilfer others' caches as soon as possible after the caching event [5], such that the cacher might benefit from adjusting its caching behaviour according to the observer's current desire. In the current study, observers pilfered according to their current desire: they preferentially pilfered food that they were not sated on. Cachers adjusted their caching behaviour accordingly: they protected their caches by selectively caching food that observers were not motivated to pilfer. The same cache-protection behaviour was found when cachers could not see on which food the observers were sated. Thus, the cachers' ability to respond to the observer's desire might have been driven by the observer's behaviour at the time of caching.}, }
@article {pmid28093026, year = {2017}, author = {Salter, PS and Kelley, NJ and Molina, LE and Thai, LT}, title = {Out of sight, out of mind: racial retrieval cues increase the accessibility of social justice concepts.}, journal = {Memory (Hove, England)}, volume = {25}, number = {8}, pages = {1139-1147}, doi = {10.1080/09658211.2016.1274037}, pmid = {28093026}, issn = {1464-0686}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Attention/*physiology ; Cues ; Eye Movements/physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Recall/*physiology ; Photic Stimulation ; Racism/*psychology ; *Social Justice ; Visual Perception/physiology ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {Photographs provide critical retrieval cues for personal remembering, but few studies have considered this phenomenon at the collective level. In this research, we examined the psychological consequences of visual attention to the presence (or absence) of racially charged retrieval cues within American racial segregation photographs. We hypothesised that attention to racial retrieval cues embedded in historical photographs would increase social justice concept accessibility. In Study 1, we recorded gaze patterns with an eye-tracker among participants viewing images that contained racial retrieval cues or were digitally manipulated to remove them. In Study 2, we manipulated participants' gaze behaviour by either directing visual attention toward racial retrieval cues, away from racial retrieval cues, or directing attention within photographs where racial retrieval cues were missing. Across Studies 1 and 2, visual attention to racial retrieval cues in photographs documenting historical segregation predicted social justice concept accessibility.}, }
@article {pmid28053306, year = {2017}, author = {Davidson, G and Miller, R and Loissel, E and Cheke, LG and Clayton, NS}, title = {The development of support intuitions and object causality in juvenile Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius).}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {7}, number = {}, pages = {40062}, pmid = {28053306}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Brain/*physiology ; *Causality ; *Cognition ; *Intuition ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Knowledge about the causal relationship between objects has been studied extensively in human infants, and more recently in adult animals using differential looking time experiments. How knowledge about object support develops in non-human animals has yet to be explored. Here, we studied the ontogeny of support relations in Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius), a bird species known for its sophisticated cognitive abilities. Using an expectancy violation paradigm, we measured looking time responses to possible and impossible video and image stimuli. We also controlled for experience with different support types to determine whether the emergence of support intuitions is dependent upon specific interactions with objects, or if reasoning develops independently. At age 9 months, birds looked more at a tool moving a piece of cheese that was not in contact than one that was in direct contact. By the age of 6 months, birds that had not experienced string as a support to hold up objects looked more at impossible images with string hanging from below (unsupported), rather than above (supported). The development of support intuitions may be independent of direct experience with specific support, or knowledge gained from interactions with other objects may be generalised across contexts.}, }
@article {pmid28035889, year = {2017}, author = {Griesser, M and Suzuki, TN}, title = {Naive Juveniles Are More Likely to Become Breeders after Witnessing Predator Mobbing.}, journal = {The American naturalist}, volume = {189}, number = {1}, pages = {58-66}, doi = {10.1086/689477}, pmid = {28035889}, issn = {1537-5323}, mesh = {Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; Genetic Fitness ; *Passeriformes ; Predatory Behavior ; *Reproduction ; }, abstract = {Responding appropriately during the first predatory attack in life is often critical for survival. In many social species, naive juveniles acquire this skill from conspecifics, but its fitness consequences remain virtually unknown. Here we experimentally demonstrate how naive juvenile Siberian jays (Perisoreus infaustus) derive a long-term fitness benefit from witnessing knowledgeable adults mobbing their principal predator, the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). Siberian jays live in family groups of two to six individuals that also can include unrelated nonbreeders. Field observations showed that Siberian jays encounter predators only rarely, and, indeed, naive juveniles do not respond to predator models when on their own but do when observing other individuals mobbing them. Predator exposure experiments demonstrated that naive juveniles had a substantially higher first-winter survival after observing knowledgeable group members mobbing a goshawk model, increasing their likelihood of acquiring a breeding position later in life. Previous research showed that naive individuals may learn from others how to respond to predators, care for offspring, or choose mates, generally assuming that social learning has long-term fitness consequences without empirical evidence. Our results demonstrate a long-term fitness benefit of vertical social learning for naive individuals in the wild, emphasizing its evolutionary importance in animals, including humans.}, }
@article {pmid27988896, year = {2017}, author = {Krieger, N and Jahn, JL and Waterman, PD}, title = {Jim Crow and estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer: US-born black and white non-Hispanic women, 1992-2012.}, journal = {Cancer causes &amp; control : CCC}, volume = {28}, number = {1}, pages = {49-59}, doi = {10.1007/s10552-016-0834-2}, pmid = {27988896}, issn = {1573-7225}, mesh = {Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blacks ; Breast Neoplasms/metabolism/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; *Racism ; Receptors, Estrogen/*metabolism ; Risk Factors ; SEER Program ; Socioeconomic Factors ; United States ; Whites ; }, abstract = {PURPOSE: It is unknown whether Jim Crow-i.e., legal racial discrimination practiced by 21 US states and the District of Columbia and outlawed by the US Civil Rights Act in 1964-affects US cancer outcomes. We hypothesized that Jim Crow birthplace would be associated with higher risk of estrogen-receptor-negative (ER-) breast tumors among US black, but not white, women and also a higher black versus white risk for ER- tumors.<br><br>METHODS: We analyzed data from the SEER 13 registry group (excluding Alaska) for 47,157 US-born black non-Hispanic and 348,514 US-born white non-Hispanic women, aged 25-84 inclusive, diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2012.<br><br>RESULTS: Jim Crow birthplace was associated with increased odds of ER- breast cancer only among the black, not white women, with the effect strongest for women born before 1965. Among black women, the odds ratio (OR) for an ER- tumor, comparing women born in a Jim Crow versus not Jim Crow state, equaled 1.09 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06, 1.13), on par with the OR comparing women in the worst versus best census tract socioeconomic quintiles (1.15; 95% CI 1.07, 1.23). The black versus white OR for ER- was higher among women born in Jim Crow versus non-Jim Crow states (1.41 [95% CI 1.13, 1.46] vs. 1.27 [95% CI 1.24, 1.31]).<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The unique Jim Crow effect for US black women for breast cancer ER status underscores why analysis of racial/ethnic inequities must be historically contextualized.}, }
@article {pmid27973610, year = {2016}, author = {Neilands, PD and Jelbert, SA and Breen, AJ and Schiestl, M and Taylor, AH}, title = {How Insightful Is 'Insight'? New Caledonian Crows Do Not Attend to Object Weight during Spontaneous Stone Dropping.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {12}, pages = {e0167419}, pmid = {27973610}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Tool Use Behavior/physiology ; }, abstract = {It is highly difficult to pinpoint what is going through an animal's mind when it appears to solve a problem by 'insight'. Here, we searched for an information processing error during the emergence of seemingly insightful stone dropping in New Caledonian crows. We presented these birds with the platform apparatus, where a heavy object needs to be dropped down a tube and onto a platform in order to trigger the release of food. Our results show New Caledonian crows exhibit a weight inattention error: they do not attend to the weight of an object when innovating stone dropping. This suggests that these crows do not use an understanding of force when solving the platform task in a seemingly insightful manner. Our findings showcase the power of the signature-testing approach, where experiments search for information processing biases, errors and limits, in order to make strong inferences about the functioning of animal minds.}, }
@article {pmid27936242, year = {2016}, author = {Miller, R and Jelbert, SA and Taylor, AH and Cheke, LG and Gray, RD and Loissel, E and Clayton, NS}, title = {Performance in Object-Choice Aesop's Fable Tasks Are Influenced by Object Biases in New Caledonian Crows but not in Human Children.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {12}, pages = {e0168056}, pmid = {27936242}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; *Choice Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; Humans ; }, abstract = {The ability to reason about causality underlies key aspects of human cognition, but the extent to which non-humans understand causality is still largely unknown. The Aesop's Fable paradigm, where objects are inserted into water-filled tubes to obtain out-of-reach rewards, has been used to test casual reasoning in birds and children. However, success on these tasks may be influenced by other factors, specifically, object preferences present prior to testing or arising during pre-test stone-dropping training. Here, we assessed this 'object-bias' hypothesis by giving New Caledonian crows and 5-10 year old children two object-choice Aesop's Fable experiments: sinking vs. floating objects, and solid vs. hollow objects. Before each test, we assessed subjects' object preferences and/or trained them to prefer the alternative object. Both crows and children showed pre-test object preferences, suggesting that birds in previous Aesop's Fable studies may also have had initial preferences for objects that proved to be functional on test. After training to prefer the non-functional object, crows, but not children, performed more poorly on these two object-choice Aesop's Fable tasks than subjects in previous studies. Crows dropped the non-functional objects into the tube on their first trials, indicating that, unlike many children, they do not appear to have an a priori understanding of water displacement. Alternatively, issues with inhibition could explain their performance. The crows did, however, learn to solve the tasks over time. We tested crows further to determine whether their eventual success was based on learning about the functional properties of the objects, or associating dropping the functional object with reward. Crows inserted significantly more rewarded, non-functional objects than non-rewarded, functional objects. These findings suggest that the ability of New Caledonian crows to produce performances rivaling those of young children on object-choice Aesop's Fable tasks is partly due to pre-existing object preferences.}, }
@article {pmid27922802, year = {2017}, author = {Sándor, AD and Kalmár, Z and Matei, I and Ionică, AM and Mărcuţan, ID}, title = {Urban Breeding Corvids as Disseminators of Ticks and Emerging Tick-Borne Pathogens.}, journal = {Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)}, volume = {17}, number = {2}, pages = {152-154}, doi = {10.1089/vbz.2016.2054}, pmid = {27922802}, issn = {1557-7759}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Bird Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Cities ; *Crows ; Humans ; Tick Infestations/parasitology/*veterinary ; Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission/*veterinary ; Ticks/*microbiology ; Zoonoses ; }, abstract = {Crows (Corvidae) are common city dwellers worldwide and are increasingly important subjects of epidemiology studies. Although their importance as hosts and transmitters of a number of zoonotic parasites and pathogens is well known, there are no studies on their importance as tick hosts. After mosquitoes, ticks are the most important vectors of zoonotic pathogens, especially for those causing emerging zoonotic diseases. Pathogenic bacteria, especially Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma spp., vectored by ticks, are the cause for most vector-borne diseases in Europe. Here we report on ticks and tick-borne pathogens harbored by urban breeding crows. A total of 36 birds (33.33%, n = 108) hosted ticks, with 91 individual ticks belonging to 6 species (Haemaphysalis concinna, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma marginatum, Ixodes arboricola, and Ixodes ricinus). Rickettsia spp. DNA was found in 6.6% of ticks and 1.9% of bird tissues, whereas Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found in 5.9% of ticks and 0.9% of birds. Two rickettsial genospecies were located, Rickettsia helvetica and Rickettsia monacensis. This is the first study to determine such a diverse tick spectrum feeding on urban corvids, while highlighting their importance as tick hosts and raising concerns about their potential risk to human health.}, }
@article {pmid27920957, year = {2016}, author = {Miller, R and Logan, CJ and Lister, K and Clayton, NS}, title = {Eurasian jays do not copy the choices of conspecifics, but they do show evidence of stimulus enhancement.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {4}, number = {}, pages = {e2746}, pmid = {27920957}, issn = {2167-8359}, abstract = {Corvids (birds in the crow family) are hypothesised to have a general cognitive tool-kit because they show a wide range of transferrable skills across social, physical and temporal tasks, despite differences in socioecology. However, it is unknown whether relatively asocial corvids differ from social corvids in their use of social information in the context of copying the choices of others, because only one such test has been conducted in a relatively asocial corvid. We investigated whether relatively asocial Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) use social information (i.e., information made available by others). Previous studies have indicated that jays attend to social context in their caching and mate provisioning behaviour; however, it is unknown whether jays copy the choices of others. We tested the jays in two different tasks varying in difficulty, where social corvid species have demonstrated social information use in both tasks. Firstly, an object-dropping task was conducted requiring objects to be dropped down a tube to release a food reward from a collapsible platform, which corvids can learn through explicit training. Only one rook and one New Caledonian crow have learned the task using social information from a demonstrator. Secondly, we tested the birds on a simple colour discrimination task, which should be easy to solve, because it has been shown that corvids can make colour discriminations. Using the same colour discrimination task in a previous study, all common ravens and carrion crows copied the demonstrator. After observing a conspecific demonstrator, none of the jays solved the object-dropping task, though all jays were subsequently able to learn to solve the task in a non-social situation through explicit training, and jays chose the demonstrated colour at chance levels. Our results suggest that social and relatively asocial corvids differ in social information use, indicating that relatively asocial species may have secondarily lost this ability due to lack of selection pressure from an asocial environment.}, }
@article {pmid27890937, year = {2016}, author = {Greggor, AL and Jolles, JW and Thornton, A and Clayton, NS}, title = {Seasonal changes in neophobia and its consistency in rooks: the effect of novelty type and dominance position.}, journal = {Animal behaviour}, volume = {121}, number = {}, pages = {11-20}, pmid = {27890937}, issn = {0003-3472}, support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, abstract = {Neophobia, or the fear of novelty, may offer benefits to animals by limiting their exposure to unknown danger, but can also impose costs by preventing the exploration of potential resources. The costs and benefits of neophobia may vary throughout the year if predation pressure, resource distribution or conspecific competition changes seasonally. Despite such variation, neophobia levels are often assumed to be temporally and individually stable. Whether or not neophobia expression changes seasonally and fluctuates equally for all individuals is crucial to understanding the drivers, consequences and plasticity of novelty avoidance. We investigated seasonal differences and individual consistency in the motivation and novelty responses of a captive group of rooks, Corvus frugilegus, a seasonally breeding, colonial species of corvid that is known for being neophobic. We tested the group around novel objects and novel people to determine whether responses generalized across novelty types, and considered whether differences in dominance could influence the social risk of approaching unknown stimuli. We found that the group's level of object neophobia was stable year-round, but individuals were not consistent between seasons, despite being consistent within seasons. In contrast, the group's avoidance of novel people decreased during the breeding season, and individuals were consistent year-round. Additionally, although subordinate birds were more likely to challenge dominants during the breeding season, this social risk taking did not translate to greater novelty approach. Since seasonal variation and individual consistency varied differently towards each novelty type, responses towards novel objects and people seem to be governed by different mechanisms. Such a degree of fluctuation has consequences for other individually consistent behaviours often measured within the nonhuman personality literature.}, }
@article {pmid27870033, year = {2016}, author = {Marquis, RJ and Salazar, D and Baer, C and Reinhardt, J and Priest, G and Barnett, K}, title = {Ode to Ehrlich and Raven or how herbivorous insects might drive plant speciation.}, journal = {Ecology}, volume = {97}, number = {11}, pages = {2939-2951}, doi = {10.1002/ecy.1534}, pmid = {27870033}, issn = {0012-9658}, mesh = {Animals ; *Genetic Speciation ; Herbivory/*physiology ; Insecta/*physiology ; *Models, Biological ; Plant Physiological Phenomena ; Plants/*genetics ; Pollination/genetics/physiology ; }, abstract = {Fifty years ago, Ehrlich and Raven proposed that insect herbivores have driven much of plant speciation, particularly at tropical latitudes. There have been no explicit tests of their hypotheses. Indeed there were no proposed mechanisms either at the time or since by which herbivores might generate new plant species. Here we outline two main classes of mechanisms, prezygotic and postzygotic, with a number of scenarios in each by which herbivore-driven changes in host plant secondary chemistry might lead to new plant lineage production. The former apply mainly to a sympatric model of speciation while the latter apply to a parapatric or allopatric model. Our review suggests that the steps of each mechanism are known to occur individually in many different systems, but no scenario has been thoroughly investigated in any one system. Nevertheless, studies of Dalechampia and its herbivores and pollinators, and patterns of defense tradeoffs in trees on different soil types in the Peruvian Amazon provide evidence consistent with the original hypotheses of Ehrlich and Raven. For herbivores to drive sympatric speciation, our findings suggest that interactions with both their herbivores and their pollinators should be considered. In contrast, herbivores may drive speciation allopatrically without any influence by pollinators. Finally, there is evidence that these mechanisms are more likely to occur at low latitudes and thus more likely to produce new species in the tropics. The mechanisms we outline provide a predictive framework for further study of the general role that herbivores play in diversification of their host plants.}, }
@article {pmid27867222, year = {2016}, author = {St Clair, JJ and Klump, BC and van der Wal, JE and Sugasawa, S and Rutz, C}, title = {Strong between-site variation in New Caledonian crows' use of hook-tool-making materials.}, journal = {Biological journal of the Linnean Society. Linnean Society of London}, volume = {118}, number = {2}, pages = {226-232}, pmid = {27867222}, issn = {0024-4066}, abstract = {Functional tool use requires the selection of appropriate raw materials. New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides are known for their extraordinary tool-making behaviour, including the crafting of hooked stick tools from branched vegetation. We describe a surprisingly strong between-site difference in the plant materials used by wild crows to manufacture these tools: crows at one study site use branches of the non-native shrub Desmanthus virgatus, whereas only approximately 7 km away, birds apparently ignore this material in favour of the terminal twigs of an as-yet-unidentified tree species. Although it is likely that differences in local plant communities drive this striking pattern, it remains to be determined how and why crows develop such strong site-specific preferences for certain raw materials.}, }
@article {pmid27864088, year = {2017}, author = {Moll, FW and Nieder, A}, title = {Modality-invariant audio-visual association coding in crow endbrain neurons.}, journal = {Neurobiology of learning and memory}, volume = {137}, number = {}, pages = {65-76}, doi = {10.1016/j.nlm.2016.11.011}, pmid = {27864088}, issn = {1095-9564}, mesh = {Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Auditory Perception/*physiology ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Crows ; Learning/physiology ; Male ; Neurons/*physiology ; Photic Stimulation ; Prefrontal Cortex/physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Single neuron activity in the corvid nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), the supposed avian functional analog of the prefrontal cortex, represents associations of auditory with visual stimuli. This is of high adaptive value for songbirds that need to rely on audio-visual associations to communicate, find a mate or escape predators. However, it remains unclear whether NCL neurons can represent cross-modal associations in a modality invariant, abstract fashion. To dissociate between modality-dependent and modality-invariant NCL activity, we trained two crows to match auditory sample cues with visual test stimuli, and vice versa, across a temporal memory delay. During sample presentation, NCL activity selectively encoded associations in a modality invariant fashion. During the delay, we observed subject specific, population-level coding biases in NCL activity. Despite of these biases, task relevant information could be decoded equally well from either subject's neuronal delay activity. Decoding success was facilitated by many mixed selectivity neurons, which mediated high dimensional representations of task variables on the NCL population level. These results parallel findings from the mammalian PFC, suggesting common mechanisms responsible for the adaptability of multimodal association areas across taxa.}, }
@article {pmid27840464, year = {2016}, author = {Deventer, SA and Uhl, F and Bugnyar, T and Miller, R and Fitch, WT and Schiestl, M and Ringler, M and Schwab, C}, title = {Behavioural Type Affects Space Use in a Wild Population of Crows (Corvus corone).}, journal = {Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie}, volume = {122}, number = {11}, pages = {881-891}, pmid = {27840464}, issn = {0179-1613}, abstract = {While personality-dependent dispersal is well studied, local space use has received surprisingly little attention in this context, despite the multiple consequences on survival and fitness. Regarding the coping style of individuals, recent studies on personality-dependent space use within a habitat indicate that 'proactive' individuals are wider ranging than 'reactive' ones. However, such studies are still scarce and cover limited taxonomic diversity, and thus, more research is needed to explore whether this pattern generalises across species. We examined the link between coping style and space use in a population of crows (Corvus corone) freely inhabiting the urban zoo of Vienna, Austria. We used a binary docility rating (struggle during handling vs. no struggle) and a tonic immobility test to quantify individual coping style. Individual space use was quantified as the number of different sites at which each crow was observed, and we controlled for different number of sightings per individual by creating a space use index. Only the binary docility rating showed repeatability over time, and significantly predicted space use. In contrast to previous studies, we found that reactive crows (no struggle during handling) showed wider ranging space use within the study site than proactive individuals (who struggled during handling). The discrepancy from previous results suggests that the relationship between behavioural type and space use may vary between species, potentially reflecting differences in socioecology.}, }
@article {pmid27838379, year = {2017}, author = {Greggor, AL and Spencer, KA and Clayton, NS and Thornton, A}, title = {Wild jackdaws' reproductive success and their offspring's stress hormones are connected to provisioning rate and brood size, not to parental neophobia.}, journal = {General and comparative endocrinology}, volume = {243}, number = {}, pages = {70-77}, pmid = {27838379}, issn = {1095-6840}, support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/L002264/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Breeding ; Corticosterone/*metabolism ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; Phobic Disorders/*physiopathology ; Reproduction/*physiology ; Siblings ; *Social Behavior ; *Stress, Physiological ; }, abstract = {Many species show individual variation in neophobia and stress hormones, but the causes and consequences of this variation in the wild are unclear. Variation in neophobia levels could affect the number of offspring animals produce, and more subtly influence the rearing environment and offspring development. Nutritional deficits during development can elevate levels of stress hormones that trigger long-term effects on learning, memory, and survival. Therefore measuring offspring stress hormone levels, such as corticosterone (CORT), helps determine if parental neophobia influences the condition and developmental trajectory of young. As a highly neophobic species, jackdaws (Corvus monedula) are excellent for exploring the potential effects of parental neophobia on developing offspring. We investigated if neophobic responses, alongside known drivers of fitness, influence nest success and offspring hormone responses in wild breeding jackdaws. Despite its consistency across the breeding season, and suggestions in the literature that it should have importance for reproductive fitness, parental neophobia did not predict nest success, provisioning rates or offspring hormone levels. Instead, sibling competition and poor parental care contributed to natural variation in stress responses. Parents with lower provisioning rates fledged fewer chicks, chicks from larger broods had elevated baseline CORT levels, and chicks with later hatching dates showed higher stress-induced CORT levels. Since CORT levels may influence the expression of adult neophobia, variation in juvenile stress responses could explain the development and maintenance of neophobic variation within the adult population.}, }
@article {pmid27826273, year = {2016}, author = {Clary, D and Kelly, DM}, title = {Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) Flexibly Adapt Caching Behavior to a Cooperative Context.}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {7}, number = {}, pages = {1643}, pmid = {27826273}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {Corvids recognize when their caches are at risk of being stolen by others and have developed strategies to protect these caches from pilferage. For instance, Clark's nutcrackers will suppress the number of caches they make if being observed by a potential thief. However, cache protection has most often been studied using competitive contexts, so it is unclear whether corvids can adjust their caching in beneficial ways to accommodate non-competitive situations. Therefore, we examined whether Clark's nutcrackers, a non-social corvid, would flexibly adapt their caching behaviors to a cooperative context. To do so, birds were given a caching task during which caches made by one individual were reciprocally exchanged for the caches of a partner bird over repeated trials. In this scenario, if caching behaviors can be flexibly deployed, then the birds should recognize the cooperative nature of the task and maintain or increase caching levels over time. However, if cache protection strategies are applied independent of social context and simply in response to cache theft, then cache suppression should occur. In the current experiment, we found that the birds maintained caching throughout the experiment. We report that males increased caching in response to a manipulation in which caches were artificially added, suggesting the birds could adapt to the cooperative nature of the task. Additionally, we show that caching decisions were not solely due to motivational factors, instead showing an additional influence attributed to the behavior of the partner bird.}, }
@article {pmid27811974, year = {2016}, author = {Clary, D and Kelly, DM}, title = {Graded Mirror Self-Recognition by Clark's Nutcrackers.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {36459}, pmid = {27811974}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Recognition, Psychology/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The traditional 'mark test' has shown some large-brained species are capable of mirror self-recognition. During this test a mark is inconspicuously placed on an animal's body where it can only be seen with the aid of a mirror. If the animal increases the number of actions directed to the mark region when presented with a mirror, the animal is presumed to have recognized the mirror image as its reflection. However, the pass/fail nature of the mark test presupposes self-recognition exists in entirety or not at all. We developed a novel mirror-recognition task, to supplement the mark test, which revealed gradation in the self-recognition of Clark's nutcrackers, a large-brained corvid. To do so, nutcrackers cached food alone, observed by another nutcracker, or with a regular or blurry mirror. The nutcrackers suppressed caching with a regular mirror, a behavioural response to prevent cache theft by conspecifics, but did not suppress caching with a blurry mirror. Likewise, during the mark test, most nutcrackers made more self-directed actions to the mark with a blurry mirror than a regular mirror. Both results suggest self-recognition was more readily achieved with the blurry mirror and that self-recognition may be more broadly present among animals than currently thought.}, }
@article {pmid27808198, year = {2016}, author = {}, title = {Animal behaviour: Magpies behave cooperatively.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {539}, number = {7627}, pages = {9}, doi = {10.1038/539009e}, pmid = {27808198}, issn = {1476-4687}, }
@article {pmid26602225, year = {2016}, author = {Kazemeini, T and Fadardi, JS}, title = {Executive Function: Comparing Bilingual and Monolingual Iranian University Students.}, journal = {Journal of psycholinguistic research}, volume = {45}, number = {6}, pages = {1315-1326}, pmid = {26602225}, issn = {1573-6555}, mesh = {Adult ; Executive Function/*physiology ; Humans ; *Inhibition, Psychological ; Iran ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology ; *Multilingualism ; Universities ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {The study aimed to examine whether Kurdish-Persian early Bilingual university students (EBL) and Persian Monolingual university students (ML) differ on tasks of executive function (EF). Thirty male EBL and 30 male ML students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad completed a Persian Stroop Color-Word task (SCWT), Backward Digit Span Test (BDST), Raven Standard Progressive Matrices, and a demographic questionnaire. The results of an analysis of variance showed EBL students responded faster on the SCWT compared with ML students, suggesting an inhibition advantage for EBL students. Moreover, mean scores of BDST showed better performance of EBL students in working memory than ML students. These results provided evidence of advantaged EF among EBL and were consistent with the possibility that individuals who began speaking a second language (L2) earlier in childhood have greater advantages, due either to effects of acquiring an L2 earlier or to a longer duration of bilingual experience.}, }
@article {pmid27796660, year = {2017}, author = {Bílá, K and Beránková, J and Veselý, P and Bugnyar, T and Schwab, C}, title = {Responses of urban crows to con- and hetero-specific alarm calls in predator and non-predator zoo enclosures.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {20}, number = {1}, pages = {43-51}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-016-1047-5}, pmid = {27796660}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Zoo ; Birds ; Cities ; *Crows ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Urban animals and birds in particular are able to cope with diverse novel threats in a city environment such as avoiding novel, unfamiliar predators. Predator avoidance often includes alarm signals that can be used also by hetero-specifics, which is mainly the case in mixed-species flocks. It can also occur when species do not form flocks but co-occur together. In this study we tested whether urban crows use alarm calls of conspecifics and hetero-specifics (jackdaws, Corvus monedula) differently in a predator and a non-predator context with partly novel and unfamiliar zoo animal species. Birds were tested at the Tiergarten Schönbrunn in the city of Vienna by playing back con- and hetero-specific alarm calls and control stimuli (great tit song and no stimuli) at predator (wolf, polar bear) and non-predator (eland antelope and cranes, peccaries) enclosures. We recorded responses of crows as the percentage of birds flying away after hearing the playback (out of those present before the playback) and as the number of vocalizations given by the present birds. A significantly higher percentage of crows flew away after hearing either con- or hetero-specific alarm calls, but it did not significantly differ between the predator and the non-predator context. Crows treated jackdaw calls just as crow calls, indicating that they make proper use of hetero-specific alarm calls. Responding similarly in both contexts may suggest that the crows were uncertain about the threat a particular zoo animal represents and were generally cautious. In the predator context, however, a high percentage of crows also flew away upon hearing the great tit control song which suggests that they may still evaluate those species which occasionally killed crows as more dangerous and respond to any conspicuous sound.}, }
@article {pmid27789089, year = {2016}, author = {Dunn, JC and Gruar, D and Stoate, C and Szczur, J and Peach, WJ}, title = {Can hedgerow management mitigate the impacts of predation on songbird nest survival?.}, journal = {Journal of environmental management}, volume = {184}, number = {Pt 3}, pages = {535-544}, doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.10.028}, pmid = {27789089}, issn = {1095-8630}, mesh = {Agriculture/*methods ; Animals ; Ecosystem ; England ; *Nesting Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; Reproduction ; Songbirds/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Nest predators can have significant impacts on songbird reproductive success. These impacts may be amplified by habitat simplification and here we test whether sympathetic management of farmland hedgerows can reduce nest depredation, especially by corvids. We test whether songbirds select nest sites according to structural features of hedgerows (including nest visibility and accessibility), and whether these features influence nest predation risk. Songbirds selected nesting sites affording higher vegetation cover above the nest, increased visibility on the nest-side of the hedgerow and reduced visibility on the far side of the hedge. Nest survival was unrelated to corvid abundance and only weakly related (at the egg stage) to corvid nest proximity. Nest survival at the chick stage was higher where vegetation structure restricted access to corvid-sized predators (averaging 0.78 vs. 0.53), and at nests close to potential vantage points. Overall nest survival was sensitive to hedgerow structure (accessibility) particularly at low exposure to corvid predation, while the overall impact of corvid exposure was dependent on the relationship involving proximity to vantage points. Nest survival over the chick stage was much higher (0.67) in stock-proof, trimmed and mechanically cut hedgerows, (which tended to provide lower side visibility and accessibility) than in recently laid, remnant or leggy hedgerows (0.18). Long-term reductions in the management of British hedgerows may therefore be exposing nesting songbirds to increased predation risk. We recommend regular rotational cutting of hedgerows to maintain a dense woody structure and thereby reduce songbird nest predation.}, }
@article {pmid27709968, year = {2016}, author = {Ostojić, L and Legg, EW and Dits, A and Williams, N and Brecht, KF and Mendl, M and Clayton, NS}, title = {Experimenter expectancy bias does not explain Eurasian jays' (Garrulus glandarius) performance in a desire-state attribution task.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {130}, number = {4}, pages = {407-410}, doi = {10.1037/com0000043}, pmid = {27709968}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; *Bias ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Food ; Male ; *Motivation ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Social Behavior ; Social Perception ; }, abstract = {Male Eurasian jays have been found to adjust the type of food they share with their female partner after seeing her eat 1 type of food to satiety. One interpretation of this behavior is that the male encoded the female's decreased desire for the food she was sated on, and adjusted his behavior accordingly. However, in these studies, the male's actions were scored by experimenters who knew on which food the female was sated. Thus, it is possible that the experimenters' expectations (subconsciously) affected their behavior during tests that, in turn, inadvertently could have influenced the males' actions. Here, we repeated the original test with an experimenter who was blind to the food on which the female was sated. This procedure yielded the same results as the original studies: The male shared food with the female that was in line with her current desire. Thus, our results rule out the possibility that the Eurasian jay males' actions in the food sharing task could be explained by the effects of an experimenter expectancy bias. (PsycINFO Database Record}, }
@article {pmid27718536, year = {2017}, author = {Wagener, L and Nieder, A}, title = {Encoding of global visual motion in the nidopallium caudolaterale of behaving crows.}, journal = {The European journal of neuroscience}, volume = {45}, number = {2}, pages = {267-277}, doi = {10.1111/ejn.13430}, pmid = {27718536}, issn = {1460-9568}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Brain/physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Crows ; *Motion ; Motion Perception/*physiology ; Neurons/*physiology ; Photic Stimulation/methods ; Songbirds ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Songbirds possess acute vision. How higher brain centres represent basic and parameterised visual stimuli to process sensory signals according to their behavioural importance has not been studied in a systematic way. We therefore examined how carrion crows (Corvus corone) and their nidopallial visual neurons process global visual motion information in dynamic random-dot displays during a delayed match-to-sample (DMS) task. The behavioural data show that moderately fast motion speeds (16° of visual angle/s) result in superior direction discrimination performance. To characterise how neurons encode and maintain task-relevant visual motion information, we recorded the single-unit activity in the telencephalic association area 'nidopallium caudolaterale' (NCL) of behaving crows. The NCL is considered to be the avian analogue of the mammalian prefrontal cortex. Almost a third (28%) of randomly selected NCL neurons responded selectively to the motion direction of the sample stimulus, mostly to downward motions. Only few NCL neurons (7.5%) responded consistently to specific motion directions during the delay period. In error trials, when the crows chose the wrong motion direction, the encoding of motion direction was significantly reduced. This indicates that sensory representations of NCL neurons are relevant to the birds' behaviour. These data suggest that the corvid NCL, even though operating at the apex of the telencephalic processing hierarchy, constitutes a telencephalic site for global motion integration.}, }
@article {pmid27757574, year = {2017}, author = {McIntosh, CS and Dadour, IR and Voss, SC}, title = {A comparison of carcass decomposition and associated insect succession onto burnt and unburnt pig carcasses.}, journal = {International journal of legal medicine}, volume = {131}, number = {3}, pages = {835-845}, pmid = {27757574}, issn = {1437-1596}, mesh = {Animals ; Case-Control Studies ; *Coleoptera ; *Cremation ; *Diptera ; Entomology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Forensic Sciences ; *Postmortem Changes ; Swine ; Western Australia ; }, abstract = {The rate of decomposition and insect succession onto decomposing pig carcasses were investigated following burning of carcasses. Ten pig carcasses (40-45 kg) were exposed to insect activity during autumn (March-April) in Western Australia. Five replicates were burnt to a degree described by the Crow-Glassman Scale (CGS) level #2, while five carcasses were left unburnt as controls. Burning carcasses greatly accelerated decomposition in contrast to unburnt carcasses. Physical modifications following burning such as skin discolouration, splitting of abdominal tissue and leathery consolidation of skin eliminated evidence of bloat and altered microambient temperatures associated with carcasses throughout decomposition. Insect species identified on carcasses were consistent between treatment groups; however, a statistically significant difference in insect succession onto remains was evident between treatments (PERMANOVA F (1, 224) = 14.23, p < 0.01) during an 8-day period that corresponds with the wet stage of decomposition. Differences were noted in the arrival time of late colonisers (Coleoptera) and the development of colonising insects between treatment groups. Differences in the duration of decomposition stages and insect assemblages indicate that burning has an effect on both rate of decomposition and insect succession. The findings presented here provide baseline data for entomological casework involving burnt remains criminal investigations.}, }
@article {pmid27288106, year = {2016}, author = {Friedman, SG}, title = {Credit where due.}, journal = {Journal of vascular surgery}, volume = {64}, number = {2}, pages = {530-533}, doi = {10.1016/j.jvs.2016.04.033}, pmid = {27288106}, issn = {1097-6809}, mesh = {Biomedical Research/*history ; *Cooperative Behavior ; Correspondence as Topic/history ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; *Nobel Prize ; Periodicals as Topic/history ; Personality ; Recognition, Psychology ; Vascular Surgical Procedures/*history ; }, abstract = {The history of medicine is filled with stories of tireless researchers who failed to get credit for their hard work. Examples of this include Rosalind Franklin, who helped to elucidate the structure of DNA; Frederick Banting, who helped to discover insulin; and Jay McLean, who discovered heparin. The founding of the field of vascular surgery provides one of the most vivid examples of uncredited work. Even though Alexis Carrel was an unpaid, untitled assistant in Charles Guthrie's laboratory, it was Carrel alone who received a Nobel Prize for their work. In an attempt to give credit where due, the reasons for this injustice are described.}, }
@article {pmid27745723, year = {2018}, author = {Guillod, L and Habersaat, S and Suter, M and Jeanneret, T and Bertoni, C and Stéphan, P and Urben, S}, title = {[Psychological processes of stress management and neuroendocrine regulation in incarcerated adolescent offenders: A pilot study].}, journal = {L'Encephale}, volume = {44}, number = {2}, pages = {111-117}, doi = {10.1016/j.encep.2016.08.012}, pmid = {27745723}, issn = {0013-7006}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Aggression/psychology ; Antisocial Personality Disorder/psychology ; Child ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/metabolism ; Juvenile Delinquency/*psychology ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Neurosecretory Systems/*metabolism ; Pilot Projects ; Prisoners/*psychology ; *Prisons ; Stress, Psychological/*metabolism/*psychology ; Substance-Related Disorders/complications/psychology ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a stressful period where important biological, psychological and social changes occur. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable during this developmental period and can use various strategies to deal with daily stress, such as substance use or externalizing behaviors. In previous studies, stress in adolescents with externalizing behaviors was often linked to ineffective cognitive coping strategies (i.e., constructive thinking) and overlooking the biological aspects involved in stress management such as neuroendocrine regulation. Indeed, repeated activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in chronic stress situations may have long-term effects on subsequent cortisol regulation and lead to psychological difficulties. It was also shown that basal cortisol levels are lower in adolescents with externalizing behaviors. This study aims to assess the links between constructive thinking and neuroendocrine regulation in adolescent offenders and their association with externalizing symptoms (e.g., aggression, delinquency, psychopathic traits, substance use). Identifying particular biopsychological patterns can help to better understand stress management in youth with externalizing behaviors and to improve clinical treatments.<br><br>METHOD: Sixteen adolescent males aged from 12 to 18 years were recruited in an institution for juvenile offenders. Exclusion criteria were insufficient reasoning abilities assessed using the Raven Matrices Test. Regarding psychological dimensions, constructive thinking was assessed through the Constructive thinking inventory (CTI), psychopathic traits through the Youth psychopathic traits inventory (YPI), externalizing behaviors through 30 items (out of 113) and 2 subscales (aggressive behavior and delinquency problems) from the Child behavior checklist-youth self-report (CBCL), and substance use through the Dep-ado. Regarding biological dimensions, cortisol daily secretion and regulation were assessed through saliva samples that were collected during 3 consecutive days (4 samples per day: directly after awakening, at 10 a.m., at 4 a.m., and before going to bed).<br><br>RESULTS: Adolescent offenders presented maladaptative thinking styles and a particular neuroendocrine regulation in their daily management with stress. In particular, their level of cortisol in the morning was higher than those expected in a general population (20.34 nmol/L while the norm is around 10 nmol/L). They also showed more agressive and delinquent behaviors (CBCL) as well as more psychopathic traits (YPI) than the general population. Moreover, constructive thinking style was associated with personality and behavioral dimensions. Indeed, results indicated positive and significant correlations between categorical thinking style (CTI), psychopathic traits (YPI) (r=0.57, P=0.021) and externalizing behaviors (CBCL) (r=0.55, P=0.028). In other words, the more adolescent offenders used categorical thinking, the more they presented psychopathic traits and externalizing behaviors. With respect to the association between psychological and biological dimensions in stress management, we observed a significant and positive correlation between cortisol regulation and esoteric thinking (r=0.57, P=0.028) and a trend with superstitious thinking (r=0.47, P=0.075). The more adolescent offenders used esoteric and superstitious thinking, the poorer was their cortisol regulation. We also observed a trend between the life style scale of the YPI (i.e., impulsive, irresponsible) and the daily secretion of cortisol (r=0.51; P=0.052) as well as cortisol regulation (r=0.49, P=0.065). The more adolescent offenders presented psychopathic traits, the higher tended to be their daily secretion of cortisol and the poorer their cortisol regulation. Finally, cortisol regulation (r=0.54, P=0.038) and secretion (r=0.73, P=0.002) were significantly correlated with the DEP-Ado score. In other words, a poor cortisol regulation and a high secretion of cortisol seem to be associated with substance use.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent offenders face an important amount of daily stress and do not always have the appropriate skills to deal with it. Indeed, we know from clinical experience that they often report a sense of hopelessness toward their lack of professional perspectives as well as familial conflicts which can be important stressors in addition to the incarceration in itself. Therefore, treatment aiming to improve psychic elaboration can help these adolescents to make their thinking styles more flexible and use more appropriate ways of coping with stress instead of externalizing behaviors and substance use. Moreover, considering the complex cases of these adolescents and the many changes of caregivers and institutions where they have lived, which can be important stressors as well, professionals working with these youth should be aware of their emotional reactions toward them and try to encourage continuity of care.}, }
@article {pmid27738383, year = {2016}, author = {Królikowska, N and Szymkowiak, J and Laidlaw, RA and Kuczyński, L}, title = {Threat-sensitive anti-predator defence in precocial wader, the northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus.}, journal = {Acta ethologica}, volume = {19}, number = {3}, pages = {163-171}, pmid = {27738383}, issn = {0873-9749}, abstract = {Birds exhibit various forms of anti-predator behaviours to avoid reproductive failure, with mobbing-observation, approach and usually harassment of a predator-being one of the most commonly observed. Here, we investigate patterns of temporal variation in the mobbing response exhibited by a precocial species, the northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus). We test whether brood age and self-reliance, or the perceived risk posed by various predators, affect mobbing response of lapwings. We quantified aggressive interactions between lapwings and their natural avian predators and used generalized additive models to test how timing and predator species identity are related to the mobbing response of lapwings. Lapwings diversified mobbing response within the breeding season and depending on predator species. Raven Corvus corax, hooded crow Corvus cornix and harriers evoked the strongest response, while common buzzard Buteo buteo, white stork Ciconia ciconia, black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus and rook Corvus frugilegus were less frequently attacked. Lapwings increased their mobbing response against raven, common buzzard, white stork and rook throughout the breeding season, while defence against hooded crow, harriers and black-headed gull did not exhibit clear temporal patterns. Mobbing behaviour of lapwings apparently constitutes a flexible anti-predator strategy. The anti-predator response depends on predator species, which may suggest that lapwings distinguish between predator types and match mobbing response to the perceived hazard at different stages of the breeding cycle. We conclude that a single species may exhibit various patterns of temporal variation in anti-predator defence, which may correspond with various hypotheses derived from parental investment theory.}, }
@article {pmid27639565, year = {2016}, author = {van Horik, JO and Emery, NJ}, title = {Transfer of physical understanding in a non-tool-using parrot.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {19}, number = {6}, pages = {1195-1203}, pmid = {27639565}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Cognition ; *Comprehension ; Cues ; *Parrots ; Passeriformes ; }, abstract = {Physical cognition has generally been assessed in tool-using species that possess a relatively large brain size, such as corvids and apes. Parrots, like corvids and apes, also have large relative brain sizes, yet although parrots rarely use tools in the wild, growing evidence suggests comparable performances on physical cognition tasks. It is, however, unclear whether success on such tasks is facilitated by previous experience and training procedures. We therefore investigated physical comprehension of object relationships in two non-tool-using species of captive neotropical parrots on a new means-end paradigm, the Trap-Gaps task, using unfamiliar materials and modified training procedures that precluded procedural cues. Red-shouldered macaws (Diopsittaca nobilis) and black-headed caiques (Pionites melanocephala) were presented with an initial task that required them to discriminate between pulling food trays through gaps while attending to the respective width of the gaps and size of the trays. Subjects were then presented with a novel, but functionally equivalent, transfer task. Six of eight birds solved the initial task through trial-and-error learning. Four of these six birds solved the transfer task, with one caique demonstrating spontaneous comprehension. These findings suggest that non-tool-using parrots may possess capacities for sophisticated physical cognition by generalising previously learned rules across novel problems.}, }
@article {pmid27631734, year = {2016}, author = {Furtado, K and Banks, KH}, title = {A Research Agenda for Racial Equity: Applications of the Ferguson Commission Report to Public Health.}, journal = {American journal of public health}, volume = {106}, number = {11}, pages = {1926-1931}, pmid = {27631734}, issn = {1541-0048}, mesh = {*Health Policy ; Health Status Disparities ; Human Rights ; Humans ; Law Enforcement/methods ; *Public Health ; *Racism ; *Residence Characteristics ; Schools/organization &amp; administration ; *Social Justice ; }, abstract = {The Ferguson Commission was an independent body of 16 commissioners in operation from November 2014 to December 2015 and appointed by Missouri governor Jay Nixon to examine the root causes underlying the death of Michael Brown Jr. Its report, "Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity," raises many issues on racial equity that public health is well suited to address, such as trends in police use of force, the health implications of the school-based discipline gap, and the health benefits of a coordinated housing strategy. Public health can also learn from the principles the commission adopted, including being unflinching in the questions asked and conclusions drawn, applying a racial equity lens to public health work, and moving beyond programmatic solutions to policy solutions.}, }
@article {pmid27629645, year = {2016}, author = {Rutz, C and Klump, BC and Komarczyk, L and Leighton, R and Kramer, J and Wischnewski, S and Sugasawa, S and Morrissey, MB and James, R and St Clair, JJ and Switzer, RA and Masuda, BM}, title = {Discovery of species-wide tool use in the Hawaiian crow.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {537}, number = {7620}, pages = {403-407}, pmid = {27629645}, issn = {1476-4687}, mesh = {Aging ; Animals ; Animals, Zoo/physiology ; Biological Evolution ; Cognition ; Crows/classification/*physiology ; Female ; Hawaii ; Male ; Phylogeny ; Species Specificity ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Only a handful of bird species are known to use foraging tools in the wild. Amongst them, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides) stands out with its sophisticated tool-making skills. Despite considerable speculation, the evolutionary origins of this species' remarkable tool behaviour remain largely unknown, not least because no naturally tool-using congeners have yet been identified that would enable informative comparisons. Here we show that another tropical corvid, the 'Alalā (C. hawaiiensis; Hawaiian crow), is a highly dexterous tool user. Although the 'Alalā became extinct in the wild in the early 2000s, and currently survives only in captivity, at least two lines of evidence suggest that tool use is part of the species' natural behavioural repertoire: juveniles develop functional tool use without training, or social input from adults; and proficient tool use is a species-wide capacity. 'Alalā and New Caledonian crows evolved in similar environments on remote tropical islands, yet are only distantly related, suggesting that their technical abilities arose convergently. This supports the idea that avian foraging tool use is facilitated by ecological conditions typical of islands, such as reduced competition for embedded prey and low predation risk. Our discovery creates exciting opportunities for comparative research on multiple tool-using and non-tool-using corvid species. Such work will in turn pave the way for replicated cross-taxonomic comparisons with the primate lineage, enabling valuable insights into the evolutionary origins of tool-using behaviour.}, }
@article {pmid27584142, year = {2017}, author = {de Oliveira, RT and Felippe, LA and Bucken Gobbi, LT and Barbieri, FA and Christofoletti, G}, title = {Benefits of Exercise on the Executive Functions in People with Parkinson Disease: A Controlled Clinical Trial.}, journal = {American journal of physical medicine &amp; rehabilitation}, volume = {96}, number = {5}, pages = {301-306}, doi = {10.1097/PHM.0000000000000612}, pmid = {27584142}, issn = {1537-7385}, mesh = {Aged ; *Executive Function ; *Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Parkinson Disease/*rehabilitation ; }, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: We have made a 3-arm trial (group vs. individual exercise vs. no treatment) to test the effects of a 6-month exercise program upon the executive functions in participants with Parkinson disease.<br><br>METHODS: Twenty-four subjects were randomly allocated in 3 groups and undertook individualized exercises (G1, n = 8), group exercises (G2, n = 8), or monitoring (G3, n = 8). Executive functions were evaluated by means of the Wisconsin card sorting test and the Raven colored matrices, both assessed at the beginning of the program and after 6 months. The statistical analyses consisted of the application of repeated measurement tests, with a significant level of 5%.<br><br>RESULTS: The findings showed similar behavior of groups in terms of the Wisconsin card sorting test (P = 0.792), reporting no benefit of the program on such instrument. Differently, Raven colored matrices evidenced a significant benefit provided by the intervention (P = 0.032). Compared with the control group, individuals from G1 had a substantial improvement on executive functions (P = 0.031) and from G2 had a trend of significance (P = 0.072).<br><br>CONCLUSION: Findings of this study show that 6 months of exercise improved some aspects of executive functions when compared with control peers. Individual therapy seems to have a more prominent improvement than group therapy.}, }
@article {pmid27546381, year = {2016}, author = {Tella, JL and Dénes, FV and Zulian, V and Prestes, NP and Martínez, J and Blanco, G and Hiraldo, F}, title = {Endangered plant-parrot mutualisms: seed tolerance to predation makes parrots pervasive dispersers of the Parana pine.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {31709}, pmid = {27546381}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Brazil ; *Ecosystem ; Endangered Species ; Feeding Behavior/physiology ; Geography ; Parrots/*physiology ; Pinus/*physiology ; *Seed Dispersal ; Seeds/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Parrots are largely considered plant antagonists as they usually destroy the seeds they feed on. However, there is evidence that parrots may also act as seed dispersers. We evaluated the dual role of parrots as predators and dispersers of the Critically Endangered Parana pine (Araucaria angustifolia). Eight of nine parrot species predated seeds from 48% of 526 Parana pines surveyed. Observations of the commonest parrot indicated that 22.5% of the picked seeds were dispersed by carrying them in their beaks. Another five parrot species dispersed seeds, at an estimated average distance of c. 250 m. Dispersal distances did not differ from those observed in jays, considered the main avian dispersers. Contrary to jays, parrots often dropped partially eaten seeds. Most of these seeds were handled by parrots, and the proportion of partially eaten seeds that germinated was higher than that of undamaged seeds. This may be explained by a predator satiation effect, suggesting that the large seeds of the Parana pine evolved to attract consumers for dispersal. This represents a thus far overlooked key plant-parrot mutualism, in which both components are threatened with extinction. The interaction is becoming locally extinct long before the global extinction of the species involved.}, }
@article {pmid27533282, year = {2016}, author = {Audet, JN and Ducatez, S and Lefebvre, L}, title = {Bajan Birds Pull Strings: Two Wild Antillean Species Enter the Select Club of String-Pullers.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {8}, pages = {e0156112}, pmid = {27533282}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Barbados ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; *Cognition ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; *Problem Solving ; Reward ; }, abstract = {String-pulling is one of the most popular tests in animal cognition because of its apparent complexity, and of its potential to be applied to very different taxa. In birds, the basic procedure involves a food reward, suspended from a perch by a string, which can be reached by a series of coordinated pulling actions with the beak and holding actions of the pulled lengths of string with the foot. The taxonomic distribution of species that pass the test includes several corvids, parrots and parids, but in other families, data are much spottier and the number of individuals per species that succeed is often low. To date, the association between string-pulling ability and other cognitive traits was never tested. It is generally assumed that string-pulling is a complex form of problem-solving, suggesting that performance on string-pulling and other problem-solving tasks should be correlated. Here, we show that individuals of two innovative species from Barbados, the bullfinch Loxigilla barbadensis and the Carib grackle Quiscalus lugubris fortirostris, pass the string-pulling test. Eighteen of the 42 bullfinches tested succeeded, allowing us to correlate performance on this test to that on several other behavioral measurements. Surprisingly, string-pulling in bullfinches was unrelated to shyness, neophobia, problem-solving, discrimination and reversal learning performance. Only two of 31 grackles tested succeeded, precluding correlational analyses with other measures but still, the two successful birds largely differed in their other behavioral traits.}, }
@article {pmid27524823, year = {2016}, author = {Durden, LA and Beckmen, KB and Gerlach, RF}, title = {New Records of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) From Dogs, Cats, Humans, and Some Wild Vertebrates in Alaska: Invasion Potential.}, journal = {Journal of medical entomology}, volume = {53}, number = {6}, pages = {1391-1395}, doi = {10.1093/jme/tjw128}, pmid = {27524823}, issn = {1938-2928}, mesh = {Alaska ; *Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Bird Diseases/parasitology ; *Birds ; Cat Diseases/parasitology ; Cats ; Dog Diseases/parasitology ; Dogs ; Female ; Humans ; *Introduced Species ; Ixodidae/growth &amp; development/*physiology ; Larva/growth &amp; development/physiology ; Male ; *Mammals ; Nymph/growth &amp; development/physiology ; Tick Infestations/parasitology/*veterinary ; }, abstract = {During 2010-2016, tick specimens were solicited from veterinarians, biologists, and members of the public in Alaska. Eight species of ticks were recorded from domestic dogs. Some ticks were collected from dogs with recent travel histories to other countries or other U.S. states, which appears to explain records of ticks not native to Alaska such as Amblyomma americanum (L.) (lone star tick), Ixodes scapularis (Say) (blacklegged tick), and Ixodes ricinus (L.). However, we recorded Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (American dog tick) from dogs (and humans) both with and without travel history, suggesting that this nonindigenous tick could be establishing populations in Alaska. Other ticks commonly recorded from dogs included the indigenous Ixodes angustus Neumann and the invasive Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (brown dog tick). Domestic cats were only parasitized by one tick species, the native I. angustus Six species of ticks were recorded from humans: A. americanum (with and without travel history), Dermacentor andersoni Stiles (Rocky Mountain wood tick; travel associated), D. variabilis (with and without travel history), Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Packard) (rabbit tick, native to Alaska), I. angustus, and R. sanguineus. Ixodes angustus predominated among tick collections from native mammals. Also, Ixodes texanus Banks (first record from Alaska) was collected from an American marten, Martes americana (Turton), H. leporispalustris was recorded from a snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus Erxleben, and Ixodes auritulus Neumann was collected from a Northwestern crow, Corvus caurinus Baird. The establishment of D. variabilis, D. andersoni, A. americanum, and/or I. scapularis in Alaska would have strong implications for animal and human health.}, }
@article {pmid27503195, year = {2017}, author = {Magnotti, JF and Wright, AA and Leonard, K and Katz, JS and Kelly, DM}, title = {Abstract-concept learning in Black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia).}, journal = {Psychonomic bulletin &amp; review}, volume = {24}, number = {2}, pages = {431-435}, pmid = {27503195}, issn = {1531-5320}, mesh = {Animals ; Appetitive Behavior ; *Birds ; *Concept Formation ; *Conditioning, Psychological ; *Discrimination Learning ; Female ; Male ; *Pattern Recognition, Visual ; Transfer, Psychology ; }, abstract = {relational concepts depend upon relationships between stimuli (e.g., same vs. different) and transcend features of the training stimuli. Recent evidence shows that learning abstract concepts is shared across a variety species including birds. Our recent work with a highly-skilled food-storing bird, Clark's nutcracker, revealed superior same/different abstract-concept learning compared to rhesus monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and pigeons. Here we test a more social, but less reliant on food-storing, corvid species, the Black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia). We used the same procedures and training exemplars (eight pairs of the same rule, and 56 pairs of the different rule) as were used to test the other species. Magpies (n = 10) showed a level of abstract-concept learning that was equivalent to nutcrackers and greater than the primates and pigeons tested with these same exemplars. These findings suggest that superior initial abstract-concept learning abilities may be shared across corvids generally, rather than confined to those strongly reliant on spatial memory.}, }
@article {pmid27493780, year = {2016}, author = {Kulahci, IG and Rubenstein, DI and Bugnyar, T and Hoppitt, W and Mikus, N and Schwab, C}, title = {Social networks predict selective observation and information spread in ravens.}, journal = {Royal Society open science}, volume = {3}, number = {7}, pages = {160256}, pmid = {27493780}, issn = {2054-5703}, abstract = {Animals are predicted to selectively observe and learn from the conspecifics with whom they share social connections. Yet, hardly anything is known about the role of different connections in observation and learning. To address the relationships between social connections, observation and learning, we investigated transmission of information in two raven (Corvus corax) groups. First, we quantified social connections in each group by constructing networks on affiliative interactions, aggressive interactions and proximity. We then seeded novel information by training one group member on a novel task and allowing others to observe. In each group, an observation network based on who observed whose task-solving behaviour was strongly correlated with networks based on affiliative interactions and proximity. Ravens with high social centrality (strength, eigenvector, information centrality) in the affiliative interaction network were also central in the observation network, possibly as a result of solving the task sooner. Network-based diffusion analysis revealed that the order that ravens first solved the task was best predicted by connections in the affiliative interaction network in a group of subadult ravens, and by social rank and kinship (which influenced affiliative interactions) in a group of juvenile ravens. Our results demonstrate that not all social connections are equally effective at predicting the patterns of selective observation and information transmission.}, }
@article {pmid27478138, year = {2016}, author = {Taufique, SK and Kumar, V}, title = {Differential activation and tyrosine hydroxylase distribution in the hippocampal, pallial and midbrain brain regions in response to cognitive performance in Indian house crows exposed to abrupt light environment.}, journal = {Behavioural brain research}, volume = {314}, number = {}, pages = {21-29}, doi = {10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.046}, pmid = {27478138}, issn = {1872-7549}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows ; Dopamine/metabolism ; Hippocampus/*enzymology ; Learning/*physiology ; Light ; Memory/*physiology ; Mesencephalon/*enzymology ; Neurons/metabolism ; Songbirds ; Substantia Nigra/enzymology ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/*metabolism ; }, abstract = {Disruption of the cyclic feature of the day-night environment can cause negative effects on daily activity and advanced brain functions such as learning, memory and decision-making behaviour. These functions in songbirds, including corvids, involve the hippocampus, pallium and midbrain, as revealed by ZENK (a neuronal activation marker) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expressions. TH is rate-limiting marker enzyme of the biosynthesis of dopamine, widely implicated in learning and memory. Here, we measured ZENK and TH immunoreactivity in the hippocampal, pallial and midbrain regions in response to cognitive performance (learning-memory retrieval) tests in Indian house crows (Corvus splendens) exposed to constant light environment (LL) with controls on 12h light:12h darkness. Along with the decay of circadian rhythm in activity behaviour, LL caused a significant decline in the cognitive performance. There was also a decrease under LL in the activity of neurons in the hippocampus, medial and central caudal nidopallium, and hyperpallium apicale, which are widely distributed with TH-immunoreactive fibres. Further, under LL, TH- immunoreactive neurons were reduced in number in midbrain dopamine synthesis sites, the venteral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN), with a negative correlation of co-localized ZENK/TH- immunoreactive cells on errors during the association tasks. These results show decreased activity of learning and memory neural systems, and underscore the role of dopamine in reduced cognitive performance of diurnal corvids with disrupted circadian rhythms under an abrupt light environment.}, }
@article {pmid29491922, year = {2016}, author = {Loretto, MC and Schuster, R and Bugnyar, T}, title = {GPS tracking of non-breeding ravens reveals the importance of anthropogenic food sources during their dispersal in the Eastern Alps.}, journal = {Current zoology}, volume = {62}, number = {4}, pages = {337-344}, pmid = {29491922}, issn = {1674-5507}, abstract = {In many songbirds, the space use of breeders is well studied but poorly understood for non-breeders. In common ravens, some studies of non-breeders indicate high vagrancy with large individual differences in home range size, whereas others show that up to 40% of marked non-breeders can be regularly observed at the same anthropogenic food source over months to years. The aim of this study was to provide new insights on ravens' behavior during dispersal in the Eastern Alps. We deployed Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers on 10 individuals to gather accurate spatial and temporal information on their movements to quantify: 1) the dimension of the birds' space use (home range size with seasonal effects and daily/long-term travel distances), 2) how long they stayed in a dispersal stage of wandering as opposed to settling temporarily, and 3) their destination of movements. We recorded movements of up to 40 km per hour, more than 160 km within 1 day and more than 11,000 km within 20 months, indicating high vagrancy. Switching frequently between temporarily settling and travelling large distances in short time intervals leads to extensive home ranges, which also explains and combines the different findings in the literature. The destinations are rich anthropogenic food sources, where the birds spent on average 75% of their time. We discuss how ravens may find these "feeding hot spots" and which factors may influence their decision to stay/leave a site. The strong dependence on anthropogenic resources found in this population may have implications for site management and conservation issues.}, }
@article {pmid27468639, year = {2016}, author = {Expósito-Granados, M and De La Cruz, C and Parejo, D and Valencia, J and Alarcos, S and Avilés, JM}, title = {Exploratory behaviour modulates the relationship between colony familiarity and helping in a cooperative bird.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {131}, number = {}, pages = {9-14}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2016.07.013}, pmid = {27468639}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Exploratory Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Helping Behavior ; Male ; Passeriformes ; Personality/*physiology ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Individuals within animal groups may differ in personality and degree of familiarity raising the question of how this influences their social interactions. In Iberian magpies Cyanopica cooki, a portion of first-year males engage in cooperative behaviours and dispersal, allowing addressing this question. In this study, we first investigate the relationship between colony familiarity (native versus foreign) and reproductive status (breeding versus helping) of males during 21 years. Secondly, we measure the exploratory behaviour and monitor reproductive status of a sample of individuals with different colony familiarity during 2 years. Long-term monitoring revealed that foreign individuals were more likely breeders. The analysis on the subset of individuals in which exploratory behaviour was measured revealed a mediatory effect of exploratory behaviour in the association between colony familiarity and helping behaviour. Specifically, among foreign individuals, higher explorative males were more frequently involved in helping behaviour than lower explorative ones. Conversely, among native males, breeders were more explorative than helpers. Our results suggest that aspects of personality may mediate the value of familiarity in reproductive tasks in social species.}, }
@article {pmid27455197, year = {2016}, author = {Wille, M and McBurney, S and Robertson, GJ and Wilhelm, SI and Blehert, DS and Soos, C and Dunphy, R and Whitney, H}, title = {A PELAGIC OUTBREAK OF AVIAN CHOLERA IN NORTH AMERICAN GULLS: SCAVENGING AS A PRIMARY MECHANISM FOR TRANSMISSION?.}, journal = {Journal of wildlife diseases}, volume = {52}, number = {4}, pages = {793-802}, doi = {10.7589/2015-12-342}, pmid = {27455197}, issn = {1943-3700}, mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/*epidemiology ; Birds ; Canada ; Charadriiformes/*microbiology ; Cholera/epidemiology/*transmission ; Disease Outbreaks ; *Feeding Behavior ; Newfoundland and Labrador/epidemiology ; }, abstract = {Avian cholera, caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida , is an endemic disease globally, often causing annual epizootics in North American wild bird populations with thousands of mortalities. From December 2006 to March 2007, an avian cholera outbreak caused mortality in marine birds off the coast of Atlantic Canada, largely centered 300-400 km off the coast of the island of Newfoundland. Scavenging gulls (Larus spp.) were the primary species detected; however, mortality was also identified in Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and one Common Raven (Corvus corax), a nonmarine species. The most common gross necropsy findings in the birds with confirmed avian cholera were acute fibrinous and necrotizing lesions affecting the spleen, air sacs, and pericardium, and nonspecific hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. The etiologic agent, P. multocida serotype 1, was recovered from 77 of 136 carcasses examined, and confirmed or probable avian cholera was diagnosed in 85 cases. Mortality observed in scavenging gull species was disproportionately high relative to their abundance, particularly when compared to nonscavenging species. The presence of feather shafts in the ventricular lumen of the majority of larid carcasses diagnosed with avian cholera suggests scavenging of birds that died from avian cholera as a major mode of transmission. This documentation of an outbreak of avian cholera in a North American pelagic environment affecting primarily scavenging gulls indicates that offshore marine environments may be a component of avian cholera dynamics.}, }
@article {pmid27454122, year = {2016}, author = {Syrová, M and Němec, M and Veselý, P and Landová, E and Fuchs, R}, title = {Facing a Clever Predator Demands Clever Responses - Red-Backed Shrikes (Lanius collurio) vs. Eurasian Magpies (Pica pica).}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {7}, pages = {e0159432}, pmid = {27454122}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; *Nesting Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {Red-backed shrikes (Lanius collurio) behave quite differently towards two common nest predators. While the European jay (Garrulus glandarius) is commonly attacked, in the presence of the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica), shrikes stay fully passive. We tested the hypotheses that this passive response to the magpie is an alternative defense strategy. Nesting shrikes were exposed to the commonly attacked European kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) in a situation in which i) a harmless domestic pigeon, ii) a commonly attacked European jay, and iii) a non-attacked black-billed magpie are (separately) presented nearby. The kestrel dummy presented together with the magpie dummy was attacked with a significantly lower intensity than when it was presented with the other intruders (pigeon, jay) or alone. This means that the presence of the magpie inhibited the shrike's defense response towards the other intruder. These results support our previous hypotheses that shrikes use an alternative defense strategy in the magpie's presence. We hypothesize that the magpie is able to associate the active defense of the shrikes with the close proximity of a nest and that shrikes try not to draw the magpie's attention to the nest. The reason why this strategy is not used against the jay remains unanswered as jays as well as magpies show very similar cognitive and foraging skills enabling them to individuate the nest presence according to active parental defense.}, }
@article {pmid27449007, year = {2016}, author = {Freedman, D and Bao, Y and Shen, L and Schaefer, CA and Brown, AS}, title = {Maternal T. gondii, offspring bipolar disorder and neurocognition.}, journal = {Psychiatry research}, volume = {243}, number = {}, pages = {382-389}, pmid = {27449007}, issn = {1872-7123}, support = {R01 MH073080/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; N01HD13334/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; K02 MH065422/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; R01 MH069819/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; T32 MH013043/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Adult ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; Bipolar Disorder/blood/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cognition/*physiology ; Cognitive Dysfunction/blood/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Intelligence Tests ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/blood/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/blood/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Random Allocation ; *Toxoplasma/metabolism ; Toxoplasmosis/blood/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {Prenatal exposure to maternal Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) IgG antibody titer has been associated previously with an increased risk of offspring schizophrenia (SZ) and cognitive impairment. We examined maternal T. gondii, offspring bipolar disorder (BP) and childhood cognition using a population-based birth cohort. Maternal sera, drawn in the third trimester, were analyzed for T. gondii IgG antibody titer, and offspring cognition at ages 5 and 9-11 was measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and the Raven Matrices (Raven). Raw scores were standardized and the ages combined. Potential cases with BP from the cohort were identified by database linkages. This protocol identified 85 cases who were matched 1:2 to controls. Maternal T. gondii IgG was not associated with the risk of BP in offspring. Neither moderate [HR=1.43 (CI: 0.49, 4.17)] nor high IgG titer [HR=1.6 [CI: 0.74, 3.48)] were associated with offspring BP. Associations were not observed between maternal T. gondii and BP with psychotic features or BP type 1. In addition, maternal T. gondii was not associated with childhood cognition. Our study suggests that T. gondii may be specific to SZ among major psychotic disorders, though further studies with larger sample sizes are required.}, }
@article {pmid27437926, year = {2016}, author = {Jacobs, IF and von Bayern, A and Osvath, M}, title = {A novel tool-use mode in animals: New Caledonian crows insert tools to transport objects.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {19}, number = {6}, pages = {1249-1252}, pmid = {27437926}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) rely heavily on a range of tools to extract prey. They manufacture novel tools, save tools for later use, and have morphological features that facilitate tool use. We report six observations, in two individuals, of a novel tool-use mode not previously reported in non-human animals. Insert-and-transport tool use involves inserting a stick into an object and then moving away, thereby transporting both object and tool. All transported objects were non-food objects. One subject used a stick to transport an object that was too large to be handled by beak, which suggests the tool facilitated object control. The function in the other cases is unclear but seems to be an expression of play or exploration. Further studies should investigate whether it is adaptive in the wild and to what extent crows can flexibly apply the behaviour in experimental settings when purposive transportation of objects is advantageous.}, }
@article {pmid27429456, year = {2016}, author = {Greggor, AL and Clayton, NS and Fulford, AJ and Thornton, A}, title = {Street smart: faster approach towards litter in urban areas by highly neophobic corvids and less fearful birds.}, journal = {Animal behaviour}, volume = {117}, number = {}, pages = {123-133}, pmid = {27429456}, issn = {0003-3472}, abstract = {The extent to which animals respond fearfully to novel stimuli may critically influence their ability to survive alongside humans. However, it is unclear whether the fear of novel objects, object neophobia, consistently varies in response to human disturbance. Where variation has been documented, it is unclear whether this variation is due to a change in fear towards specific novel stimuli, or whether it is symptomatic of a general change in fear behaviour. We measured levels of object neophobia in free-flying birds across urban and rural habitats, comparing corvids, a family known for being behaviourally flexible and innovative, with other urban-adapting bird species. Neophobic responses were measured in the presence of different types of objects that varied in their novelty, and were compared to behaviour during a baited control. Corvids were more neophobic than noncorvid species towards all object types, but their hesitancy abated after conspecifics approached in experimental conditions in which objects resembled items they may have experienced previously. Both sets of species were faster to approach objects made from human litter in urban than rural areas, potentially reflecting a category-specific reduction in fear based on experience. These results highlight species similarities in behavioural responses to human-dominated environments despite large differences in baseline neophobia.}, }
@article {pmid27406172, year = {2017}, author = {Szabo, B and Bugnyar, T and Auersperg, AM}, title = {Within-group relationships and lack of social enhancement during object manipulation in captive Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana).}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {45}, number = {1}, pages = {7-19}, pmid = {27406172}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Cockatoos ; Crows ; *Learning ; Parrots ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Different types of social relationships can influence individual learning strategies in structured groups of animals. Studies on a number of avian species have suggested that local and/or stimulus enhancement are important ingredients of the respective species' exploration modes. Our aim was to identify the role of enhancement during object manipulation in different social contexts. We used focal observations to identify a linear dominance hierarchy as well as affiliative relationships between individuals in a group of 14 Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana, formerly goffini). Thereafter, in an unrewarded object choice task, several pairs of subjects were tested for a possible influence of social enhancement (local vs. stimulus) in three conditions: dominance, affiliation, and kinship. Our results suggest strong individual biases. Whereas previous studies on ravens and kea had indicated that enhancement in a non-food-related task was influenced by the social relationship between a demonstrator and an observer (affiliated - nonaffiliated), we found no such effects in our study group. In this context, Goffin's cockatoos' object learning seems to take place more on an individual level, despite their generally high motivation to manipulate nonfood items.}, }
@article {pmid27378720, year = {2017}, author = {Thompson-Miller, R and Picca, LH}, title = {"There Were Rapes!": Sexual Assaults of African American Women and Children in Jim Crow.}, journal = {Violence against women}, volume = {23}, number = {8}, pages = {934-950}, doi = {10.1177/1077801216654016}, pmid = {27378720}, issn = {1552-8448}, mesh = {African Americans/ethnology/*psychology ; Crime Victims/history/*psychology ; Enslavement/ethnology/history ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic/methods ; Prevalence ; Racism/history ; Rape/*psychology ; Southeastern United States/ethnology ; Southwestern United States/ethnology ; Whites/ethnology/history/psychology ; }, abstract = {Using data from 92 interviews, this article examines the narratives of African Americans' experiences as children and young adults during Jim Crow in the Southeast and Southwest. It gives voice to the realities of sexual assaults committed by ordinary White men who systematically terrorized African American families with impunity after the post-Reconstruction south until the 1960s. The interviewees discuss the short- and long-term impact of physical, mental, emotional, and sexual assaults in their communities. We discuss the top four prevalent themes that emerged related to sexual assault, specifically (a) the normalization of sexual assaults, (b) protective measures to avoid White violence, (c) the morality of African American women, and (d) the long-term consequences of assaults on children.}, }
@article {pmid27359074, year = {2016}, author = {Miller, R and Schwab, C and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Explorative innovators and flexible use of social information in common ravens (Corvus corax) and carrion crows (Corvus corone).}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {130}, number = {4}, pages = {328-340}, doi = {10.1037/com0000039}, pmid = {27359074}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Choice Behavior ; *Crows ; Exploratory Behavior/*physiology ; Humans ; *Problem Solving ; *Social Behavior ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Innovation and social information use are influenced by individual characteristics, and are important for the creation and transmission of novel behavioral patterns. Here, we investigated which individual factors predict innovation rates and social transmission of information in a comparative study with identically reared common ravens (Corvus corax) and carrion crows (Corvus corone corone; Corvus corone cornix). In the innovation experiment (1), we presented the birds with a novel problem-solving task while alone, to determine which individuals would quickly solve ("innovators") or not solve ("noninnovators") this task. We then related these findings to sex, object exploration (frequency of novel item manipulation), object neophobia (latency to novel item interaction), and social rank position. We found that innovators were more explorative than noninnovators, although they did not differ significantly in social rank, object neophobia or sex. In the social information use experiments (2 &amp; 3), subjects first observed a model (Exp. 2: conspecific, heterospecific; Exp. 3: conspecific innovator &amp; noninnovator) demonstrate a specific color selection in a 2-choice cup task, before being allowed to make their own cup selection. Innovator and noninnovator observers did not significantly differ in their tendency to use social information, that is, to select the demonstrated cup first, from a conspecific or heterospecific model. Furthermore, observers did not preferentially use social information from an innovator over a noninnovator model. We discuss our findings in relation to the likely benefits of flexible information use, and the role of other model characteristics, such as relationships, on the use of social information. (PsycINFO Database Record}, }
@article {pmid27346889, year = {2016}, author = {Reber, SA and Boeckle, M and Szipl, G and Janisch, J and Bugnyar, T and Fitch, WT}, title = {Territorial raven pairs are sensitive to structural changes in simulated acoustic displays of conspecifics.}, journal = {Animal behaviour}, volume = {116}, number = {}, pages = {153-162}, pmid = {27346889}, issn = {0003-3472}, abstract = {Human language involves combining items into meaningful, syntactically structured wholes. The evolutionary origin of syntactic abilities has been investigated by testing pattern perception capacities in nonhuman animals. New World primates can respond spontaneously to structural changes in acoustic sequences and songbirds can learn to discriminate between various patterns in operant tasks. However, there is no conclusive evidence that songbirds respond spontaneously to structural changes in patterns without reinforcement or training. In this study, we tested pattern perception capacities of common ravens, Corvus corax, in a habituation-discrimination playback experiment. To enhance stimulus salience, call recordings of male and female ravens were used as acoustic elements, combined to create artificial territorial displays as target patterns. We habituated captive territorial raven pairs to displays following a particular pattern and subsequently exposed them to several test and control playbacks. Subjects spent more time visually orienting towards the loudspeaker in the discrimination phase when they heard structurally novel call combinations, violating the pattern presented during habituation. This demonstrates that songbirds, much like primates, can be sensitive to structural changes in auditory patterns and respond to them spontaneously, without training.}, }
@article {pmid27286247, year = {2016}, author = {Asakawa-Haas, K and Schiestl, M and Bugnyar, T and Massen, JJ}, title = {Partner Choice in Raven (Corvus corax) Cooperation.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {6}, pages = {e0156962}, pmid = {27286247}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Choice Behavior ; Cooperative Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; Exploratory Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Recognition, Psychology ; *Sexual Behavior, Animal ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Although social animals frequently make decisions about when or with whom to cooperate, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of partner choice. Most previous studies compared different dyads' performances, though did not allow an actual choice among partners. We tested eleven ravens, Corvus corax, in triads, giving them first the choice to cooperate with either a highly familiar or a rather unfamiliar partner and, second, with either a friend or a non-friend using a cooperative string-pulling task. In either test, the ravens had a second choice and could cooperate with the other partner, given that this one had not pulled the string in the meantime. We show that during the experiments, these partner ravens indeed learn to wait and inhibit pulling, respectively. Moreover, the results of these two experiments show that ravens' preferences for a specific cooperation partner are not based on familiarity. In contrast, the ravens did show a preference based on relationship quality, as they did choose to cooperate significantly more with friends than with non-friends and they were also more proficient when cooperating with a friend. In order to further identify the proximate mechanism of this preference, we designed an open-choice experiment for the whole group where all birds were free to cooperate on two separate apparatuses. This set-up allowed us to distinguish between preferences for close proximity and preferences to cooperate. The results revealed that friends preferred staying close to each other, but did not necessarily cooperate with one another, suggesting that tolerance of proximity and not relationship quality as a whole may be the driving force behind partner choice in raven cooperation. Consequently, we stress the importance of experiments that allow such titrations and, suggest that these results have important implications for the interpretations of cooperation studies that did not include open partner choice.}, }
@article {pmid27282438, year = {2016}, author = {Greggor, AL and McIvor, GE and Clayton, NS and Thornton, A}, title = {Contagious risk taking: social information and context influence wild jackdaws' responses to novelty and risk.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {27764}, pmid = {27282438}, issn = {2045-2322}, support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Choice Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; *Exploratory Behavior ; Feeding Behavior ; Motivation ; Risk Factors ; *Risk-Taking ; Seasons ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Although wild animals increasingly encounter human-produced food and objects, it is unknown how they learn to discriminate beneficial from dangerous novelty. Since social learning allows animals to capitalize on the risk-taking of others, and avoid endangering themselves, social learning should be used around novel and unpredictable stimuli. However, it is unclear whether animals use social cues equally around all types of novelty and at all times of year. We assessed whether wild, individually marked jackdaws-a highly neophobic, yet adaptable species-are equally influenced by social cues to consume novel, palatable foods and to approach a startling object. We conducted these tests across two seasons, and found that in both seasons observers were more likely to consume novel foods after seeing a demonstrator do so. In contrast, observers only followed the demonstrator in foraging next to the object during breeding season. Throughout the year more birds were wary of consuming novel foods than wary of approaching the object, potentially leading to jackdaws' greater reliance on social information about food. Jackdaws' dynamic social cue usage demonstrates the importance of context in predicting how social information is used around novelty, and potentially indicates the conditions that facilitate animals' adjustment to anthropogenic disturbance.}, }
@article {pmid27260356, year = {2016}, author = {Taff, CC and Weis, AM and Wheeler, S and Hinton, MG and Weimer, BC and Barker, CM and Jones, M and Logsdon, R and Smith, WA and Boyce, WM and Townsend, AK}, title = {Influence of Host Ecology and Behavior on Campylobacter jejuni Prevalence and Environmental Contamination Risk in a Synanthropic Wild Bird Species.}, journal = {Applied and environmental microbiology}, volume = {82}, number = {15}, pages = {4811-4820}, pmid = {27260356}, issn = {1098-5336}, mesh = {Animal Migration ; Animals ; Animals, Wild/*microbiology/physiology ; Bird Diseases/*microbiology/physiopathology ; Campylobacter jejuni/classification/genetics/*isolation &amp; purification ; Crows/*microbiology/physiology ; Disease Reservoirs/*microbiology ; Ecosystem ; }, abstract = {UNLABELLED: Campylobacter jejuni is a foodborne pathogen that often leads to human infections through the consumption of contaminated poultry. Wild birds may play a role in the transmission of C. jejuni by acting as reservoir hosts. Despite ample evidence that wild birds harbor C. jejuni, few studies have addressed the role of host ecology in transmission to domestic animals or humans. We tested the hypothesis that host social behavior and habitat play a major role in driving transmission risk. C. jejuni infection and host ecology were studied simultaneously in wild American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) in Davis, CA, over 3 years. We found that 178 of 337 samples tested were culture positive (53%), with infection varying by season and host age. Among adult crows, infection rates were highest during the winter, when migrants return and crows form large communal roosts. Nestlings had the highest risk of infection, and whole-genome sequencing supports the observation of direct transmission between nestlings. We deployed global positioning system (GPS) receivers to quantify habitat use by crows; space use was nonrandom, with crows preferentially occupying some habitats while avoiding others. This behavior drastically amplified the risk of environmental contamination from feces in specific locations. This study demonstrates that social behavior contributes to infection within species and that habitat use leads to a heterogeneous risk of cross-species transmission.<br><br>IMPORTANCE: Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in industrialized countries. Despite efforts to reduce the colonization of poultry flocks and eventual infection of humans, the incidence of human C. jejuni infection has remained high. Because wild birds can harbor strains of C. jejuni that eventually infect humans, there has long been speculation that wild birds might act as an important reservoir in the C. jejuni infection cycle. We simultaneously studied infection prevalence, social behavior, and movement ecology in wild American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). We found that social behavior contributed to patterns of infection and that movement behavior resulted in some areas having a high risk of transmission while others had a low risk. The incorporation of ecological data into studies of C. jejuni in wild birds has the potential to resolve when and how wild birds contribute to domestic animal and human C. jejuni infection, leading to better control of initial poultry contamination.}, }
@article {pmid29737706, year = {2016}, author = {Wang, QY and Zhao, YZ and Luo, X and Hua, JQ and Li, Z and Xu, JL}, title = {[Potential nest predators of Syrmaticus reevesii based on camera traps and artificial nests.].}, journal = {Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology}, volume = {27}, number = {6}, pages = {1968-1974}, doi = {10.13287/j.1001-9332.201606.020}, pmid = {29737706}, issn = {1001-9332}, mesh = {Animals ; *Breeding ; Ecosystem ; *Galliformes ; Nesting Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {In order to understand the background of the field breeding ecology of Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) inside and outside of protected area, an investigation on nest predation rate, potential nest predators and the habitat factors affecting nest predation was conducted at Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province and Pingjingguan Village, Hubei Province, which were protected and non-protected area, respectively. The fieldwork was conducted from March to July 2014, and artificial nests (taking eggs as bait), camera traps and habitat plots were used at these two sites to catch information about nest predation. Experiments were designed in two rounds, including the early-breeding stage (March to April) and mid-breeding stage (May to June). We placed 149 artificial ground nests with 62 randomly picked nest sites, each monitored by one camera. The working days of all cameras were 1315 days, and we finally obtained 7776 pictures and 6950 video clips. The results showed that the rate of nest predation outside the protected areas (Pingjingguan) was higher than that in nature reserve (Dongzhai), with highly significant diffe-rences both in early-breeding and mid-breeding stages. In two stages, more nest predator species (11 and 6 species in two stages, respectively) occurred in Pingjingguan than in Dongzhai (7 and 5 species, respectively). In Pingjingguan, Glires and Corvidae were top predators, while in Dongzhai Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) was firstly ranked. Slope degree and arbor canopy cover were positively related with the nest predation rate in Pingjingguan, while fallen leaves coverage had significant influence on nest predation in Dongzhai. We also found wild Reeves's pheasant paid visits to 13 artificial nests for 18 times by viewing the pictures and video clips.}, }
@article {pmid27220061, year = {2017}, author = {Zengel, B and Ambler, JK and McCarthy, RJ and Skowronski, JJ}, title = {Spontaneous trait inference and spontaneous trait transference are both unaffected by prior evaluations of informants.}, journal = {The Journal of social psychology}, volume = {157}, number = {3}, pages = {382-387}, doi = {10.1080/00224545.2016.1192099}, pmid = {27220061}, issn = {1940-1183}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; *Character ; *Facial Recognition ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Recognition, Psychology ; *Social Perception ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {This article reports results from a study in which participants encountered either (a) previously known informants who were positive (e.g. Abraham Lincoln), neutral (e.g., Jay Leno), or negative (e.g., Adolf Hitler), or (b) previously unknown informants. The informants ostensibly described either a trait-implicative positive behavior, a trait-implicative negative behavior, or a neutral behavior. These descriptions were framed as either the behavior of the informant or the behavior of another person. Results yielded evidence of informant-trait linkages for both self-informants and for informants who described another person. These effects were not moderated by informant type, behavior valence, or the congruency or incongruency between the prior knowledge of the informant and the behavior valence. Results are discussed in terms of theories of Spontaneous Trait Inference and Spontaneous Trait Transference.}, }
@article {pmid27195059, year = {2016}, author = {Ostojić, L and Cheke, LG and Shaw, RC and Legg, EW and Clayton, NS}, title = {Desire-state attribution: Benefits of a novel paradigm using the food-sharing behavior of Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius).}, journal = {Communicative &amp; integrative biology}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, pages = {e1134065}, pmid = {27195059}, issn = {1942-0889}, abstract = {In recent years, we have investigated the possibility that Eurasian jay food sharing might rely on desire-state attribution. The female's desire for a particular type of food can be decreased by sating her on it (specific satiety) and the food sharing paradigm can be used to test whether the male's sharing pattern reflects the female's current desire. Our previous findings show that the male shares the food that the female currently wants. Here, we consider 3 simpler mechanisms that might explain the male's behavior: behavior reading, lack of self-other differentiation and behavioral rules. We illustrate how we have already addressed these issues and how our food sharing paradigm can be further adapted to answer outstanding questions. The flexibility with which the food sharing paradigm can be applied to rule out alternative mechanisms makes it a useful tool to study desire-state attribution in jays and other species that share food.}, }
@article {pmid27152224, year = {2016}, author = {Kabadayi, C and Taylor, LA and von Bayern, AM and Osvath, M}, title = {Ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws parallel great apes in motor self-regulation despite smaller brains.}, journal = {Royal Society open science}, volume = {3}, number = {4}, pages = {160104}, pmid = {27152224}, issn = {2054-5703}, abstract = {Overriding motor impulses instigated by salient perceptual stimuli represent a fundamental inhibitory skill. Such motor self-regulation facilitates more rational behaviour, as it brings economy into the bodily interaction with the physical and social world. It also underlies certain complex cognitive processes including decision making. Recently, MacLean et al. (MacLean et al. 2014 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 111, 2140-2148. (doi:10.1073/pnas.1323533111)) conducted a large-scale study involving 36 species, comparing motor self-regulation across taxa. They concluded that absolute brain size predicts level of performance. The great apes were most successful. Only a few of the species tested were birds. Given birds' small brain size-in absolute terms-yet flexible behaviour, their motor self-regulation calls for closer study. Corvids exhibit some of the largest relative avian brain sizes-although small in absolute measure-as well as the most flexible cognition in the animal kingdom. We therefore tested ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws in the so-called cylinder task. We found performance indistinguishable from that of great apes despite the much smaller brains. We found both absolute and relative brain volume to be a reliable predictor of performance within Aves. The complex cognition of corvids is often likened to that of great apes; our results show further that they share similar fundamental cognitive mechanisms.}, }
@article {pmid27128947, year = {2016}, author = {van Vuuren, K and O'Keeffe, S and Jones, DN}, title = {"Vicious, Aggressive Bird Stalks Cyclist": The Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen) in the News.}, journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI}, volume = {6}, number = {5}, pages = {}, pmid = {27128947}, issn = {2076-2615}, abstract = {The Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen) is a common bird found in urban Australian environments where its nest defense behavior during spring brings it into conflict with humans. This article explores the role of print media in covering this conflict. Leximancer software was used to analyze newspaper reports about the Australian Magpie from a sample of 634 news stories, letters-to-the editor and opinion pieces, published in newspapers from around Australia between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. The results confirm that stories about these birds are primarily published in the daily regional and weekly suburban press, and that the dominant story frame concerns the risk of "swooping" behavior to cyclists and pedestrians from birds protecting their nests during the spring breeding season. The most prominent sources used by journalists are local and state government representatives, as well as members of the public. The results show that the "swooping season" has become a normal part of the annual news cycle for these publications, with the implication that discourse surrounding the Australian Magpie predominantly concerns the risk these birds pose to humans, and ignores their decline in non-urban environments.}, }
@article {pmid27108470, year = {2016}, author = {Graff, G}, title = {Post Civil War African American History: Brief Periods of Triumph, and Then Despair.}, journal = {The Journal of psychohistory}, volume = {43}, number = {4}, pages = {247-261}, pmid = {27108470}, issn = {0145-3378}, mesh = {African Americans/*history/psychology ; *American Civil War ; Civil Rights/*history/psychology ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Prisons/history ; Racism/*history/psychology ; United States ; }, abstract = {During Reconstruction, which is often called the most progressive period in American history, African Americans made great strides. By 1868 African American men constituted a majority of registered voters in South Carolina and Mississippi, and by 1870 eighty-five percent of Mississippi's black jurors could read and write. However, Reconstruction was followed by approximately one hundred years of Jim Crow laws, lynching, disenfranchisement, sharecropping, unequal educational resources, terrorism, racial caricatures, and convict leasing. The Civil Rights Revolution finally ended that period of despair, but the era of mass incarceration can be understood as a reaction to the Civil Rights Movement. This article attempts to understand the persistence of racism in the United States from slavery's end until the present.}, }
@article {pmid27105987, year = {2016}, author = {Bergsman, LD and Hyman, JM and Manore, CA}, title = {A mathematical model for the spread of west nile virus in migratory and resident birds.}, journal = {Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE}, volume = {13}, number = {2}, pages = {401-424}, doi = {10.3934/mbe.2015009}, pmid = {27105987}, issn = {1551-0018}, support = {U01 GM097661/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; U01 GM097658/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animal Migration ; Animals ; Bird Diseases/*epidemiology/*transmission ; Crows/virology ; Culicidae/virology ; Forecasting ; *Models, Biological ; Seasons ; Songbirds/virology ; United States/epidemiology ; West Nile Fever/*epidemiology/*transmission ; West Nile virus/physiology ; }, abstract = {We develop a mathematical model for transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) that incorporates resident and migratory host avian populations and a mosquito vector population. We provide a detailed analysis of the model's basic reproductive number and demonstrate how the exposed infected, but not infectious, state for the bird population can be approximated by a reduced model. We use the model to investigate the interplay of WNV in both resident and migratory bird hosts. The resident host parameters correspond to the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), a competent host with a high death rate due to disease, and migratory host parameters to the American Robin (Turdus migratorius), a competent host with low WNV death rates. We find that yearly seasonal outbreaks depend primarily on the number of susceptible migrant birds entering the local population each season. We observe that the early growth rates of seasonal outbreaks is more influenced by the the migratory population than the resident bird population. This implies that although the death of highly competent resident birds, such as American Crows, are good indicators for the presence of the virus, these species have less impact on the basic reproductive number than the competent migratory birds with low death rates, such as the American Robins. The disease forecasts are most sensitive to the assumptions about the feeding preferences of North American mosquito vectors and the effect of the virus on the hosts. Increased research on the these factors would allow for better estimates of these important model parameters, which would improve the quality of future WNV forecasts.}, }
@article {pmid27092388, year = {2016}, author = {Smångs, M}, title = {Doing Violence, Making Race: Southern Lynching and White Racial Group Formation.}, journal = {AJS; American journal of sociology}, volume = {121}, number = {5}, pages = {1329-1374}, doi = {10.1086/684438}, pmid = {27092388}, issn = {0002-9602}, mesh = {History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Race Relations/*history/psychology ; Racism/*history ; Socioeconomic Factors/history ; Southeastern United States ; Violence/*history ; }, abstract = {This article presents a theoretical framework of how intergroup violence may figure into the activation and maintenance of group categories, boundaries, and identities, as well as the mediating role played by organizations in such processes. The framework's analytical advantages are demonstrated in an application to southern lynchings. Findings from event- and community-level analyses suggest that "public" lynchings, carried out by larger mobs with ceremonial violence, but not "private" ones, perpetrated by smaller bands without public or ceremonial violence, fed off and into the racial group boundaries, categories, and identities promoted by the southern Democratic Party at the turn of the 20th century and on which the emerging Jim Crow system rested. Highlighting that racialized inequalities cannot be properly understood apart from collective processes of racial group boundary and identity making, the article offers clues to the mechanisms by which past racial domination influences contemporary race relations.}, }
@article {pmid27070019, year = {2015}, author = {Derbyshire, R and Strickland, D and Norris, DR}, title = {Experimental evidence and 43 years of monitoring data show that food limits reproduction in a food-caching passerine.}, journal = {Ecology}, volume = {96}, number = {11}, pages = {3005-3015}, doi = {10.1890/15-0191.1}, pmid = {27070019}, issn = {0012-9658}, mesh = {Animals ; Ecosystem ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Genetic Fitness ; Male ; Models, Biological ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Population Dynamics ; Reproduction/*physiology ; Seasons ; }, abstract = {Several species of birds and mammals overcome periods of scarcity by caching food, but for the vast majority of species, it is virtually unknown whether they are food limited during these periods. The Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is a boreal-resident, food-caching passerine that breeds in late winter when fresh food is scarce. Using a two-year experiment and 43 years of monitoring data, we examined the food limitation hypothesis in a population of Gray Jays in Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada, that has declined by over 50% in the last three decades. Breeding pairs that were experimentally food supplemented during the pre-breeding period laid eggs earlier in the season and had larger brood sizes than non-supplemented controls. From the long-term data, we found strong evidence that pairs that were regularly supplemented by the public (park visitors) tended to lay eggs earlier and have larger clutches and brood sizes compared to pairs that were not supplemented. Nestling body condition (mass controlled for body size) was not influenced by either experimental or public food supplementation. Our results support the hypothesis that Gray Jays are food limited during their late-winter breeding period and suggest that warmer fall temperatures, which have been hypothesized to lead to cache spoilage, may have a significant impact on reproductive success in this declining population. Moreover, our results contribute to understanding how public feeding can influence the fitness of wild animals.}, }
@article {pmid27036232, year = {2016}, author = {Kelly, EM}, title = {Counting on your friends: The role of social environment on quantity discrimination.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {128}, number = {}, pages = {9-16}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2016.03.019}, pmid = {27036232}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Discrimination, Psychological ; Female ; Male ; *Passeriformes ; Social Behavior ; *Social Environment ; }, abstract = {Quantity discrimination has been established in a range of species. However, most demonstrations of quantity discrimination control for social factors by testing animals individually. I tested whether sociality affects quantity discrimination in the wild by comparing the performances of the highly social Mexican jay (MJ; Aphelocoma wollweberi) and the territorial Western scrub jay (WJ; Aphelocoma californica). The birds were given a choice between two lines of peanuts that differed in initial quantity ranging from 2 vs 8 to 14 vs 16. Their choices were recorded until all peanuts were eaten or cached. Whereas non-social WJ selected the larger quantity across all the trials significantly more than chance, social MJ selected the larger line only when the difference in the number of peanuts between lines was small. In MJ, individual choice when selecting the large or small quantity was influenced by what line the previous bird had chosen when the difference in lines was large, with followers significantly more likely to select the smaller quantity. WJ were not significantly affected by the choices of other individuals. The only factors that influenced WJ choice were ratio and total differences between the two quantities. These results suggests that in certain scenarios, both species can discriminate between different quantities. However, MJ were greatly influenced by social factors, a previously untested factor, while WJ were only influenced by ratio and total difference between the quantities, consistent with findings in other species. Overall, this study demonstrates the important role of sociality in numerical cognitive performance, a previously overlooked factor.}, }
@article {pmid26984123, year = {2016}, author = {Legg, EW and Ostojić, L and Clayton, NS}, title = {Caching at a distance: a cache protection strategy in Eurasian jays.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {19}, number = {4}, pages = {753-758}, pmid = {26984123}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Feeding Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {A fundamental question about the complexity of corvid social cognition is whether behaviours exhibited when caching in front of potential pilferers represent specific attempts to prevent cache loss (cache protection hypothesis) or whether they are by-products of other behaviours (by-product hypothesis). Here, we demonstrate that Eurasian jays preferentially cache at a distance when observed by conspecifics. This preference for a 'far' location could be either a by-product of a general preference for caching at that specific location regardless of the risk of cache loss or a by-product of a general preference to be far away from conspecifics due to low intra-species tolerance. Critically, we found that neither by-product account explains the jays' behaviour: the preference for the 'far' location was not shown when caching in private or when eating in front of a conspecific. In line with the cache protection hypothesis we found that jays preferred the distant location only when caching in front of a conspecific. Thus, it seems likely that for Eurasian jays, caching at a distance from an observer is a specific cache protection strategy.}, }
@article {pmid26955788, year = {2016}, author = {Matsui, H and Hunt, GR and Oberhofer, K and Ogihara, N and McGowan, KJ and Mithraratne, K and Yamasaki, T and Gray, RD and Izawa, E}, title = {Adaptive bill morphology for enhanced tool manipulation in New Caledonian crows.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {22776}, pmid = {26955788}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Beak/*anatomy &amp; histology ; *Behavior, Animal ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/*anatomy &amp; histology/*physiology ; Principal Component Analysis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Early increased sophistication of human tools is thought to be underpinned by adaptive morphology for efficient tool manipulation. Such adaptive specialisation is unknown in nonhuman primates but may have evolved in the New Caledonian crow, which has sophisticated tool manufacture. The straightness of its bill, for example, may be adaptive for enhanced visually-directed use of tools. Here, we examine in detail the shape and internal structure of the New Caledonian crow's bill using Principal Components Analysis and Computed Tomography within a comparative framework. We found that the bill has a combination of interrelated shape and structural features unique within Corvus, and possibly birds generally. The upper mandible is relatively deep and short with a straight cutting edge, and the lower mandible is strengthened and upturned. These novel combined attributes would be functional for (i) counteracting the unique loading patterns acting on the bill when manipulating tools, (ii) a strong precision grip to hold tools securely, and (iii) enhanced visually-guided tool use. Our findings indicate that the New Caledonian crow's innovative bill has been adapted for tool manipulation to at least some degree. Early increased sophistication of tools may require the co-evolution of morphology that provides improved manipulatory skills.}, }
@article {pmid26925331, year = {2016}, author = {Logan, CJ and Harvey, BD and Schlinger, BA and Rensel, M}, title = {Western scrub-jays do not appear to attend to functionality in Aesop's Fable experiments.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {4}, number = {}, pages = {e1707}, pmid = {26925331}, issn = {2167-8359}, support = {R01 MH061994/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; }, abstract = {Western scrub-jays are known for their highly discriminatory and flexible behaviors in a caching (food storing) context. However, it is unknown whether their cognitive abilities are restricted to a caching context. To explore this question, we tested scrub-jays in a non-caching context using the Aesop's Fable paradigm, where a partially filled tube of water contains a floating food reward and objects must be inserted to displace the water and bring the food within reach. We tested four birds, but only two learned to drop stones proficiently. Of these, one bird participated in 4/5 experiments and one in 2/5 experiments. Both birds passed one experiment, but without attending to the functional differences of the objects, and failed the other experiments. Scrub-jays were not motivated to participate in these experiments, suggesting that either this paradigm was ecologically irrelevant or perhaps their flexibility is restricted to a caching context.}, }
@article {pmid26876417, year = {2016}, author = {Pesendorfer, MB and Sillett, TS and Morrison, SA and Kamil, AC}, title = {Context-dependent seed dispersal by a scatter-hoarding corvid.}, journal = {The Journal of animal ecology}, volume = {85}, number = {3}, pages = {798-805}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.12501}, pmid = {26876417}, issn = {1365-2656}, mesh = {Animals ; Appetitive Behavior ; *Feeding Behavior ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Quercus/physiology ; *Seed Dispersal ; Seeds ; Territoriality ; }, abstract = {Corvids (crows, jays, magpies and nutcrackers) are important dispersers of large-seeded plants. Studies on captive or supplemented birds suggest that they flexibly adjust their scatter-hoarding behaviour to the context of social dynamics and relative seed availability. Because many corvid-dispersed trees show high annual variation in seed production, context-dependent foraging can have strong effects on natural corvid scatter-hoarding behaviour. We investigated how seed availability and social dynamics affected scatter-hoarding in the island scrub jays (Aphelocoma insularis). We quantified rates of scatter-hoarding behaviour and territorial defence of 26 colour-marked birds over a three-year period with variable acorn crops. We tested whether caching parameters were correlated with variation in annual seed production of oaks as predicted by the predator dispersal hypothesis, which states that caching rates and distances should vary with seed abundance in ways that benefit tree fitness. We also tested whether antagonistic interactions with conspecifics would affect scatter-hoarding adversely, as found in experimental studies. Caching behaviour varied with acorn availability. Caching distances correlated positively with annual acorn crop size, increasing by as much as 40% between years. Caching rates declined over time in years with small acorn crops, but increased when crops were large. Acorn foraging and caching rates were also negatively correlated with rates of territorial aggression. Overall foraging rates, however, were not associated with aggression, suggesting that reduced dispersal rates were not simply due to time constraints. Our field results support laboratory findings that caching rates and distances by scatter-hoarding corvids are context-dependent. Furthermore, our results are consistent with predictions of the predator dispersal hypothesis and suggest that large seed crops and social interactions among scatter-hoarders affect dispersal benefits for oaks and other masting tree species.}, }
@article {pmid26868053, year = {2016}, author = {Droege, G and Töpfer, T}, title = {The Corvids Literature Database--500 years of ornithological research from a crow's perspective.}, journal = {Database : the journal of biological databases and curation}, volume = {2016}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {26868053}, issn = {1758-0463}, mesh = {Animals ; Biology/*methods ; Crows/*physiology ; *Databases, Bibliographic ; Databases, Factual ; Europe ; Geography ; Language ; Phylogeny ; Publications ; Research ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Corvids (Corvidae) play a major role in ornithological research. Because of their worldwide distribution, diversity and adaptiveness, they have been studied extensively. The aim of the Corvids Literature Database (CLD, http://www.corvids.de/cld) is to record all publications (citation format) on all extant and extinct Crows, Ravens, Jays and Magpies worldwide and tag them with specific keywords making them available for researchers worldwide. The self-maintained project started in 2006 and today comprises 8000 articles, spanning almost 500 years. The CLD covers publications from 164 countries, written in 36 languages and published by 8026 authors in 1503 journals (plus books, theses and other publications). Forty-nine percent of all records are available online as full-text documents or deposited in the physical CLD archive. The CLD contains 442 original corvid descriptions. Here, we present a metadata assessment of articles recorded in the CLD including a gap analysis and prospects for future research. Database URL: http://www.corvids.de/cld.}, }
@article {pmid26848954, year = {2016}, author = {Miller, R and Laskowski, KL and Schiestl, M and Bugnyar, T and Schwab, C}, title = {Socially Driven Consistent Behavioural Differences during Development in Common Ravens and Carrion Crows.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {2}, pages = {e0148822}, pmid = {26848954}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Adaptation, Physiological ; Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Crows/growth &amp; development/*physiology ; *Environment ; Female ; Male ; Personality ; *Social Behavior ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {Consistent individual differences in behaviour, or 'personality', are likely to be influenced by development, social context, and species ecology, though few comparative, longitudinal studies exist. Here, we investigated the role of development and social context on personality variation in two identically reared, social corvids: common ravens and carrion crows. We repeatedly presented subjects with a variety of novel food and objects, while alone and in a primarily sibling subgroup, from fledging to sub-adulthood. We predicted that consistent individual differences would emerge later in development, and that conspecific presence would facilitate behavioural similarities. In contrast to our predictions, we found that individuals of both species were highly inconsistent in their behavioural responses throughout the development period. In line with our predictions, though in the ravens only, conspecific presence promoted behavioural similarities as individuals were strongly shaped by their subgroup, and it is likely that these effects were driven by social context rather than relatedness. We discuss these findings in relation to developmental steps and the role of social relations in these species. Overall, our findings highlight that these two species are highly adaptable in their behaviour, and the ravens in particular are strongly influenced by their social environment, which may facilitate cooperation and social learning.}, }
@article {pmid26848730, year = {2016}, author = {Mankin, JL and Thompson, C and Branigan, HP and Simner, J}, title = {Processing compound words: Evidence from synaesthesia.}, journal = {Cognition}, volume = {150}, number = {}, pages = {1-9}, pmid = {26848730}, issn = {1873-7838}, support = {617678/ERC_/European Research Council/International ; }, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Color ; Color Perception/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Language ; Male ; Perceptual Disorders/*diagnosis/*psychology ; Photic Stimulation/*methods ; *Semantics ; Synesthesia ; *Word Association Tests ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {This study used grapheme-colour synaesthesia, a neurological condition where letters evoke a strong and consistent impression of colour, as a tool to investigate normal language processing. For two sets of compound words varying by lexical frequency (e.g., football vs lifevest) or semantic transparency (e.g., flagpole vs magpie), we asked 19 grapheme-colour synaesthetes to choose their dominant synaesthetic colour using an online colour palette. Synaesthetes could then select a second synaesthetic colour for each word if they experienced one. For each word, we measured the number of elicited synaesthetic colours (zero, one, or two) and the nature of those colours (in terms of their saturation and luminance values). In the first analysis, we found that the number of colours was significantly influenced by compound frequency, such that the probability of a one-colour response increased with frequency. However, semantic transparency did not influence the number of synaesthetic colours. In the second analysis, we found that the luminance of the dominant colour was predicted by the frequency of the first constituent (e.g. rain in rainbow). We also found that the dominant colour was significantly more luminant than the secondary colour. Our results show the influence of implicit linguistic measures on synaesthetic colours, and support multiple/dual-route models of compound processing.}, }
@article {pmid26843781, year = {2016}, author = {Zduniak, P and Kosicki, JZ and Yosef, R}, title = {Sexual aggression by intruders in hooded crow Corvus cornix.}, journal = {Acta ethologica}, volume = {19}, number = {}, pages = {91-94}, pmid = {26843781}, issn = {0873-9749}, abstract = {The hooded crow Corvus cornix is a west Palaearctic, solitary nesting, monogamous corvid. In the breeding season, populations are characterized by a social organization wherein breeding pairs are territorial and non-breeding individuals, called floaters, live in flocks. During a study of the breeding ecology of the hooded crow, conducted in a protected flooded area, we monitored nests with video cameras. We recorded two separate incidents when intruders attacked a female at the nest. We believe that she remained in the nest in order to prevent the strangers cannibalizing the nestlings by mantling over the brood. The spatio-temporal occurrence of these attacks suggests that the observed behaviour is intraspecific sexual aggression wherein non-breeding males mounted an immobilized female.}, }
@article {pmid26843555, year = {2016}, author = {Jelbert, SA and Taylor, AH and Gray, RD}, title = {Does absolute brain size really predict self-control? Hand-tracking training improves performance on the A-not-B task.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {12}, number = {2}, pages = {20150871}, pmid = {26843555}, issn = {1744-957X}, mesh = {Animals ; Brain/*anatomy &amp; histology ; Choice Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; *Exploratory Behavior ; Female ; Male ; Reward ; *Self-Control ; }, abstract = {Large-scale, comparative cognition studies are set to revolutionize the way we investigate and understand the evolution of intelligence. However, the conclusions reached by such work have a key limitation: the cognitive tests themselves. If factors other than cognition can systematically affect the performance of a subset of animals on these tests, we risk drawing the wrong conclusions about how intelligence evolves. Here, we examined whether this is the case for the A-not-B task, recently used by MacLean and co-workers to study self-control among 36 different species. Non-primates performed poorly on this task; possibly because they have difficulty tracking the movements of a human demonstrator, and not because they lack self-control. To test this, we assessed the performance of New Caledonian crows on the A-not-B task before and after two types of training. New Caledonian crows trained to track rewards moved by a human demonstrator were more likely to pass the A-not-B test than birds trained on an unrelated choice task involving inhibitory control. Our findings demonstrate that overlooked task demands can affect performance on a cognitive task, and so bring into question MacLean's conclusion that absolute brain size best predicts self-control.}, }
@article {pmid26835849, year = {2016}, author = {Bugnyar, T and Reber, SA and Buckner, C}, title = {Ravens attribute visual access to unseen competitors.}, journal = {Nature communications}, volume = {7}, number = {}, pages = {10506}, pmid = {26835849}, issn = {2041-1723}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Competitive Behavior/*physiology ; *Crows ; Female ; Generalization, Psychological ; Male ; Theory of Mind/*physiology ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Recent studies purported to demonstrate that chimpanzees, monkeys and corvids possess a basic Theory of Mind, the ability to attribute mental states like seeing to others. However, these studies remain controversial because they share a common confound: the conspecific's line of gaze, which could serve as an associative cue. Here, we show that ravens Corvus corax take into account the visual access of others, even when they cannot see a conspecific. Specifically, we find that ravens guard their caches against discovery in response to the sounds of conspecifics when a peephole is open but not when it is closed. Our results suggest that ravens can generalize from their own perceptual experience to infer the possibility of being seen. These findings confirm and unite previous work, providing strong evidence that ravens are more than mere behaviour-readers.}, }
@article {pmid26809620, year = {2016}, author = {Pesendorfer, MB and Koenig, WD}, title = {The effect of within-year variation in acorn crop size on seed harvesting by avian hoarders.}, journal = {Oecologia}, volume = {181}, number = {1}, pages = {97-106}, pmid = {26809620}, issn = {1432-1939}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Birds ; Diet ; Ecology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Germination ; Quercus/growth &amp; development/*physiology ; *Seed Dispersal ; Seeds/*growth &amp; development ; Species Specificity ; Trees/growth &amp; development/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Spatial and temporal variation in resource distribution affect the movement and foraging behavior of many animals. In the case of animal-dispersed trees, numerous studies have addressed masting-the synchronized variation in seed production between years-but the fitness consequences of spatial variation in seed production within a year are unclear. We investigated the effects of variable acorn production in a population of valley oaks (Quercus lobata) on the composition and behavior of the avian-disperser community. We found that western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica), high-quality dispersers that store seeds in the ground, were attracted to, and exhibited increased per capita dispersal rates from, trees with large acorn crops. In contrast, acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), low-quality dispersers that store acorns in trees where they are unlikely to germinate, increased per capita hoarding rates but did not attend trees with large seed crops in higher numbers, suggesting that the two species responded to resources on different spatial scales. Antagonistic interactions within and between species increased with the number of birds attending a tree, resulting in a potential cost for foraging birds, but did not reduce dispersal rates. Using a simulation model, we estimated that trees with large initial crops experienced a greater proportion (77 %) of high-quality seed dispersal events than trees with small crops (62 %). Our findings provide support for a mechanistic link between seed production and foraging behavior of seed dispersers as predicted by the predator dispersal hypothesis for the functional consequences of variable seed production in hoarder-dispersed trees.}, }
@article {pmid26806602, year = {2016}, author = {Beatty, J}, title = {What are narratives good for?.}, journal = {Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences}, volume = {58}, number = {}, pages = {33-40}, doi = {10.1016/j.shpsc.2015.12.016}, pmid = {26806602}, issn = {1879-2499}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; *Narration/history ; Natural History/history ; Philosophy/history ; Science/*history ; }, abstract = {Narratives may be easy to come by, but not everything is worth narrating. What merits a narrative? Here, I follow the lead of narratologists and literary theorists, and focus on one particular proposal concerning the elements of a story that make it narrative-worthy. These elements correspond to features of the natural world addressed by the historical sciences, where narratives figure so prominently. What matters is contingency. Narratives are especially good for representing contingency and accounting for contingent outcomes. This will be squared with a common view that narratives leave no room for chance. On the contrary, I will argue, tracing one path through a maze of alternative possibilities, and alluding to those possibilities along the way, is what a narrative does particularly well.}, }
@article {pmid26803346, year = {2016}, author = {Chien, AL and Qi, J and Cheng, N and Do, TT and Mesfin, M and Egbers, R and Xie, W and Chow, C and Chubb, H and Sachs, D and Voorhees, J and Kang, S}, title = {Perioral wrinkles are associated with female gender, aging, and smoking: Development of a gender-specific photonumeric scale.}, journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology}, volume = {74}, number = {5}, pages = {924-930}, doi = {10.1016/j.jaad.2015.11.042}, pmid = {26803346}, issn = {1097-6787}, mesh = {Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging/*physiology ; Cohort Studies ; Confidence Intervals ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; *Life Style ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Multivariate Analysis ; *Photography ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Skin Aging/*physiology ; Smoking/*adverse effects ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Perioral wrinkling is commonly reported among older adults, but its objective evaluation and causes remain poorly understood.<br><br>OBJECTIVE: We sought to develop a photonumeric scale for perioral wrinkling and to elucidate contributory lifestyle factors.<br><br>METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited participants for facial photographs and a survey. A gender-specific photonumeric scale for perioral wrinkling was developed and used by 3 graders to evaluate participant photographs. Scores and survey responses were used to create a multiple regression model to predict perioral wrinkling.<br><br>RESULTS: In all, 143 participants aged 21 to 91 years were enrolled. Intraclass correlation coefficient values for interrater and intrarater reliability were high (>0.8) across 2 trials and 3 graders. A multiple regression model for prediction of perioral wrinkling severity included age, gender, and years of smoking as variables.<br><br>LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by sample size and a predominantly Caucasian study population.<br><br>CONCLUSION: We created a photonumeric scale that accounts for gender differences in perioral wrinkling and highlighted contributory variables to photoaging in this anatomical location.}, }
@article {pmid26801495, year = {2016}, author = {Vernouillet, A and Anderson, J and Clary, D and Kelly, DM}, title = {Inhibition in Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana): results of a detour-reaching test.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {19}, number = {3}, pages = {661-665}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-016-0952-y}, pmid = {26801495}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Cognition ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Learning ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Problem Solving ; Spatial Behavior/physiology ; }, abstract = {Inhibition (i.e. the ability to restrain ineffective responses to a given stimulus) is a good indicator of complex cognitive abilities in animals. Inhibition has been demonstrated in a broad range of mammals with foraging style and social group size identified as potential influences of this ability. Whether these ecological factors also apply to birds has not been well studied. Corvids, a family of birds well known for being able to accomplish difficult cognitive tasks often requiring inhibition, are a good model for studying inhibitory control. During this study, we measured the ability of Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana), a relatively non-social, food specialist corvid to exercise inhibitory control during a detour-reaching test. Individuals had to retrieve a pine nut inserted into a transparent tube through one of the side openings without pecking directly at the nut from the front of the tube. Overall, nutcrackers were able to inhibit pecking directly at the food (i.e. prepotent response), instead detouring to the side to retrieve the reward. However, the nutcrackers first required a learning period before showing inhibitory control. The nutcrackers' ability to inhibit was lower than other corvids studied to date, and we discuss the implications of this result for the role of sociality and dietary breadth for the evolution of inhibitory control.}, }
@article {pmid26793670, year = {2015}, author = {Habibzadeh, A and Pourabdol, S and Saravani, S}, title = {The effect of emotion regulation training in decreasing emotion failures and self-injurious behaviors among students suffering from specific learning disorder (SLD).}, journal = {Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran}, volume = {29}, number = {}, pages = {279}, pmid = {26793670}, issn = {1016-1430}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: A great deal of attention has been given to the study of learning disorders. Hence, the aim of this research was to study the effect of emotion regulation training in decreasing emotion failures and self-injurious behaviors among students suffering from specific learning disorder.<br><br>METHODS: This was an experimental study with the pre-test, post-test and a control group. Research population included all 5th grade male students suffering from specific learning disorder (case study: 5th grade students in Ardabil in 2015). Research sample included 40 male students suffering from specific learning disorder (SLD) who were selected through multi-step cluster sampling and classified into two groups: Experimental group (n= 20) and control group (n= 20). The following tools were used for data collection: Kay Math mathematic Test, Raven Intelligence Test, Reading Test of Shafiei et al, Falahchay Writing Expression, Emotion Failures Scale, Self-Injurious Behavior Questionnaire and Diagnostic Interview based on DSM-5. Data were analyzed by multivariate of variance analysis (MANOVA) model in the SPSS software version 22.<br><br>RESULTS: The results of MANOVA revealed that emotion regulation training was effective in decreasing emotion failures in all parameters (difficulty in describing feelings, difficulty in identifying feelings, and externally oriented thinking style) and self-injurious behaviors in students suffering from specific learning disorder (p< 0.001).<br><br>CONCLUSION: In this study, it was found that since emotion regulation training can have a remarkable effect on reducing negative emotions and increasing the positive ones; this treatment can play an eminent role in decreasing emotion failures and self-injurious behaviors in such students.}, }
@article {pmid26779962, year = {2016}, author = {Mahat, NA and Zainol-Abidin, NL and Nordin, NH and Abdul-Wahab, R and Jayaprakash, PT}, title = {Patterns of oviposition and development of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) on burned rabbit carcasses.}, journal = {Forensic science international}, volume = {260}, number = {}, pages = {9-13}, doi = {10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.12.047}, pmid = {26779962}, issn = {1872-6283}, mesh = {Animals ; *Body Remains ; *Burns ; Diptera/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Fires ; Forensic Pathology ; Models, Animal ; *Oviposition ; Postmortem Changes ; Rabbits ; }, abstract = {Considering that crimes against animals such as illegal killing and cruelty have been alarmingly increasing and since burning is one of the common ways for disposing cadavers, ability to estimate minimum postmortem interval (PMI) using entomological data merits consideration. Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya rufifacies are common necrophagous species recovered from cadavers in many countries including Malaysia. Specific studies focusing on the oviposition and developmental patterns of both species on cadavers manifesting different levels of burn as described by the Crow-Glassman Scale (CGS) remain scarce. In four replicates, rabbit carcasses were burned to CGS levels #1, #2 and #3 by varying the amount of petrol used and duration of burning. Oviposition by C. megacephala and C. rufifacies was delayed by one day in the case of carcasses burned to the CGS level #3 (p<0.05) when compared with that of controls. Such delay in oviposition was not observed in the CGS level #1 and #2 carcasses. No significant differences (p>0.05) in the duration of development were found between control and burned carcasses. These findings deserve consideration while estimating minimum PMI since burning as a mean for disposing animal and human cadavers is gaining popularity.}, }
@article {pmid26726808, year = {2016}, author = {Baker, SE and Sharp, TM and Macdonald, DW}, title = {Assessing Animal Welfare Impacts in the Management of European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), European Moles (Talpa europaea) and Carrion Crows (Corvus corone).}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {11}, number = {1}, pages = {e0146298}, pmid = {26726808}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animal Culling/ethics/legislation &amp; jurisprudence/*methods ; Animal Distribution ; *Animal Welfare/ethics/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Crows ; Euthanasia, Animal/ethics/methods ; Human Activities ; Models, Theoretical ; *Moles ; Pest Control/ethics/legislation &amp; jurisprudence/*methods ; *Rabbits ; Restraint, Physical/ethics/instrumentation/methods ; United Kingdom ; Wounds and Injuries/prevention &amp; control/veterinary ; Wounds, Gunshot/veterinary ; }, abstract = {Human-wildlife conflict is a global issue. Attempts to manage this conflict impact upon wild animal welfare, an issue receiving little attention until relatively recently. Where human activities harm animal welfare these effects should be minimised where possible. However, little is known about the welfare impacts of different wildlife management interventions, and opinions on impacts vary widely. Welfare impacts therefore need to be assessed objectively. Our objectives were to: 1) establish whether an existing welfare assessment model could differentiate and rank the impacts of different wildlife management interventions (for decision-making purposes); 2) identify and evaluate any additional benefits of making formal welfare assessments; and 3) illustrate issues raised by application of the model. We applied the welfare assessment model to interventions commonly used with rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), moles (Talpa europaea) and crows (Corvus corone) in the UK. The model ranked interventions for rabbits (least impact first: fencing, head shot, chest shot) and crows (shooting, scaring, live trapping with cervical dislocation). For moles, managing molehills and tunnels scored least impact. Both spring trapping, and live trapping followed by translocation, scored greater impacts, but these could not be compared directly as they scored on different axes of the model. Some rankings appeared counter-intuitive, highlighting the need for objective formal welfare assessments. As well as ranking the humaneness of interventions, the model highlighted future research needs and how Standard Operating Procedures might be improved. The model is a milestone in assessing wildlife management welfare impacts, but our research revealed some limitations of the model and we discuss likely challenges in resolving these. In future, the model might be developed to improve its utility, e.g. by refining the time-scales. It might also be used to reach consensus among stakeholders about relative welfare impacts or to identify ways of improving wildlife management practice in the field.}, }
@article {pmid26701755, year = {2015}, author = {Troscianko, J and Rutz, C}, title = {Activity profiles and hook-tool use of New Caledonian crows recorded by bird-borne video cameras.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {11}, number = {12}, pages = {20150777}, pmid = {26701755}, issn = {1744-957X}, support = {BB/G023913/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/G023913/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Acacia ; Animals ; *Appetitive Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Melaleuca ; New Caledonia ; *Tool Use Behavior ; Video Recording ; }, abstract = {New Caledonian crows are renowned for their unusually sophisticated tool behaviour. Despite decades of fieldwork, however, very little is known about how they make and use their foraging tools in the wild, which is largely owing to the difficulties in observing these shy forest birds. To obtain first estimates of activity budgets, as well as close-up observations of tool-assisted foraging, we equipped 19 wild crows with self-developed miniature video cameras, yielding more than 10 h of analysable video footage for 10 subjects. While only four crows used tools during recording sessions, they did so extensively: across all 10 birds, we conservatively estimate that tool-related behaviour occurred in 3% of total observation time, and accounted for 19% of all foraging behaviour. Our video-loggers provided first footage of crows manufacturing, and using, one of their most complex tool types--hooked stick tools--under completely natural foraging conditions. We recorded manufacture from live branches of paperbark (Melaleuca sp.) and another tree species (thought to be Acacia spirorbis), and deployment of tools in a range of contexts, including on the forest floor. Taken together, our video recordings reveal an 'expanded' foraging niche for hooked stick tools, and highlight more generally how crows routinely switch between tool- and bill-assisted foraging.}, }
@article {pmid26691117, year = {2016}, author = {Burt, RD and Thiede, H}, title = {Reduction in Needle Sharing Among Seattle-Area Injection Drug Users Across 4 Surveys, 1994-2013.}, journal = {American journal of public health}, volume = {106}, number = {2}, pages = {301-307}, pmid = {26691117}, issn = {1541-0048}, support = {U1B PS003250/PS/NCHHSTP CDC HHS/United States ; 5U1BPS003250//PHS HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Drug Users/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Female ; HIV Infections/epidemiology ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Needle Sharing/adverse effects/*trends ; Risk-Taking ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous/*epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Washington/epidemiology ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {OBJECTIVES: We evaluated time trends in sharing needles and other injection equipment from 1994 to 2013 among injection drug users in the Seattle, Washington area.<br><br>METHODS: We combined data from 4 sources: the Risk Activity Variables, Epidemiology, and Network (RAVEN) study, recruited from institutional settings; the Kiwi study, recruited from jails; National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system (NHBS) surveys, which used respondent-driven sampling; and surveys at needle-exchange sites.<br><br>RESULTS: Levels of needle sharing were higher in the earlier studies: RAVEN, 1994 to 1997 (43%) and Kiwi, 1998 to 2002 (61%). In the NHBS surveys, the initial level of 44% in 2005 declined to 31% in the period 2009 to 2012. Across needle-exchange surveys (2009-2013) the level was 21%. There was a parallel reduction in sharing other injection equipment. These trends persisted after control for sociodemographic and risk-associated variables. There was a contemporaneous increase in the number of needles distributed by local needle exchanges and a decline in the number of reported HIV cases among injection drug users.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The apparent long-term reduction in sharing injection equipment suggests substantial success in public health efforts to reduce the sharing of injection equipment.}, }
@article {pmid26656724, year = {2017}, author = {Veit, L and Hartmann, K and Nieder, A}, title = {Spatially Tuned Neurons in Corvid Nidopallium Caudolaterale Signal Target Position During Visual Search.}, journal = {Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)}, volume = {27}, number = {2}, pages = {1103-1112}, doi = {10.1093/cercor/bhv299}, pmid = {26656724}, issn = {1460-2199}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Executive Function ; Female ; Functional Laterality/physiology ; Memory, Short-Term/physiology ; Neurons/*physiology ; Photic Stimulation ; Prefrontal Cortex/*physiology ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Reaction Time/physiology ; Signal Detection, Psychological/*physiology ; Space Perception/*physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The avian pallial endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) shows important similarities to mammalian prefrontal cortex in connectivity, dopamine neurochemistry, and function. Neuronal processing in NCL has been studied with respect to sensory, cognitive, and reward information, but little is known about its role in more direct control of motor behavior. We investigated NCL activity during the choice period of a delayed match-to-sample task, as 2 trained crows searched and selected a previously remembered visual target among an array of 4 pictures. The crows exhibited behavioral response patterns consistent with serial visual search. Many single NCL neurons were spatially tuned to specific target positions during visual search and directed motor behavior. Moreover, single NCL neurons dynamically changed their tuning properties to represent different behaviorally relevant task variables across the trial. In consecutive task periods, single neurons responded to visual stimuli, stored stimulus information in working memory, guided goal-directed behavior depending on the remembered target picture, and encoded trial outcomes. This flexible encoding of all task-relevant aspects in the executive control of goal-directed behavior represents a striking convergence to neuronal encoding in primate prefrontal cortex. These data highlight key properties of associative endbrain areas underlying flexible cognitive behavior in corvids and primates.}, }
@article {pmid26648878, year = {2015}, author = {Dimitriou, D and Le Cornu Knight, F and Milton, P}, title = {The Role of Environmental Factors on Sleep Patterns and School Performance in Adolescents.}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {1717}, pmid = {26648878}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Modern life, with its many distractions, is seeing sleep quantity and quality decline during adolescence. This is a concern as research persuasively demonstrates the negative impact of reduced sleep on academic achievement, both in terms of learning and behavior.<br><br>AIMS: This study examined the relationship between sleep and school functioning in adolescence, with a focus on environmental factors that might mediate this relationship.<br><br>SAMPLE AND METHOD: Forty-seven adolescents took part. Sleep was measured using the School Sleep Habits Survey (SSHS) and a sleep diary. School records of year grade point averages provided a measure of academic achievement. Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices gave a measure of general cognitive processing. Environmental sleep factors falling into three groups, namely, stimulant consumption, media use and exercise, were measured using a self-report questionnaire.<br><br>RESULTS: An average of 7.08 h of sleep was reported. Correlations revealed that Total sleep time (TST) and bedtimes on weekdays were strongly associated with academic achievement. Morning/eveningness and sleep/wake behavior problems had a strong relationship with performance on the Ravens. Stimulant consumption and media use before bed revealed strong relationships with TST and bedtimes on weekdays. Crucially, mediation analyses confirmed that both caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bedtime were negatively associated with academic performance, via the mediating pathway by affecting sleep. Exercise was not associated with any of the sleep variables, but was associated with better academic performance.<br><br>CONCLUSION: The current findings highlight that, now more than ever, parents, schools and policy makers must be aware of the negative effects of caffeinated substances marketed to students, and electronic media use on their sleep habits. Our findings suggest that targeting caffeine consumption and electronic media use before bed may represent effective routes in alleviating modern teenage sleep debt, and in turn enhancing academic performance.}, }
@article {pmid26647979, year = {2015}, author = {Wójcik, A and Merecz-Kot, D and Andysz, A}, title = {Why do employees follow their superiors' instructions? Identification of the reasons to comply with superiors' will in a group of Polish employees.}, journal = {Medycyna pracy}, volume = {66}, number = {5}, pages = {605-614}, doi = {10.13075/mp.5893.00129}, pmid = {26647979}, issn = {0465-5893}, mesh = {*Administrative Personnel ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; *Interpersonal Relations ; Male ; *Motivation ; Poland ; *Power, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workplace/*organization &amp; administration/*psychology ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Managers influence the way organization works as well as the functioning of subordinates - in the context of their work life but non-professional functioning as well e.g., attitude towards work-life balance or taking care of health. We focused on the superior-subordinate relation, referring to social power bases theory by Raven. We identified the reasons why subordinates decide to follow their superiors' orders and determined specific styles of compliance with superiors' will. Understanding why employees listen to their superiors may be valuable in the context of supporting healthy organizational climate and atmosphere of co-operation or communicating values - for example, as regards taking care of own health. We discussed the results referring to the issue of influencing employees in the context of their health behavior.<br><br>MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research involved 100 Polish employees, aged 28 years old on average, who filled in the Interpersonal Power Inventory by Raven et al. for subordinates in a Polish adaptation by Zaleski. The questionnaire includes 11 subscales referring to power bases.<br><br>RESULTS: Based on the cluster analysis results, we recognized people who complied because of: all kinds of power bases (typical for 46% of the respondents); the respect for superiors' professionalism (34%); and formal/objective reasons (20%).<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Employees differ in terms of their styles of compliance. Their motives to comply with superiors' instructions constitute compilations of power bases. The superiors' awareness of the reasons why their employees decide to follow orders is necessary for successful management. It may motivate employees to work but also to take care of their own health.}, }
@article {pmid26631484, year = {2016}, author = {Stocker, M and Munteanu, A and Stöwe, M and Schwab, C and Palme, R and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Loner or socializer? Ravens' adrenocortical response to individual separation depends on social integration.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {78}, number = {}, pages = {194-199}, pmid = {26631484}, issn = {1095-6867}, support = {P 26806/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; W 1234/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Corticosterone/*metabolism ; Crows/metabolism/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Psychological Distance ; *Social Isolation ; Stress, Psychological/*metabolism ; }, abstract = {Non-breeding common ravens (Corvus corax) live in complex social groups with a high degree of fission-fusion dynamics. They form valuable relationships and alliances with some conspecifics, while taking coordinated action against others. In ravens, affiliates reconcile their conflicts, console each other after conflicts with a third party, and provide each other with social support - all behaviors that presumably reduce corticosterone levels and alleviate stress. However, how well an individual is socially integrated in a (sub)group might vary substantially. This raises the question whether the social integration of a raven affects its stress responses to fission-fusion dynamics. The present study aims to investigate this effect experimentally by separating single ravens (n=16) individually from their group for four days and subsequently reintroducing them. To determine stress response patterns in the separated individuals we measured the amounts of immunoreactive corticosterone metabolites (CM) in droppings. We compared two enzyme immunoassays, which we validated by conducting an ACTH challenge, and finally decided to apply an 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay. Additionally, we determined levels of social integration using focal observations. Our findings suggest that a strong social integration is related to low CM levels when the individuals are within the group and high levels during separations, implying that separation leads to stress in these birds. In contrast, poorly socially integrated ravens seem to exhibit the opposite pattern, indicating that to them group living is more stressful than being temporarily separated. We, therefore, conclude that the birds' adrenocortical activity is modulated by their social integration.}, }
@article {pmid26620957, year = {2016}, author = {Stevens, JR and Kennedy, BA and Morales, D and Burks, M}, title = {The domain specificity of intertemporal choice in pinyon jays.}, journal = {Psychonomic bulletin &amp; review}, volume = {23}, number = {3}, pages = {915-921}, pmid = {26620957}, issn = {1531-5320}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Choice Behavior ; Conditioning, Operant ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Food ; Food Storage ; Male ; Passeriformes ; *Self-Control ; }, abstract = {When choosing between a piece of cake now versus a slimmer waistline in the future, many of us have difficulty with self-control. Food-caching species, however, regularly hide food for later recovery, sometimes waiting months before retrieving their caches. It remains unclear whether these long-term choices generalize outside of the caching domain. We hypothesized that the ability to save for the future is a general tendency that cuts across different situations. To test this hypothesis, we measured and experimentally manipulated caching to evaluate its relationship with operant measures of self-control in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus). We found no correlation between caching and self-control at the individual level, and experimentally increasing caching did not influence self-control. The self-control required for caching food, therefore, does not carry over to other foraging tasks, suggesting that it is domain specific in pinyon jays.}, }
@article {pmid26601258, year = {2015}, author = {Greeney, HF and Meneses, MR and Hamilton, CE and Lichter-Marck, E and Mannan, RW and Snyder, N and Snyder, H and Wethington, SM and Dyer, LA}, title = {Trait-mediated trophic cascade creates enemy-free space for nesting hummingbirds.}, journal = {Science advances}, volume = {1}, number = {8}, pages = {e1500310}, pmid = {26601258}, issn = {2375-2548}, abstract = {The indirect effects of predators on nonadjacent trophic levels, mediated through traits of intervening species, are collectively known as trait-mediated trophic cascades. Although birds are important predators in terrestrial ecosystems, clear examples of trait-mediated indirect effects involving bird predators have almost never been documented. Such indirect effects are important for structuring ecological communities and are likely to be negatively impacted by habitat fragmentation, climate change, and other factors that reduce abundance of top predators. We demonstrate that hummingbirds in Arizona realize increased breeding success when nesting in association with hawks. An enemy-free nesting space is created when jays, an important source of mortality for hummingbird nests, alter their foraging behavior in the presence of their hawk predators.}, }
@article {pmid26598669, year = {2015}, author = {Veit, L and Pidpruzhnykova, G and Nieder, A}, title = {Associative learning rapidly establishes neuronal representations of upcoming behavioral choices in crows.}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {112}, number = {49}, pages = {15208-15213}, pmid = {26598669}, issn = {1091-6490}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Crows/*physiology ; *Learning ; Neurons/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The ability to form associations between behaviorally relevant sensory stimuli is fundamental for goal-directed behaviors. We investigated neuronal activity in the telencephalic area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) while two crows (Corvus corone) performed a delayed association task. Whereas some paired associates were familiar to the crows, novel associations had to be learned and mapped to the same target stimuli within a single session. We found neurons that prospectively encoded the chosen test item during the delay for both familiar and newly learned associations. These neurons increased their selectivity during learning in parallel with the crows' increased behavioral performance. Thus, sustained activity in the NCL actively processes information for the upcoming behavioral choice. These data provide new insights into memory representations of behaviorally meaningful stimuli in birds, and how such representations are formed during learning. The findings suggest that the NCL plays a role in learning arbitrary associations, a cornerstone of corvids' remarkable behavioral flexibility and adaptability.}, }
@article {pmid26582537, year = {2015}, author = {Klump, BC and Sugasawa, S and St Clair, JJ and Rutz, C}, title = {Hook tool manufacture in New Caledonian crows: behavioural variation and the influence of raw materials.}, journal = {BMC biology}, volume = {13}, number = {}, pages = {97}, pmid = {26582537}, issn = {1741-7007}, support = {BB/G023913/1//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/*physiology ; New Caledonia ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: New Caledonian crows use a range of foraging tools, and are the only non-human species known to craft hooks. Based on a small number of observations, their manufacture of hooked stick tools has previously been described as a complex, multi-stage process. Tool behaviour is shaped by genetic predispositions, individual and social learning, and/or ecological influences, but disentangling the relative contributions of these factors remains a major research challenge. The properties of raw materials are an obvious, but largely overlooked, source of variation in tool-manufacture behaviour. We conducted experiments with wild-caught New Caledonian crows, to assess variation in their hooked stick tool making, and to investigate how raw-material properties affect the manufacture process.<br><br>RESULTS: In Experiment 1, we showed that New Caledonian crows' manufacture of hooked stick tools can be much more variable than previously thought (85 tools by 18 subjects), and can involve two newly-discovered behaviours: 'pulling' for detaching stems and bending of the tool shaft. Crows' tool manufactures varied significantly: in the number of different action types employed; in the time spent processing the hook and bending the tool shaft; and in the structure of processing sequences. In Experiment 2, we examined the interaction of crows with raw materials of different properties, using a novel paradigm that enabled us to determine subjects' rank-ordered preferences (42 tools by 7 subjects). Plant properties influenced: the order in which crows selected stems; whether a hooked tool was manufactured; the time required to release a basic tool; and, possibly, the release technique, the number of behavioural actions, and aspects of processing behaviour. Results from Experiment 2 suggested that at least part of the natural behavioural variation observed in Experiment 1 is due to the effect of raw-material properties.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our discovery of novel manufacture behaviours indicates a plausible scenario for the evolutionary origins, and gradual refinement, of New Caledonian crows' hooked stick tool making. Furthermore, our experimental demonstration of a link between raw-material properties and aspects of tool manufacture provides an alternative hypothesis for explaining regional differences in tool behaviours observed in New Caledonian crows, and some primate species.}, }
@article {pmid26581321, year = {2016}, author = {Tornick, JK and Rushia, SN and Gibson, BM}, title = {Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) are sensitive to distance, but not lighting when caching in the presence of a conspecific.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {123}, number = {}, pages = {125-133}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2015.10.023}, pmid = {26581321}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Distance Perception/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior/physiology ; Female ; Food Preferences ; Lighting ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {We examined the caching behavior of the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), a relatively asocial corvid bird, during social and non-social conditions with conspecifics. Past work by Dally et al., (2004, 2005a) has found that the related but more social scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica) caches food in locations that are far away or that are more dimly illuminated when in the presence of an observer. Here, we used procedures comparable to those of Dally's group to examine if the less social nutcracker is also sensitive to these same factors when caching in the presence of a conspecific. We found that nutcrackers cached nuts farther away, but showed no preference for caching in a dimly compared to a brightly illuminated area when in the presence of a conspecific observer. When comparing the measures of cache protection used in the past work with scrub jays the results are consistent with the social organization of these birds; that is, the less social nutcracker engaged in fewer cache protection behaviors than the more social scrub jays, However, we explore other possible explanations for our findings given the wider body of literature on corvid cache protection suggesting that nutcrackers and scrub jays may be more comparable.}, }
@article {pmid26529116, year = {2015}, author = {St Clair, JJH and Burns, ZT and Bettaney, EM and Morrissey, MB and Otis, B and Ryder, TB and Fleischer, RC and James, R and Rutz, C}, title = {Experimental resource pulses influence social-network dynamics and the potential for information flow in tool-using crows.}, journal = {Nature communications}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {7197}, pmid = {26529116}, issn = {2041-1723}, support = {BB/G023913/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/G023913/2//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Computer Simulation ; *Crows ; Environment ; *Information Dissemination ; *Social Behavior ; *Social Learning ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Social-network dynamics have profound consequences for biological processes such as information flow, but are notoriously difficult to measure in the wild. We used novel transceiver technology to chart association patterns across 19 days in a wild population of the New Caledonian crow--a tool-using species that may socially learn, and culturally accumulate, tool-related information. To examine the causes and consequences of changing network topology, we manipulated the environmental availability of the crows' preferred tool-extracted prey, and simulated, in silico, the diffusion of information across field-recorded time-ordered networks. Here we show that network structure responds quickly to environmental change and that novel information can potentially spread rapidly within multi-family communities, especially when tool-use opportunities are plentiful. At the same time, we report surprisingly limited social contact between neighbouring crow communities. Such scale dependence in information-flow dynamics is likely to influence the evolution and maintenance of material cultures.}, }
@article {pmid26521671, year = {2015}, author = {Kline, W}, title = {Communicating a New Consciousness: Countercultural Print and the Home Birth Movement in the 1970s.}, journal = {Bulletin of the history of medicine}, volume = {89}, number = {3}, pages = {527-556}, doi = {10.1353/bhm.2015.0065}, pmid = {26521671}, issn = {0007-5140}, mesh = {*Communication ; Culture ; Female ; History, 20th Century ; Home Childbirth/*history ; Humans ; Midwifery/*history ; Pregnancy ; *Reference Books, Medical ; United Kingdom ; United States ; }, abstract = {This essay analyzes the production of three influential home birth texts of the 1970s written by self-proclaimed lay midwives that helped to fuel and sustain a movement in alternative birth practices. As part of a countercultural lifestyle print culture, early "how-to" books (Raven Lang's The Birth Book, Ina May Gaskin's Spiritual Midwifery) provided readers with vivid images and accounts in stark contrast to those of the sterile hospital delivery room. By the end of the decade, Rahima Baldwin's more mainstream guidebook, Special Delivery, indicated an interest in translating home birth to a wider audience who did not necessarily identify as "countercultural." Lay midwives who were authors of radical print texts in the 1970s played an important role in reshaping expectations about the birth experience, suggesting a need to rethink how we define the counterculture and its legacies.}, }
@article {pmid26480857, year = {2015}, author = {Šovčíková, E and Wimmerová, S and Strémy, M and Kotianová, J and Loffredo, CA and Murínová, ĽP and Chovancová, J and Čonka, K and Lancz, K and Trnovec, T}, title = {Simple reaction time in 8-9-year old children environmentally exposed to PCBs.}, journal = {Neurotoxicology}, volume = {51}, number = {}, pages = {138-144}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuro.2015.10.005}, pmid = {26480857}, issn = {1872-9711}, mesh = {Child ; Environmental Exposure/*adverse effects ; Environmental Pollutants/blood/*toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls/blood/*toxicity ; Reaction Time/*drug effects ; }, abstract = {Simple reaction time (SRT) has been studied in children exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with variable results. In the current work we examined SRT in 146 boys and 161 girls, aged 8.53 ± 0.65 years (mean ± SD), exposed to PCBs in the environment of eastern Slovakia. We divided the children into tertiles with regard to increasing PCB serum concentration. The mean ± SEM serum concentration of the sum of 15 PCB congeners was 191.15 ± 5.39, 419.23 ± 8.47, and 1315.12 ± 92.57 ng/g lipids in children of the first, second, and third tertiles, respectively. We created probability distribution plots for each child from their multiple trials of the SRT testing. We fitted response time distributions from all valid trials with the ex-Gaussian function, a convolution of a normal and an additional exponential function, providing estimates of three independent parameters μ, σ, and τ. μ is the mean of the normal component, σ is the standard deviation of the normal component, and τ is the mean of the exponential component. Group response time distributions were calculated using the Vincent averaging technique. A Q-Q plot comparing probability distribution of the first vs. third tertile indicated that deviation of the quantiles of the latter tertile from those of the former begins at the 40th percentile and does not show a positive acceleration. This was confirmed in comparison of the ex-Gaussian parameters of these two tertiles adjusted for sex, age, Raven IQ of the child, mother's and father's education, behavior at home and school, and BMI: the results showed that the parameters μ and τ significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased with PCB exposure. Similar increases of the ex-Gaussian parameter τ in children suffering from ADHD have been previously reported and interpreted as intermittent attentional lapses, but were not seen in our cohort. Our study has confirmed that environmental exposure of children to PCBs is associated with prolongation of simple reaction time reflecting impairment of cognitive functions.}, }
@article {pmid26462404, year = {2015}, author = {Graff, G}, title = {Redesigning Racial Caste in America via Mass Incarceration.}, journal = {The Journal of psychohistory}, volume = {43}, number = {2}, pages = {120-133}, pmid = {26462404}, issn = {0145-3378}, mesh = {African Americans ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Prisoners/history ; Prisons/*history ; Racism/*history ; *Residence Characteristics ; Social Class ; Socioeconomic Factors ; United States ; }, abstract = {This article argues that the era of mass incarceration can be understood as a new tactic in the history of American racism. Slavery was ended by the Civil War, but after Reconstruction, the gains of the former slaves were eroded by Jim Crow (a rigid pattern of racial segregation), lynching, disenfranchisement, sharecropping, tenantry, unequal educational resources, terrorism, and convict leasing. The Civil Rights Movement struck down legal barriers, but we have chosen to deal with the problems of poverty and race not so differently than we have in the past. The modern version of convict leasing, is mass incarceration. This article documents the dramatic change in American drug policy beginning with Reagan's October, 1982 announcement of the War on Drugs, the subsequent 274 percent growth in the prison and jail populations, and the devastating and disproportionate effect on inner city African Americans. Just as the Jim Crow laws were a reaction to the freeing of the slaves after the Civil War, mass incarceration can be understood as a reaction to the Civil Rights Movement.}, }
@article {pmid26460512, year = {2015}, author = {Griesser, M and Halvarsson, P and Drobniak, SM and Vilà, C}, title = {Fine-scale kin recognition in the absence of social familiarity in the Siberian jay, a monogamous bird species.}, journal = {Molecular ecology}, volume = {24}, number = {22}, pages = {5726-5738}, doi = {10.1111/mec.13420}, pmid = {26460512}, issn = {1365-294X}, mesh = {*Aggression ; Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Female ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Models, Biological ; Passeriformes/*genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Kin recognition is a critical element to kin cooperation, and in vertebrates, it is primarily based on associative learning. Recognition of socially unfamiliar kin occurs rarely, and it is reported only in vertebrate species where promiscuity prevents recognition of first-order relatives. However, it is unknown whether the recognition of socially unfamiliar kin can evolve in monogamous species. Here, we investigate whether genetic relatedness modulates aggression among group members in Siberian jays (Perisoreus infaustus). This bird species is genetically and socially monogamous and lives in groups that are formed through the retention of offspring beyond independence, and the immigration of socially unfamiliar nonbreeders. Observations on feeders showed that genetic relatedness modulated aggression of breeders towards immigrants in a graded manner, in that they chased most intensely the immigrant group members that were genetically the least related. However, cross-fostering experiments showed that breeders were equally tolerant towards their own and cross-fostered young swapped as nestlings. Thus, breeders seem to use different mechanisms to recognize socially unfamiliar individuals and own offspring. As Siberian jays show a high degree of nepotism during foraging and predator encounters, inclusive fitness benefits may play a role for the evolution of fine-scale kin recognition. More generally, our results suggest that fine-graded kin recognition can evolve independently of social familiarity, highlighting the evolutionary importance of kin recognition for social species.}, }
@article {pmid26442633, year = {2015}, author = {Massen, JJ and Ritter, C and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Tolerance and reward equity predict cooperation in ravens (Corvus corax).}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {5}, number = {}, pages = {15021}, pmid = {26442633}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Cooperative Behavior ; Crows ; Female ; *Interpersonal Relations ; Male ; Problem Solving ; *Reward ; }, abstract = {Cooperative decision rules have so far been shown experimentally mainly in mammal species that have variable and complex social networks. However, these traits should not necessarily be restricted to mammals. Therefore, we tested cooperative problem solving in ravens. We showed that, without training, nine ravens spontaneously cooperated in a loose-string task. Corroborating findings in several species, ravens' cooperative success increased with increasing inter-individual tolerance levels. Importantly, we found this in both a forced dyadic setting, and in a group setting where individuals had an open choice to cooperate with whomever. The ravens, moreover, also paid attention to the resulting reward distribution and ceased cooperation when being cheated upon. Nevertheless, the ravens did not seem to pay attention to the behavior of their partners while cooperating, and future research should reveal whether this is task specific or a general pattern. Given their natural propensity to cooperate and the results we present here, we consider ravens as an interesting model species to study the evolution of, and the mechanisms underlying cooperation.}, }
@article {pmid26431173, year = {2015}, author = {Dunn, JC and Hamer, KC and Benton, TG}, title = {Anthropogenically-Mediated Density Dependence in a Declining Farmland Bird.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {10}, number = {10}, pages = {e0139492}, pmid = {26431173}, issn = {1932-6203}, support = {BBSSK200512132//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Agriculture/*methods ; Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Crows/physiology ; *Ecosystem ; Edible Grain ; *Endangered Species ; England ; Food Supply ; *Human Activities ; Insecta ; Nesting Behavior ; Organic Agriculture ; Pesticides ; Population Dynamics ; Predatory Behavior ; Reproduction ; *Songbirds ; Territoriality ; }, abstract = {Land management intrinsically influences the distribution of animals and can consequently alter the potential for density-dependent processes to act within populations. For declining species, high densities of breeding territories are typically considered to represent productive populations. However, as density-dependent effects of food limitation or predator pressure may occur (especially when species are dependent upon separate nesting and foraging habitats), high territory density may limit per-capita productivity. Here, we use a declining but widespread European farmland bird, the yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella L., as a model system to test whether higher territory densities result in lower fledging success, parental provisioning rates or nestling growth rates compared to lower densities. Organic landscapes held higher territory densities, but nests on organic farms fledged fewer nestlings, translating to a 5 times higher rate of population shrinkage on organic farms compared to conventional. In addition, when parental provisioning behaviour was not restricted by predation risk (i.e., at times of low corvid activity), nestling provisioning rates were higher at lower territory densities, resulting in a much greater increase in nestling mass in low density areas, suggesting that food limitation occurred at high densities. These findings in turn suggest an ecological trap, whereby preferred nesting habitat does not provide sufficient food for rearing nestlings at high population density, creating a population sink. Habitat management for farmland birds should focus not simply on creating a high nesting density, but also on ensuring heterogeneous habitats to provide food resources in close proximity to nesting birds, even if this occurs through potentially restricting overall nest density but increasing population-level breeding success.}, }
@article {pmid26405563, year = {2015}, author = {Hu, D and Gong, Y and Hannaford, B and Seibel, EJ}, title = {Semi-autonomous Simulated Brain Tumor Ablation with RavenII Surgical Robot using Behavior Tree.}, journal = {IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation : ICRA : [proceedings]. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation}, volume = {2015}, number = {}, pages = {3868-3875}, pmid = {26405563}, issn = {2152-4092}, support = {R01 EB016457/EB/NIBIB NIH HHS/United States ; }, abstract = {Medical robots have been widely used to assist surgeons to carry out dexterous surgical tasks via various ways. Most of the tasks require surgeon's operation directly or indirectly. Certain level of autonomy in robotic surgery could not only free the surgeon from some tedious repetitive tasks, but also utilize the advantages of robot: high dexterity and accuracy. This paper presents a semi-autonomous neurosurgical procedure of brain tumor ablation using RAVEN Surgical Robot and stereo visual feedback. By integrating with the behavior tree framework, the whole surgical task is modeled flexibly and intelligently as nodes and leaves of a behavior tree. This paper provides three contributions mainly: (1) describing the brain tumor ablation as an ideal candidate for autonomous robotic surgery, (2) modeling and implementing the semi-autonomous surgical task using behavior tree framework, and (3) designing an experimental simulated ablation task for feasibility study and robot performance analysis.}, }
@article {pmid26340810, year = {2016}, author = {Fleming, AS and Lonstein, JS and Lévy, F}, title = {Introduction to this Special Issue on parental behavior in honor of Jay S. Rosenblatt.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {77}, number = {}, pages = {1-2}, doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.012}, pmid = {26340810}, issn = {1095-6867}, }
@article {pmid26335475, year = {2015}, author = {Hinton, MG and Reisen, WK and Wheeler, SS and Townsend, AK}, title = {West Nile Virus Activity in a Winter Roost of American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos): Is Bird-To-Bird Transmission Important in Persistence and Amplification?.}, journal = {Journal of medical entomology}, volume = {52}, number = {4}, pages = {683-692}, pmid = {26335475}, issn = {0022-2585}, support = {R01 AI055607/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; AI55607/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animal Migration ; Animals ; California ; Crows/*virology ; Culex/virology ; Feces/virology ; Linear Models ; Seasons ; West Nile Fever/epidemiology/*transmission/veterinary/*virology ; West Nile virus/*genetics ; }, abstract = {Since its emergence in North America, West Nile virus (WNV) has had a large impact on equines, humans, and wild bird communities, yet gaps remain in our understanding of how the virus persists at temperate latitudes when winter temperatures preclude virus replication and host-seeking activity by mosquito vectors. Bird-to-bird transmission at large communal American Crow roosts could provide one mechanism for WNV persistence. Herein, we describe seasonal patterns of crow and Culex mosquito abundance, WNV infection rates, and the prevalence of WNV-positive fecal samples at a winter crow roost to test the hypothesis that bird-to-bird transmission allows WNV to persist at winter crow roosts. Samples were collected from large winter crow roosts in the Sacramento Valley of California from January 2013 until August 2014, encompassing two overwintering roost periods. West Nile virus RNA was detected in local crow carcasses in both summer [13/18 (72% WNV positive)] and winter [18/44 (41% WNV positive)] 2013-2014. Winter infections were unlikely to have arisen by recent bites from infected mosquitoes because Culex host-seeking activity was very low in winter and all Culex mosquitoes collected during winter months tested negative for WNV. Opportunities existed for fecal-oral transfer at the overwintering roost: most carcasses that tested positive for WNV had detectable viral RNA in both kidney and cloacal swabs, suggesting that infected crows were shedding virus in their feces, and >50% of crows at the roost were stained with feces by mid-winter. Moreover, 2.3% of fecal samples collected in late summer, when mosquitoes were active, tested positive for WNV RNA. Nevertheless, none of the 1,119 feces collected from three roosts over two winters contained detectable WNV RNA. This study provided evidence of WNV infection in overwintering American crows without mosquito vector activity, but did not elucidate a mechanism of WNV transmission during winter.}, }
@article {pmid26319224, year = {2016}, author = {Brummelte, S and Galea, LA}, title = {Postpartum depression: Etiology, treatment and consequences for maternal care.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {77}, number = {}, pages = {153-166}, doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.008}, pmid = {26319224}, issn = {1095-6867}, support = {MOP102568//Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada ; }, mesh = {Adult ; Animals ; Child Development ; Depression/psychology ; Depression, Postpartum/*etiology/psychology/*therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Maternal Behavior/*psychology ; *Mother-Child Relations ; Mothers/*psychology ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; }, abstract = {This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". Pregnancy and postpartum are associated with dramatic alterations in steroid and peptide hormones which alter the mothers' hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axes. Dysregulations in these endocrine axes are related to mood disorders and as such it should not come as a major surprise that pregnancy and the postpartum period can have profound effects on maternal mood. Indeed, pregnancy and postpartum are associated with an increased risk for developing depressive symptoms in women. Postpartum depression affects approximately 10-15% of women and impairs mother-infant interactions that in turn are important for child development. Maternal attachment, sensitivity and parenting style are essential for a healthy maturation of an infant's social, cognitive and behavioral skills and depressed mothers often display less attachment, sensitivity and more harsh or disrupted parenting behaviors, which may contribute to reports of adverse child outcomes in children of depressed mothers. Here we review, in honor of the "father of motherhood", Jay Rosenblatt, the literature on postnatal depression in the mother and its effect on mother-infant interactions. We will cover clinical and pre-clinical findings highlighting putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying postpartum depression and how they relate to maternal behaviors and infant outcome. We also review animal models that investigate the neurobiology of maternal mood and disrupted maternal care. In particular, we discuss the implications of endogenous and exogenous manipulations of glucocorticoids on maternal care and mood. Lastly we discuss interventions during gestation and postpartum that may improve maternal symptoms and behavior and thus may alter developmental outcome of the offspring.}, }
@article {pmid26301340, year = {2015}, author = {Schmelz, M and Krüger, O and Call, J and Krause, ET}, title = {A comparison of spontaneous problem-solving abilities in three estrildid finch (Taeniopygia guttata, Lonchura striata var. domestica, Stagonopleura guttata) species.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {129}, number = {4}, pages = {356-365}, doi = {10.1037/a0039646}, pmid = {26301340}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Female ; Finches/*physiology ; Male ; Problem Solving/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Cognition has been extensively studied in primates while other, more distantly related taxa have been neglected for a long time. More recently, there has been an increased interest in avian cognition, with the focus mostly on big-brained species like parrots and corvids. However, the majority of bird species has never systematically been studied in diverse cognitive tasks other than memory and learning tasks, so not much can yet be concluded about the relevant factors for the evolution of cognition. Here we examined 3 species of the estrildid finch family in problem-solving tasks. These granivorous, non-tool-using birds are distributed across 3 continents and are not known for high levels of innovation or spontaneous problem solving in the wild. In this study, our aim was to find such abilities in these species, assess what role domestication might play with a comparison of 4 genetically separated zebra finch strains, and to look for between-species differences between zebra finches, Bengalese finches, and diamond firetails. Furthermore, we established a 3-step spontaneous problem-solving procedure with increasing levels of complexity. Results showed that some estrildid finches were generally capable of spontaneously solving problems of variable complexity to obtain food. We found striking differences in these abilities between species, but not between strains within species, and offer a discussion of potential reasons. Our established methodology can now be applied to a larger number of bird species for phylogenetic comparisons on the behavioral level to get a deeper understanding of the evolution of cognitive abilities.}, }
@article {pmid26287671, year = {2015}, author = {Dorazio, RM and Connor, EF and Askins, RA}, title = {Estimating the Effects of Habitat and Biological Interactions in an Avian Community.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {10}, number = {8}, pages = {e0135987}, pmid = {26287671}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; Birds ; *Ecosystem ; *Residence Characteristics ; }, abstract = {We used repeated sightings of individual birds encountered in community-level surveys to investigate the relative roles of habitat and biological interactions in determining the distribution and abundance of each species. To analyze these data, we developed a multispecies N-mixture model that allowed estimation of both positive and negative correlations between abundances of different species while also estimating the effects of habitat and the effects of errors in detection of each species. Using a combination of single- and multispecies N-mixture modeling, we examined for each species whether our measures of habitat were sufficient to account for the variation in encounter histories of individual birds or whether other habitat variables or interactions with other species needed to be considered. In the community that we studied, habitat appeared to be more influential than biological interactions in determining the distribution and abundance of most avian species. Our results lend support to the hypothesis that abundances of forest specialists are negatively affected by forest fragmentation. Our results also suggest that many species were associated with particular types of vegetation as measured by structural attributes of the forests. The abundances of 6 of the 73 species observed in our study were strongly correlated. These species included large birds (American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)) that forage on the ground in open habitats and small birds (Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina), and Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)) that are associated with dense shrub cover. Species abundances were positively correlated within each size group and negatively correlated between groups. Except for the American Crow, which preys on eggs and nestlings of small song birds, none of the other 5 species is known to display direct interactions, so we suspect that the correlations may have been associated with species-specific responses to habitat components not adequately measured by our covariates.}, }
@article {pmid26276368, year = {2016}, author = {Logan, CJ and Breen, AJ and Taylor, AH and Gray, RD and Hoppitt, WJ}, title = {How New Caledonian crows solve novel foraging problems and what it means for cumulative culture.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {44}, number = {1}, pages = {18-28}, pmid = {26276368}, issn = {1543-4508}, support = {BB/I007997/1//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Communication ; *Crows ; *Learning ; *Social Behavior ; Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {New Caledonian crows make and use tools, and tool types vary over geographic landscapes. Social learning may explain the variation in tool design, but it is unknown to what degree social learning accounts for the maintenance of these designs. Indeed, little is known about the mechanisms these crows use to obtain information from others, despite the question's importance in understanding whether tool behavior is transmitted via social, genetic, or environmental means. For social transmission to account for tool-type variation, copying must utilize a mechanism that is action specific (e.g., pushing left vs. right) as well as context specific (e.g., pushing a particular object vs. any object). To determine whether crows can copy a demonstrator's actions as well as the contexts in which they occur, we conducted a diffusion experiment using a novel foraging task. We used a nontool task to eliminate any confounds introduced by individual differences in their prior tool experience. Two groups had demonstrators (trained in isolation on different options of a four-option task, including a two-action option) and one group did not. We found that crows socially learn about context: After observers see a demonstrator interact with the task, they are more likely to interact with the same parts of the task. In contrast, observers did not copy the demonstrator's specific actions. Our results suggest it is unlikely that observing tool-making behavior transmits tool types. We suggest it is possible that tool types are transmitted when crows copy the physical form of the tools they encounter.}, }
@article {pmid26267805, year = {2016}, author = {Watanabe, A and Clayton, NS}, title = {Hint-seeking behaviour of western scrub-jays in a metacognition task.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {19}, number = {1}, pages = {53-64}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-015-0912-y}, pmid = {26267805}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Appetitive Behavior ; Cues ; Female ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term ; *Metacognition ; *Passeriformes ; Time Factors ; }, abstract = {Metacognitive processes during memory retrieval can be tested by examining whether or not animals can assess their knowledge state when they are faced with a memory test. In a typical foraging task, food is hidden in one of the multiple tubes and the subjects are given an opportunity to check the contents of the tubes before choosing the one that they thought contained food. Following the findings from our previous study that western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) can make prospective metacognition judgements, this study tested the scrub-jays' concurrent metacognition judgements. In a series of experiments, uncertainty about the food location was induced in three ways: by making the baiting process visibly unavailable, by inserting a delay between the baiting and food retrieval, and by moving the location of the bait. The jays looked into the tubes more often during the conditions that were consistent with high uncertainty. In addition, their looking behaviour was associated not with the sight of food but with information about the location of the food. These findings suggest that the jays can differentiate the states of knowing and not knowing about certain information and take appropriate action to complement their missing knowledge.}, }
@article {pmid26266937, year = {2015}, author = {Jelbert, SA and Singh, PJ and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH}, title = {New Caledonian crows rapidly solve a collaborative problem without cooperative cognition.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {10}, number = {8}, pages = {e0133253}, pmid = {26266937}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Cognition/physiology ; *Cooperative Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; Problem Solving/*physiology ; Tool Use Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {There is growing comparative evidence that the cognitive bases of cooperation are not unique to humans. However, the selective pressures that lead to the evolution of these mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show that while tool-making New Caledonian crows can produce collaborative behavior, they do not understand the causality of cooperation nor show sensitivity to inequity. Instead, the collaborative behavior produced appears to have been underpinned by the transfer of prior experience. These results suggest that a number of possible selective pressures, including tool manufacture and mobbing behaviours, have not led to the evolution of cooperative cognition in this species. They show that causal cognition can evolve in a domain specific manner-understanding the properties and flexible uses of physical tools does not necessarily enable animals to grasp that a conspecific can be used as a social tool.}, }
@article {pmid26255848, year = {2015}, author = {Moll, FW and Nieder, A}, title = {Cross-Modal Associative Mnemonic Signals in Crow Endbrain Neurons.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {25}, number = {16}, pages = {2196-2201}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2015.07.013}, pmid = {26255848}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; Choice Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; *Memory, Long-Term ; *Memory, Short-Term ; Neurons/*physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The ability to associate stimuli across time and sensory modalities endows animals and humans with many of the complex, learned behaviors. For successful performance, associations need to be retrieved from long-term memory and maintained active in working memory. We investigated how this is accomplished in the avian brain. We trained carrion crows (Corvus corone) to perform a bimodal delayed paired associate task in which the crows had to match auditory stimuli to delayed visual items. Single-unit recordings from the association area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) revealed sustained memory signals that selectively correlated with the learned audio-visual associations across time and modality, and sustained activity prospectively encoded the crows' choices. NCL neurons carried an internal, stimulus-independent signal that was predictive of error and type of error. These results underscore the role of corvid NCL in synthesizing external multisensory information and internal mnemonic data needed for executive control of behavior.}, }
@article {pmid26250000, year = {2015}, author = {Donnellan, SC and Foster, R and Junge, C and Huveneers, C and Rogers, P and Kilian, A and Bertozzi, T}, title = {Fiddling with the proof: the Magpie Fiddler Ray is a colour pattern variant of the common Southern Fiddler Ray (Rhinobatidae: Trygonorrhina).}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3981}, number = {3}, pages = {367-384}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.3981.3.3}, pmid = {26250000}, issn = {1175-5326}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy &amp; histology/growth &amp; development ; Animals ; Australia ; Body Size ; Coleoptera/anatomy &amp; histology/*classification/growth &amp; development ; Color ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Male ; Organ Size ; Phylogeny ; Skates, Fish/anatomy &amp; histology/*classification/genetics/growth &amp; development ; }, abstract = {The Magpie Fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina melaleuca Scott 1954, is presently South Australia's (SA) rarest fish, represented by only three museum specimens collected near Adelaide over the past 60 years and listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, there is some doubt as to whether the Magpie Fiddler Ray is a different species from the widespread and common Southern Fiddler Ray, Trygonorrhina dumerilii (Castelnau 1873), resulting in two very contrasting scenarios for marine conservation. If the Magpie Fiddler Ray is a black and white patterned variant of the Southern Fiddler Ray then it will be removed from the Red List and appear as a synonym of T. dumerilii. Conversely, if it proves to be a different species then it remains SA's rarest fish species and highly data deficient. We analysed mtDNA and the largest ever nuclear gene dataset (>4,000 loci) applied to chondrichthyan species level systematics from the most recently collected Magpie Fiddler Ray specimens and a geographically representative selection of Southern Fiddler Rays to determine the species status of this enigmatic ray. We found that the Magpie Fiddler Rays share a mitochondrial haplotype with 23 Southern Fiddler Rays and are not differentiated from 35 Southern Fiddler Rays at more than 4000 SNPs derived from DArTseq data. The morphological trait values that are putatively diagnostic for the Magpie Fiddler Ray fall within the range of variation observed among Southern Fiddler Rays. Our analyses are consistent with the notion that the Magpie Fiddler Ray is a rare colour and pattern variant of the widespread and abundant Southern Fiddler Ray. We also identified two hybrids between the Eastern and Southern Fiddler Rays, only the third time that hybrids have been identified in nature in chondrichthyans. Our results provide critical guidance in the assessment of its conservation status and an ending to a 60 year old conundrum for marine conservation.}, }
@article {pmid26249225, year = {2015}, author = {Raven, RJ}, title = {A revision of ant-mimicking spiders of the family Corinnidae (Araneae) in the Western Pacific.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3958}, number = {}, pages = {1-258}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.3958.1.1}, pmid = {26249225}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy &amp; histology/growth &amp; development ; Animals ; Australia ; Body Size ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Fiji ; Male ; Melanesia ; Organ Size ; Spiders/anatomy &amp; histology/*classification/growth &amp; development ; }, abstract = {The Corinnidae of the western Pacific are revised. The formerly sparassid genus Anchognatha Thorell, 1881, and the gnaphosid genus Battalus Karsch, 1878, are transferred to the Castianeirinae. The Corinninae include only the introduced Creugas gulosus Thorell, 1878 and Medmassa christae sp. nov. from the northern Torres Strait islands. Medmassa pallipes (L. Koch, 1873) and Medmassa pusilla Simon, 1896 are newly synonymised with Creugas gulosus. The Castianeirinae from the Western Pacific including Australia includes Battalus Karsch, 1878, Copa Simon, 1886, Leichhardteus Raven &amp; Baehr, 2013, Nyssus Walckenaer, 1805, Poecilipta Simon, 1897, and eight new genera: Disnyssus gen. nov., Iridonyssus gen. nov., Kolora gen. nov., Leptopicia gen. nov., Melanesotypus gen. nov., Nucastia gen. nov., Ozcopa gen. nov. and Ticopa gen. nov. Battalus includes B. adamparsonsi sp. nov., B. baehrae sp. nov., B. bidgemia sp. nov., B. byrneae sp. nov., B. diadens sp. nov., B. helenstarkae sp. nov., B. microspinosus sp. nov., B. rugosus sp. nov., B. spinipes Karsch, 1878, B. wallum sp. nov., B. zuytdorp sp. nov. and B. semiflavus (Simon, 1896), new combination (transferred from Medmassa). Copa, an otherwise African and Sri Lankan genus, includes C. kabana sp. nov. Disnyssus gen. nov. includes D. helenmirrenae sp. nov. and D. judidenchae sp. nov. Iridonyssus gen. nov. includes I. auripilosus sp. nov., I. formicans sp. nov., I. kohouti sp. nov. and I. leucostaurus sp. nov. Kolora gen. nov. includes K. cushingae sp. nov., K. cooloola sp. nov. and K. lynneae sp. nov., and K. sauverubens (Simon, 1896) new combination (transferred from Corinnomma Karsch, 1880). Leichhardteus includes Leichhardteus yagan sp. nov., Leichhardteus evschlingeri sp. nov., Leichhardteus strzelecki sp. nov., as well as eight recently described species. Leptopicia gen. nov. includes only Methesis bimaculata (Simon, 1896) new combination (transferred from Methesis Simon, 1896). Melanesotypus guadal gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Solomon Islands. Nucastia gen. nov., includes N. culburra sp. nov., N. eneabba sp. nov., N. muncoonie sp. nov., N. supunnoides sp. nov. and N. virewoods sp. nov.; Medmassa fusca Hogg, 1900 is transferred to Nucastia but is considered a nomen dubium. The genera Anchognatha and Supunna Simon, 1897 are junior synonyms of Nyssus, which includes Supunna albopunctatus (Hogg, 1896), Anchognatha avida Thorell, 1881, Nyssus coloripes Walckenaer, 1805, N. emu sp. nov., Agroeca insularis L. Koch, 1873 (from Fiji and the Solomon Islands), N. jaredwarden sp. nov., N. jonraveni sp. nov., N. loureedi sp. nov., N. luteofinis sp. nov., N. paradoxus sp. nov., N. pseudomaculatus sp. nov., N. robertsi sp. nov., N. semifuscus sp. nov., N. wendyae sp. nov. and N. yuggera sp. nov. Supunna funerea (Simon, 1896) and Supunna albomaculata (Rainbow, 1902) are junior synonyms of Nyssus albopunctatus; Supunna picta (L. Koch, 1873) and Storena auripes Rainbow, 1916 are junior synonyms of Nyssus coloripes Walckenaer, 1805. Ozcopa gen. nov. includes O. chiunei sp. nov., O. colloffi sp. nov., O. margotandersenae sp. nov., O. mcdonaldi sp. nov., O. monteithi sp. nov. and O. zborowskii sp. nov. Poecilipta includes P. carnarvon sp. nov., P. contorqua sp. nov., P. davidi sp. nov., P. elvis sp. nov., P. formiciforme (Rainbow, 1904) comb. nov. (transferred from Corinnomma), P. gloverae sp. nov., P. harveyi sp. nov., P. kgari sp. nov., P. samueli sp. nov., P. janthina Simon, 1896, P. kohouti sp. nov., P. lugubris sp. nov., P. marengo sp. nov., P. metallica sp. nov., P. micaelae sp. nov., P. qunats sp. nov., P. rawlinsonae sp. nov., P. ruthae Santana &amp; Raven, sp. nov., P. smaragdinea (Simon, 1909) new combination (transferred from Supunna), P. tinda sp. nov., P. venusta Rainbow, 1904, P. waldockae sp. nov., P. wallacei sp. nov., P. yambuna sp. nov., and P. zbigniewi sp. nov. Ticopa gen. nov. includes T. australis sp. nov., T. carnarvon sp. nov., T. chinchilla sp. nov., T. dingo sp. nov., T. hudsoni sp. nov., and T. longbottomi sp. nov. For comparative purposes, males of the South-east Asian Corinnomma severum (Thorell, 1881) (the type-species) and C. javanum Simon, 1905 are figured and supplementary notes provided. Liocranum australiensis L. Koch, 1873 is transferred from Medmassa to Miturga where it is a nomen dubium. One hundred and eight species are treated in this work, of which 77 are new, 21 existing species are recognised; five existing genera are recognised, two are placed in synonymy, eight new genera are added; and one species is transferred to Miturgidae and another is listed as a nomen dubium. The Australian corinnid fauna includes 14 genera and 97 species.}, }
@article {pmid26246543, year = {2015}, author = {Taylor, AH and Cheke, LG and Waismeyer, A and Meltzoff, A and Miller, R and Gopnik, A and Clayton, NS and Gray, RD}, title = {No conclusive evidence that corvids can create novel causal interventions.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {282}, number = {1813}, pages = {20150796}, pmid = {26246543}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; *Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; *Learning ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, }
@article {pmid26232613, year = {2015}, author = {Rensel, MA and Ellis, JM and Harvey, B and Schlinger, BA}, title = {Sex, estradiol, and spatial memory in a food-caching corvid.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {75}, number = {}, pages = {45-54}, pmid = {26232613}, issn = {1095-6867}, support = {R01 MH061994/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; NIMH061994//PHS HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Estradiol/*blood/pharmacology ; *Feeding Behavior/drug effects ; Female ; Food ; Hippocampus/drug effects ; Male ; Passeriformes/blood/*physiology ; *Predatory Behavior/drug effects ; Sex Factors ; Songbirds/physiology ; *Spatial Memory/drug effects ; Testosterone/blood ; }, abstract = {Estrogens significantly impact spatial memory function in mammalian species. Songbirds express the estrogen synthetic enzyme aromatase at relatively high levels in the hippocampus and there is evidence from zebra finches that estrogens facilitate performance on spatial learning and/or memory tasks. It is unknown, however, whether estrogens influence hippocampal function in songbirds that naturally exhibit memory-intensive behaviors, such as cache recovery observed in many corvid species. To address this question, we examined the impact of estradiol on spatial memory in non-breeding Western scrub-jays, a species that routinely participates in food caching and retrieval in nature and in captivity. We also asked if there were sex differences in performance or responses to estradiol. Utilizing a combination of an aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, with estradiol implants, we found that while overall cache recovery rates were unaffected by estradiol, several other indices of spatial memory, including searching efficiency and efficiency to retrieve the first item, were impaired in the presence of estradiol. In addition, males and females differed in some performance measures, although these differences appeared to be a consequence of the nature of the task as neither sex consistently out-performed the other. Overall, our data suggest that a sustained estradiol elevation in a food-caching bird impairs some, but not all, aspects of spatial memory on an innate behavioral task, at times in a sex-specific manner.}, }
@article {pmid26203594, year = {2015}, author = {Shimmura, T and Ohashi, S and Yoshimura, T}, title = {The highest-ranking rooster has priority to announce the break of dawn.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {5}, number = {}, pages = {11683}, pmid = {26203594}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Chickens/*physiology ; Male ; *Social Dominance ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The "cock-a-doodle-doo" crowing of roosters, which symbolizes the break of dawn in many cultures, is controlled by the circadian clock. When one rooster announces the break of dawn, others in the vicinity immediately follow. Chickens are highly social animals, and they develop a linear and fixed hierarchy in small groups. We found that when chickens were housed in small groups, the top-ranking rooster determined the timing of predawn crowing. Specifically, the top-ranking rooster always started to crow first, followed by its subordinates, in descending order of social rank. When the top-ranking rooster was physically removed from a group, the second-ranking rooster initiated crowing. The presence of a dominant rooster significantly reduced the number of predawn crows in subordinates. However, the number of crows induced by external stimuli was independent of social rank, confirming that subordinates have the ability to crow. Although the timing of subordinates' predawn crowing was strongly dependent on that of the top-ranking rooster, free-running periods of body temperature rhythms differed among individuals, and crowing rhythm did not entrain to a crowing sound stimulus. These results indicate that in a group situation, the top-ranking rooster has priority to announce the break of dawn, and that subordinate roosters are patient enough to wait for the top-ranking rooster's first crow every morning and thus compromise their circadian clock for social reasons.}, }
@article {pmid26193673, year = {2015}, author = {Ode, M and Asaba, A and Miyazawa, E and Mogi, K and Kikusui, T and Izawa, E}, title = {Sex-reversed correlation between stress levels and dominance rank in a captive non-breeder flock of crows.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {73}, number = {}, pages = {131-134}, doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.012}, pmid = {26193673}, issn = {1095-6867}, mesh = {Aggression/physiology ; Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Corticosterone/analysis/metabolism ; Crows/metabolism/*physiology ; Feces/chemistry ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/analysis/metabolism ; Male ; Sex Characteristics ; Sex Factors ; *Social Dominance ; *Stress, Psychological/physiopathology/psychology ; }, abstract = {Group living has both benefits and costs to individuals; benefits include efficient acquisition of resources, and costs include stress from social conflicts among group members. Such social challenges result in hierarchical dominance ranking among group members as a solution to avoid escalating conflict that causes different levels of basal stress between individuals at different ranks. Stress-associated glucocorticoid (corticosterone in rodents and birds; CORT) levels are known to correlate with dominance rank in diverse taxa and to covary with various social factors, such as sex and dominance maintenance styles. Although there is much evidence for sex differences in the basal levels of CORT in various species, the correlation of sex differences in basal CORT with dominance rank is poorly understood. We investigated the correlation between CORT metabolites (CM) in the droppings and social factors, including rank and sex, in a captive non-breeder group of crows. In this group, all the single males dominated all the single females, and dominance ranks were stable among single males but relatively unstable among single females. CM levels and rank were significantly correlated in a sex-reversed fashion: males at higher rank (i.e., more dominant) had higher CM, whereas females at higher rank exhibited lower CM. This is the first evidence of sex-reversed patterns of CM-rank correlation in birds. The results suggest that different mechanisms of stress-dominance relationships operate on the sexes in non-breeder crow aggregations; in males, stress is associated with the cost of aggressive displays, whereas females experience subordination stress due to males' overt aggression.}, }
@article {pmid26190856, year = {2015}, author = {Tranmer, M and Marcum, CS and Morton, FB and Croft, DP and de Kort, SR}, title = {Using the relational event model (REM) to investigate the temporal dynamics of animal social networks.}, journal = {Animal behaviour}, volume = {101}, number = {}, pages = {99-105}, pmid = {26190856}, issn = {0003-3472}, support = {Z01 HG200335/ImNIH/Intramural NIH HHS/United States ; Z99 HG999999/ImNIH/Intramural NIH HHS/United States ; }, abstract = {Social dynamics are of fundamental importance in animal societies. Studies on nonhuman animal social systems often aggregate social interaction event data into a single network within a particular time frame. Analysis of the resulting network can provide a useful insight into the overall extent of interaction. However, through aggregation, information is lost about the order in which interactions occurred, and hence the sequences of actions over time. Many research hypotheses relate directly to the sequence of actions, such as the recency or rate of action, rather than to their overall volume or presence. Here, we demonstrate how the temporal structure of social interaction sequences can be quantified from disaggregated event data using the relational event model (REM). We first outline the REM, explaining why it is different from other models for longitudinal data, and how it can be used to model sequences of events unfolding in a network. We then discuss a case study on the European jackdaw, Corvus monedula, in which temporal patterns of persistence and reciprocity of action are of interest, and present and discuss the results of a REM analysis of these data. One of the strengths of a REM analysis is its ability to take into account different ways in which data are collected. Having explained how to take into account the way in which the data were collected for the jackdaw study, we briefly discuss the application of the model to other studies. We provide details of how the models may be fitted in the R statistical software environment and outline some recent extensions to the REM framework.}, }
@article {pmid26175703, year = {2015}, author = {Massen, JJ and Lambert, M and Schiestl, M and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Subadult ravens generally don't transfer valuable tokens to conspecifics when there is nothing to gain for themselves.}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, volume = {6}, number = {}, pages = {885}, pmid = {26175703}, issn = {1664-1078}, abstract = {The extent to which humans help each other is extraordinary in itself, and difficult to explain from an evolutionary perspective. Therefore, there has been a recent surge in studies investigating the evolution of prosocial behavior using a comparative approach. Nevertheless, most of these studies have focused on primates only, and little is known about other animal orders. In a previous study, common ravens (Corvus corax) have been shown to be indifferent to the gains of conspecifics. However, this may have been due to the experimental set-up, as many studies that use different set-ups report conflicting results within the same species. We therefore tested ravens' prosocial tendencies in a different set-up; i.e., we tested whether sub-adult ravens would transfer a token to a partner and, thereby, provide the partner with the opportunity to exchange a token for a reward. To control and test for effects of partner identity, we tested eight individuals both in a dyadic and in a group setting. Our results show that in general the ravens in our experiment did not show other-regarding preferences. However, some acts of helping did occur spontaneously. We discuss what could be the causes for those sporadic instances, and why in general prosocial tendencies were found to be almost lacking among the ravens in this set-up.}, }
@article {pmid26115863, year = {2015}, author = {Hasan, B and Olsen, B and Alam, A and Akter, L and Melhus, Å}, title = {Dissemination of the multidrug-resistant extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli O25b-ST131 clone and the role of house crow (Corvus splendens) foraging on hospital waste in Bangladesh.}, journal = {Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, volume = {21}, number = {11}, pages = {1000.e1-4}, doi = {10.1016/j.cmi.2015.06.016}, pmid = {26115863}, issn = {1469-0691}, mesh = {Animals ; Bangladesh ; Crows/*physiology ; Disease Reservoirs ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Enterobacter cloacae/classification/enzymology/isolation &amp; purification ; Enterobacteriaceae Infections/microbiology/transmission/*veterinary ; Escherichia coli/*classification/enzymology/*isolation &amp; purification ; Feces/microbiology ; Feeding Behavior ; *Genotype ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/classification/enzymology/isolation &amp; purification ; *Medical Waste Disposal ; beta-Lactamases/*metabolism ; }, abstract = {Two hundred and thirty-eight faecal samples from crows foraging on hospital wastes were analysed for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. ESBL-producing crow isolates were characterized and compared with 31 patient isolates. Among the crows, 59% carried ESBL producers. These included Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Raoultella terrigena and Enterobacter cloacae harbouring the genes for CTX-M-1, CTX-M-15, CTX-M-55, CTX-M-79, and CTX-M-14. Human isolates carried only the CTX-M-15 gene. Two-thirds of crow E. coli isolates and all human E. coli isolates were multidrug resistant. Crows and patients shared E. coli sequence types, including the epidemic E. coli O25b-ST131 clone. The scavenging behaviour of crows at poorly managed hospital waste dumps made them potential reservoirs of antibiotic resistance, including ESBLs.}, }
@article {pmid26097282, year = {2015}, author = {Miller, R and Bugnyar, T and Pölzl, K and Schwab, C}, title = {Differences in exploration behaviour in common ravens and carrion crows during development and across social context.}, journal = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology}, volume = {69}, number = {7}, pages = {1209-1220}, pmid = {26097282}, issn = {0340-5443}, abstract = {Exploration is particularly important for young animals, as it enables them to learn to exploit their surroundings. It is likely to be affected by species ecology and social context, though there are few comparative, longitudinal studies that control for effects of early experience. Here, we investigated group level exploration behaviour in two closely related and identically reared, generalist corvid species: common ravens (Corvus corax) and carrion crows (C. corone, C. cornix), during development and across social context. Subjects were repeatedly presented with a range of novel items, whilst alone and in a dyad/ subgroup, at the fledging (1-2 months old), juvenile (3-8 months old) and sub-adult (14-18 months old) stages. Whilst alone, they were also presented with a novel and familiar person, at the fledging and juvenile stages. We expected developmental differences and a facilitating influence of social context on exploration. Developmental differences were present, with both species interacting most frequently with novel items as juveniles, which may relate to major developmental steps, such as dispersal and a neophobia increase as sub-adults. When a conspecific(s) was present, subjects generally interacted more frequently, though took longer to interact, with novel items. Additionally, we found unexpected species differences, with the most striking difference being the crows' significantly lower rate of interaction with the novel person, though not the familiar person; a species difference that was present from fledging. We discuss these findings by relating to potential differences in the two species ecology and behaviour, such as habitat use and caching proficiency.}, }
@article {pmid26089436, year = {2015}, author = {Bergan, JF}, title = {Neural Computation and Neuromodulation Underlying Social Behavior.}, journal = {Integrative and comparative biology}, volume = {55}, number = {2}, pages = {268-280}, doi = {10.1093/icb/icv061}, pmid = {26089436}, issn = {1557-7023}, mesh = {Animals ; Invertebrates/*physiology ; *Nervous System Physiological Phenomena ; *Social Behavior ; Vertebrates/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Social behaviors are as diverse as the animals that employ them, with some behaviors, like affiliation and aggression, expressed in nearly all social species. Whether discussing a "family" of beavers or a "murder" of crows, the elaborate language we use to describe social animals immediately hints at patterns of behavior typical of each species. Neuroscience has now revealed a core network of regions of the brain that are essential for the production of social behavior. Like the behaviors themselves, neuromodulation and hormonal changes regulate the underlying neural circuits on timescales ranging from momentary events to an animal's lifetime. Dynamic and heavily interconnected social circuits provide a distinct challenge for developing a mechanistic understanding of social behavior. However, advances in neuroscience continue to generate an explanation of social behavior based on the electrical activity and synaptic connections of neurons embedded in defined neural circuits.}, }
@article {pmid26087161, year = {2015}, author = {Clayton, NS and Emery, NJ}, title = {Avian Models for Human Cognitive Neuroscience: A Proposal.}, journal = {Neuron}, volume = {86}, number = {6}, pages = {1330-1342}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuron.2015.04.024}, pmid = {26087161}, issn = {1097-4199}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Birds ; Brain/anatomy &amp; histology/*physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Humans ; Models, Animal ; *Neurosciences ; }, abstract = {Research on avian cognitive neuroscience over the past two decades has revealed the avian brain to be a better model for understanding human cognition than previously thought, despite differences in the neuroarchitecture of avian and mammalian brains. The brain, behavior, and cognition of songbirds have provided an excellent model of human cognition in one domain, namely learning human language and the production of speech. There are other important behavioral candidates of avian cognition, however, notably the capacity of corvids to remember the past and plan for the future, as well as their ability to think about another's perspective, and physical reasoning. We review this work and assess the evidence that the corvid brain can support such a cognitive architecture. We propose potential applications of these behavioral paradigms for cognitive neuroscience, including recent work on single-cell recordings and neuroimaging in corvids. Finally, we discuss their impact on understanding human developmental cognition.}, }
@article {pmid26084679, year = {2015}, author = {Obozova, T and Smirnova, A and Zorina, Z and Wasserman, E}, title = {Analogical reasoning in amazons.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {18}, number = {6}, pages = {1363-1371}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-015-0882-0}, pmid = {26084679}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Amazona/*physiology ; Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; Concept Formation ; *Discrimination, Psychological ; Female ; Male ; *Thinking ; }, abstract = {Two juvenile orange-winged amazons (Amazona amazonica) were initially trained to match visual stimuli by color, shape, and number of items, but not by size. After learning these three identity matching-to-sample tasks, the parrots transferred discriminative responding to new stimuli from the same categories that had been used in training (other colors, shapes, and numbers of items) as well as to stimuli from a different category (stimuli varying in size). In the critical testing phase, both parrots exhibited reliable relational matching-to-sample (RMTS) behavior, suggesting that they perceived and compared the relationship between objects in the sample stimulus pair to the relationship between objects in the comparison stimulus pairs, even though no physical matches were possible between items in the sample and comparison pairs. The parrots spontaneously exhibited this higher-order relational responding without having ever before been trained on RMTS tasks, therefore joining apes and crows in displaying this abstract cognitive behavior.}, }
@article {pmid26067282, year = {2015}, author = {Wascher, CA and Hillemann, F and Canestrari, D and Baglione, V}, title = {Carrion crows learn to discriminate between calls of reliable and unreliable conspecifics.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {18}, number = {5}, pages = {1181-1185}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-015-0879-8}, pmid = {26067282}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Attention ; Crows/*physiology ; *Discrimination Learning ; Discrimination, Psychological ; Female ; Male ; Social Behavior ; *Vocalization, Animal ; }, abstract = {Partner choice on the basis of an individual's reliability is expected to stabilize social interactions. In this experiment, we tested whether carrion crows (Corvus corone corone) learn to differentiate between calls of reliable or unreliable individuals. Crows were kept in an aviary that comprised four visually but not acoustically isolated compartments, separated by a central room. In an association phase, a dead crow placed in the central compartment was visible only to one of the four crow groups, whilst alert calls of a conspecific were played back. Therefore, these calls were reliable for that group, but unreliable for the three other groups. The procedure was repeated, using a different reliable caller for each group. In two test sessions, 1 month apart, reliable and unreliable model individuals were played back, but no dead crow was presented. We quantified birds' attention behaviour and the number of vocalisations emitted. In the association phase, crows were more attentive towards the reliable compared with the unreliable stimuli and called more in response to reliable compared to unreliable individuals. In the test and repeat phase, attention behaviour did not differ between reliability conditions, but the pattern of vocal behaviour reversed, with crows calling less frequent when listening to reliable compared with unreliable calls. Vocal responses of crows suggest that they can discriminate between reliable and unreliable callers.}, }
@article {pmid26062431, year = {2016}, author = {González-Mariscal, G and Caba, M and Martínez-Gómez, M and Bautista, A and Hudson, R}, title = {Mothers and offspring: The rabbit as a model system in the study of mammalian maternal behavior and sibling interactions.}, journal = {Hormones and behavior}, volume = {77}, number = {}, pages = {30-41}, doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.011}, pmid = {26062431}, issn = {1095-6867}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Suckling/*physiology ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Circadian Rhythm/*physiology ; Female ; Maternal Behavior/*physiology ; Pregnancy ; Rabbits/*physiology ; *Siblings ; }, abstract = {UNLABELLED: This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". Jay Rosenblatt effectively promoted research on rabbit maternal behavior through his interaction with colleagues in Mexico. Here we review the activities of pregnant and lactating rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), their neuro-hormonal regulation, and the synchronization of behavior between mother and kits. Changing concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, and prolactin throughout gestation regulate nest-building (digging, straw-carrying, fur-pulling) and prime the mother's brain to respond to the newborn. Nursing is the only mother-young contact throughout lactation. It happens once/day, inside the nest, with ca. 24h periodicity, and lasts around 3min. Periodicity and duration of nursing depend on a threshold of suckling as procedures reducing the amount of nipple stimulation interfere with the temporal aspects of nursing, though not with the doe's maternal motivation. Synchronization between mother and kits, critical for nursing, relies on: a) the production of pheromonal cues which guide the young to the mother's nipples for suckling; b) an endogenous circadian rhythm of anticipatory activity in the young, present since birth. Milk intake entrains the kits' locomotor behavior, corticosterone secretion, and the activity of several brain structures. Sibling interactions within the huddle, largely determined by body mass at birth, are important for: a) maintaining body temperature; b) ensuring normal neuromotor and social development. Suckling maintains nursing behavior past the period of abundant milk production but abrupt and efficient weaning occurs in concurrently pregnant-lactating does by unknown factors.<br><br>CONCLUSION: female rabbits have evolved a reproductive strategy largely dissociating maternal care from maternal presence, whose multifactorial regulation warrants future investigations.}, }
@article {pmid26030086, year = {2015}, author = {Haapala, EA and Lintu, N and Väistö, J and Robinson, LE and Viitasalo, A and Lindi, V and Lakka, TA}, title = {Associations of Physical Performance and Adiposity with Cognition in Children.}, journal = {Medicine and science in sports and exercise}, volume = {47}, number = {10}, pages = {2166-2174}, doi = {10.1249/MSS.0000000000000652}, pmid = {26030086}, issn = {1530-0315}, mesh = {Adiposity/*physiology ; *Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena ; Child ; Cognition/*physiology ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Activity/*physiology ; Motor Skills/*physiology ; Muscle Strength ; Muscle, Skeletal/physiology ; *Respiratory Physiological Phenomena ; }, abstract = {OBJECTIVES: To investigate the independent and combined associations of cardiorespiratory performance (CP), neuromuscular performance (NP; including motor performance [MP]) and body fat percentage (BF%) with cognition in children.<br><br>METHODS: The participants were 202 boys and 201 girls age 6-8 yr. Cardiorespiratory performance was assessed using maximal cycle ergometer test and was expressed as maximal workload per lean body mass. Neuromuscular performance score included muscle strength, speed, agility, balance, manual dexterity, and flexibility; and MP included speed and agility, balance, and manual dexterity. Body fat percentage was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Cognition was assessed using Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM). Linear regression and general linear models were used to analyze the independent and combined associations of CP, NP, MP, and BF% with Raven CPM score.<br><br>RESULTS: Neuromuscular performance and MP were directly associated with the Raven CPM score (β = 0.138-0.190; P < 0.01). Children in the lowest or the highest thirds of BF% and in the lowest third of MP had a lower Raven CPM score than other children (P < 0.05). Children in the lowest or highest third of BF% along with the poorest MP had a lower Raven CPM score than those in the middle third of BF% and higher MP (P < 0.05). These associations and differences were much stronger in boys than in girls. Cardiorespiratory performance was not related to the Raven CPM score.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Poorer NP and MP were associated with a worse cognition in children and particularly in boys. Cognition was poorer especially among children with the lowest or highest BF% accompanied with a poorer MP.}, }
@article {pmid27547298, year = {2015}, author = {Rutz, C and Morrissey, MB and Burns, ZT and Burt, J and Otis, B and St Clair, JJ and James, R}, title = {Calibrating animal-borne proximity loggers.}, journal = {Methods in ecology and evolution}, volume = {6}, number = {6}, pages = {656-667}, pmid = {27547298}, issn = {2041-210X}, abstract = {Growing interest in the structure and dynamics of animal social networks has stimulated efforts to develop automated tracking technologies that can reliably record encounters in free-ranging subjects. A particularly promising approach is the use of animal-attached 'proximity loggers', which collect data on the incidence, duration and proximity of spatial associations through inter-logger radio communication. While proximity logging is based on a straightforward physical principle - the attenuation of propagating radio waves with distance - calibrating systems for field deployment is challenging, since most study species roam across complex, heterogeneous environments.In this study, we calibrated a recently developed digital proximity-logging system ('Encounternet') for deployment on a wild population of New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides. Our principal objective was to establish a quantitative model that enables robust post hoc estimation of logger-to-logger (and, hence, crow-to-crow) distances from logger-recorded signal-strength values. To achieve an accurate description of the radio communication between crow-borne loggers, we conducted a calibration exercise that combines theoretical analyses, field experiments, statistical modelling, behavioural observations, and computer simulations.We show that, using signal-strength information only, it is possible to assign crow encounters reliably to predefined distance classes, enabling powerful analyses of social dynamics. For example, raw data sets from field-deployed loggers can be filtered at the analysis stage to include predominantly encounters where crows would have come to within a few metres of each other, and could therefore have socially learned new behaviours through direct observation. One of the main challenges for improving data classification further is the fact that crows - like most other study species - associate across a wide variety of habitats and behavioural contexts, with different signal-attenuation properties.Our study demonstrates that well-calibrated proximity-logging systems can be used to chart social associations of free-ranging animals over a range of biologically meaningful distances. At the same time, however, it highlights that considerable efforts are required to conduct study-specific system calibrations that adequately account for the biological and technological complexities of field deployments. Although we report results from a particular case study, the basic rationale of our multi-step calibration exercise applies to many other tracking systems and study species.}, }
@article {pmid26010196, year = {2015}, author = {Jelbert, SA and Taylor, AH and Gray, RD}, title = {Reasoning by exclusion in New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) cannot be explained by avoidance of empty containers.}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {129}, number = {3}, pages = {283-290}, doi = {10.1037/a0039313}, pmid = {26010196}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/*psychology ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Choice Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Thinking/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Whether animals can reason or merely learn associatively is a long-standing debate. Researchers have approached this question by investigating whether dogs, birds, and primates can reason by exclusion (choosing by logically excluding all other alternatives). However, these studies have not resolved whether animals are capable of inferring which option is rewarded or are merely avoiding options known to be incorrect. Here, we used a forced-choice tubes task, where strategies of "reasoning by exclusion" and "avoidance of empty containers" predicted different responses. Two tubes (1 straight, 1 bent) were presented in 5 types of orientation, varying whether the rewarded location could be inferred. We compared predictions from both strategies with the observed performance of 8 wild-caught New Caledonian crows. Two of the 8 birds' choices were entirely consistent with reasoning by exclusion only. A further 4 birds followed a mixed strategy, where both reasoning and avoidance could have influenced their decisions. Thus, although avoidance plays a role, it cannot fully explain the crows' choices. Confirming how animals naturally solve problems is increasingly important in animal cognition; we demonstrate that NC crows can inferentially reason without explicit training, but, like humans, most do not rely solely on reasoning to make decisions.}, }
@article {pmid25994674, year = {2015}, author = {Klump, BC and van der Wal, JE and St Clair, JJ and Rutz, C}, title = {Context-dependent 'safekeeping' of foraging tools in New Caledonian crows.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {282}, number = {1808}, pages = {20150278}, pmid = {25994674}, issn = {1471-2954}, support = {BB/G023913/2//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Several animal species use tools for foraging, such as sticks to extract embedded arthropods and honey, or stones to crack open nuts and eggs. While providing access to nutritious foods, these behaviours may incur significant costs, such as the time and energy spent searching for, manufacturing and transporting tools. These costs can be reduced by re-using tools, keeping them safe when not needed. We experimentally investigated what New Caledonian crows do with their tools between successive prey extractions, and whether they express tool 'safekeeping' behaviours more often when the costs (foraging at height), or likelihood (handling of demanding prey), of tool loss are high. Birds generally took care of their tools (84% of 176 prey extractions, nine subjects), either trapping them underfoot (74%) or storing them in holes (26%)--behaviours we also observed in the wild (19 cases, four subjects). Moreover, tool-handling behaviour was context-dependent, with subjects: keeping their tools safe significantly more often when foraging at height; and storing tools significantly more often in holes when extracting more demanding prey (under these conditions, foot-trapping proved challenging). In arboreal environments, safekeeping can prevent costly tool losses, removing a potentially important constraint on the evolution of habitual and complex tool behaviour.}, }
@article {pmid25985093, year = {2015}, author = {Suzuki, TN}, title = {Assessment of predation risk through referential communication in incubating birds.}, journal = {Scientific reports}, volume = {5}, number = {}, pages = {10239}, pmid = {25985093}, issn = {2045-2322}, mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; *Birds ; Female ; *Predatory Behavior ; }, abstract = {Parents of many bird species produce alarm calls when they approach and deter a nest predator in order to defend their offspring. Alarm calls have been shown to warn nestlings about predatory threats, but parents also face a similar risk of predation when incubating eggs in their nests. Here, I show that incubating female Japanese great tits, Parus minor, assess predation risk by conspecific alarm calls given outside the nest cavity. Tits produce acoustically discrete alarm calls for different nest predators: "jar" calls for snakes and "chicka" calls for other predators such as crows and martens. Playback experiments revealed that incubating females responded to "jar" calls by leaving their nest, whereas they responded to "chicka" calls by looking out of the nest entrance. Since snakes invade the nest cavity, escaping from the nest helps females avoid snake predation. In contrast, "chicka" calls are used for a variety of predator types, and therefore, looking out of the nest entrance helps females gather information about the type and location of approaching predators. These results show that incubating females derive information about predator type from different types of alarm calls, providing a novel example of functionally referential communication.}, }
@article {pmid25984564, year = {2014}, author = {Auersperg, AM and Oswald, N and Domanegg, M and Gajdon, GK and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Unrewarded Object Combinations in Captive Parrots.}, journal = {Animal behavior and cognition}, volume = {1}, number = {4}, pages = {470-488}, pmid = {25984564}, issn = {2372-5052}, support = {J 3404/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, abstract = {In primates, complex object combinations during play are often regarded as precursors of functional behavior. Here we investigate combinatory behaviors during unrewarded object manipulation in seven parrot species, including kea, African grey parrots and Goffin cockatoos, three species previously used as model species for technical problem solving. We further examine a habitually tool using species, the black palm cockatoo. Moreover, we incorporate three neotropical species, the yellow- and the black-billed Amazon and the burrowing parakeet. Paralleling previous studies on primates and corvids, free object-object combinations and complex object-substrate combinations such as inserting objects into tubes/holes or stacking rings onto poles prevailed in the species previously linked to advanced physical cognition and tool use. In addition, free object-object combinations were intrinsically structured in Goffin cockatoos and in kea.}, }
@article {pmid25981411, year = {2015}, author = {Kärnä, OM and Grönroos, M and Antikainen, H and Hjort, J and Ilmonen, J and Paasivirta, L and Heino, J}, title = {Inferring the effects of potential dispersal routes on the metacommunity structure of stream insects: as the crow flies, as the fish swims or as the fox runs?.}, journal = {The Journal of animal ecology}, volume = {84}, number = {5}, pages = {1342-1353}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.12397}, pmid = {25981411}, issn = {1365-2656}, mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animals ; *Biodiversity ; Energy Metabolism ; Finland ; Geography ; Insecta/*physiology ; *Rivers ; }, abstract = {1. Metacommunity research relies largely on proxies for inferring the effect of dispersal on local community structure. Overland and watercourse distances have been typically used as such proxies. A good proxy for dispersal should, however, take into account more complex landscape features that can affect an organism's movement and dispersal. The cost distance approach does just that, allowing determining the path of least resistance across a landscape. 2. Here, we examined the distance decay of assemblage similarity within a subarctic stream insect metacommunity. We tested whether overland, watercourse and cumulative cost distances performed differently as correlates of dissimilarity in assemblage composition between sites. We also investigated the effect of body size and dispersal mode on metacommunity organization. 3. We found that dissimilarities in assemblage composition correlated more strongly with environmental than physical distances between sites. Overland and watercourse distances showed similar correlations to assemblage dissimilarity between sites, being sometimes significantly correlated with biological variation of entire insect communities. In metacommunities deconstructed by body size or dispersal mode, contrary to our expectation, passive dispersers showed a slightly stronger correlation than active dispersers to environmental differences between sites, although passive dispersers also showed a stronger correlation than active dispersers to physical distances between sites. The strength of correlation between environmental distance and biological dissimilarity also varied slightly among the body size classes. 4. After controlling for environmental differences between sites, cumulative cost distances were slightly better correlates of biological dissimilarities than overland or watercourse distances between sites. However, quantitative differences in correlation coefficients were small between different physical distances. 5. Although environmental differences typically override physical distances as determinants of the composition of stream insect assemblages, correlations between environmental distances and biological dissimilarities are typically rather weak. This undetermined variation may be attributable to dispersal processes, which may be captured using better proxies for the process. We suggest that further modifying the measurement of cost distances may be a fruitful avenue, especially if complemented by more direct natural history information on insect dispersal behaviour and distances travelled by them.}, }
@article {pmid25957953, year = {2015}, author = {Jayne, K and Lea, SE and Leaver, LA}, title = {Behavioural responses of Eastern grey squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, to cues of risk while foraging.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {116}, number = {}, pages = {53-61}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2015.05.002}, pmid = {25957953}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Appetitive Behavior/*physiology ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Cues ; Feeding Behavior/physiology ; Female ; Male ; *Risk-Taking ; Sciuridae/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; Vocalization, Animal/physiology ; }, abstract = {Previous studies have shown that Eastern grey squirrels modify their behaviour while foraging to offset risks of social and predatory costs, but none have simultaneously compared whether such modifications are performed at a cost to foraging. The present study directly compares how grey squirrels respond to cues of these risks while foraging. We simulated social risk and predatory risk using acoustic playbacks of stimuli that grey squirrels might be exposed to at a foraging patch: calls of conspecifics, heterospecifics (competitor and non-competitor) and predators. We found that grey squirrels responded to predator, heterospecific competitor and conspecific playbacks by altering their foraging and vigilance behaviours. Foraging was most disrupted by increased vigilance when we played calls of predators. Squirrels' response to calls of heterospecific competitors did not differ from their response to conspecific calls, and they resumed foraging more quickly after both compared to predator calls: whereas they showed little response to calls of non-competitor heterospecifics and a white noise control. We conclude that squirrels respond differentially to calls made by conspecifics, heterospecific competitors and predators, with the most pronounced response being to calls of predators. We suggest that squirrels may view conspecific and corvid vocalisations as cues of potential conflict while foraging, necessitating increased vigilance.}, }
@article {pmid25937686, year = {2014}, author = {Miller, R and Schiestl, M and Whiten, A and Schwab, C and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Tolerance and Social Facilitation in the Foraging Behaviour of Free-Ranging Crows (Corvus corone corone; C. c. cornix).}, journal = {Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie}, volume = {120}, number = {12}, pages = {1248-1255}, pmid = {25937686}, issn = {0179-1613}, support = {Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, abstract = {Social foraging provides animals with opportunities to gain knowledge about available food. Studies indicate that animals are influenced by social context during exploration and are able to learn socially. Carrion and hooded crows, which are opportunistic generalists with flexible social systems, have so far received little focus in this area. We combined observational and experimental approaches to investigate social interactions during foraging and social influences on crow behaviour within a free-ranging population at Vienna Zoo, which included 115 individually marked crows. We expected the crows to be tolerant of conspecifics during foraging due to high food abundance. We predicted that social context would enhance familiar object exploration, as well as a specific foraging strategy: predation by crows on other species. We found that crows were highly tolerant of one another, as reflected by their high rates of cofeeding - where they fed directly beside conspecific(s) - relative to affiliative or agonistic interactions. Evidence for social facilitation - when the observer's behaviour is affected by the mere presence of a model - was found in both object exploration and predation behaviour. Specifically, crows touched the objects more frequently when others were present (whilst only approaching the objects when alone), and conspecifics were present more frequently during predation events involving the high-risk target species. Evidence for enhancement during object exploration - where the observer's attention is drawn to a place or object by a model's actions - was not confirmed in this context. Our results highlight the role played by the presence of conspecifics across different contexts: natural foraging behaviour, familiar object exploration and a specific foraging strategy. To our knowledge, this is one of the first corvid studies aimed at teasing apart specific social influence and learning mechanisms in the field. These crows therefore make promising candidates for studying social learning and its consequences under naturalistic conditions.}, }
@article {pmid25912895, year = {2015}, author = {Soler, JJ and Ruiz-Rodríguez, M and Martín-Vivaldi, M and Peralta-Sánchez, JM and Ruiz-Castellano, C and Tomás, G}, title = {Laying date, incubation and egg breakage as determinants of bacterial load on bird eggshells: experimental evidence.}, journal = {Oecologia}, volume = {179}, number = {1}, pages = {63-74}, pmid = {25912895}, issn = {1432-1939}, mesh = {Animals ; *Bacterial Load ; Biological Evolution ; Coturnix/*growth &amp; development/microbiology/parasitology/physiology ; Egg Shell/*microbiology ; Eggs/microbiology ; Female ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Phenotype ; Reproduction ; Seasons ; Symbiosis ; }, abstract = {Exploring factors guiding interactions of bacterial communities with animals has become of primary importance for ecologists and evolutionary biologists during the last years because of their likely central role in the evolution of animal life history traits. We explored the association between laying date and eggshell bacterial load (mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococci, and Enterococci) in natural and artificial magpie (Pica pica) nests containing fresh commercial quail (Coturnix coturnix) eggs. We manipulated hygiene conditions by spilling egg contents on magpie and artificial nests and explored experimental effects during the breeding season. Egg breakage is a common outcome of brood parasitism by great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) on the nests of magpie, one of its main hosts. We found that the treatment increased eggshell bacterial load in artificial nests, but not in magpie nests with incubating females, which suggests that parental activity prevents the proliferation of bacteria on the eggshells in relation to egg breakage. Moreover, laying date was positively related to eggshell bacterial load in active magpie nests, but negatively in artificial nests. The results suggest that variation in parental characteristics of magpies rather than climatic variation during the breeding season explained the detected positive association. Because the eggshell bacterial load is a proxy of hatching success, the detected positive association between eggshell bacterial loads and laying date in natural, but not in artificial nests, suggests that the generalized negative association between laying date and avian breeding success can be, at least partially, explained by differential bacterial effects.}, }
@article {pmid25905887, year = {2015}, author = {O'Dell, M}, title = {Meeting Jim Crow.}, journal = {Family medicine}, volume = {47}, number = {5}, pages = {403-404}, pmid = {25905887}, issn = {1938-3800}, mesh = {*African Americans ; Humans ; Patient Care/*psychology ; *Prejudice/prevention &amp; control/psychology ; Race Relations ; *Racism/prevention &amp; control/psychology ; }, }
@article {pmid25895287, year = {2015}, author = {Trotter, MC}, title = {Lloyd Tevis Miller, MD. Professionalas in the Jim Crow South.}, journal = {Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association}, volume = {56}, number = {2}, pages = {49-53}, pmid = {25895287}, issn = {0026-6396}, mesh = {African Americans/*history ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Mississippi ; Physicians/*history ; Racism/*history ; }, }
@article {pmid25892848, year = {2015}, author = {Kubitza, RJ and Bugnyar, T and Schwab, C}, title = {Pair bond characteristics and maintenance in free-flying jackdaws Corvus monedula: effects of social context and season.}, journal = {Journal of avian biology}, volume = {46}, number = {2}, pages = {206-215}, pmid = {25892848}, issn = {0908-8857}, support = {Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, abstract = {Most birds rely on cooperation between pair partners for breeding. In long-term monogamous species, pair bonds are considered the basic units of social organization, albeit these birds often form foraging, roosting or breeding groups in which they repeatedly interact with numerous conspecifics. Focusing on jackdaws Corvus monedula, we here investigated 1) the interplay between pair bond and group dynamics in several social contexts and 2) how pair partners differ in individual effort of pair bond maintenance. Based on long-term data on free-flying birds, we quantified social interactions between group members within three positive contexts (spatial proximity, feeding and sociopositive interactions) for different periods of the year (non-breeding, pre-breeding, parental care). On the group level, we found that the number of interaction partners was highest in the spatial proximity context while in the feeding and sociopositive contexts the number of interaction partners was low and moderately low, respectively. Interactions were reciprocated within almost all contexts and periods. Investigating subgrouping within the flock, results showed that interactions were preferentially directed towards the respective pair partner compared to unmated adults. When determining pair partner effort, both sexes similarly invested most into mutual proximity during late winter, thereby refreshing their bond before the onset of breeding. Paired males fed their mates over the entire year at similar rates while paired females hardly fed their mates at all but engaged in sociopositive behaviors instead. We conclude that jackdaws actively seek out positive social ties to flock members (close proximity, sociopositive behavior), at certain times of the year. Thus, the group functions as a dynamic social unit, nested within are highly cooperative pair bonds. Both sexes invested into the bond with different social behaviors and different levels of effort, yet these are likely male and female proximate mechanisms aimed at maintaining and perpetuating the pair bond.}, }
@article {pmid25888754, year = {2015}, author = {Rizzoli, A and Bolzoni, L and Chadwick, EA and Capelli, G and Montarsi, F and Grisenti, M and de la Puente, JM and Muñoz, J and Figuerola, J and Soriguer, R and Anfora, G and Di Luca, M and Rosà, R}, title = {Understanding West Nile virus ecology in Europe: Culex pipiens host feeding preference in a hotspot of virus emergence.}, journal = {Parasites &amp; vectors}, volume = {8}, number = {}, pages = {213}, pmid = {25888754}, issn = {1756-3305}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/blood/genetics ; Culex/*physiology/virology ; DNA/genetics ; Disease Reservoirs ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Odorants ; Species Specificity ; West Nile Fever/*epidemiology/virology ; West Nile virus/*isolation &amp; purification ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Understanding wildlife disease ecology is becoming an urgent need due to the continuous emergence and spread of several wildlife zoonotic diseases. West Nile Virus (WNV) is the most widespread arthropod-borne virus in the world, and in recent decades there has been an increase both in geographic range, and in the frequency of symptomatic infections in humans and wildlife. The principal vector for WNV in Europe is the common house Culex pipiens mosquito, which feeds on a wide variety of vertebrate host species. Variation in mosquito feeding preference has been described as one of the most influential parameters driving intensity and timing of WNV infection in the United States, but feeding preferences for this species have been little studied in Europe.<br><br>METHODS: Here, we estimated feeding preference for wild Cx. pipiens in northern Italy, using molecular analysis to identify the origin of blood meals, and avian census to control host abundance variations. Additionally, we used host bird odour extracts to test experimentally mosquito preferences in the absence of environmental variations.<br><br>RESULTS: For the first time, we demonstrate a clear feeding preference for the common blackbird (Turdus merula), both for wild collected specimens and in the lab, suggesting a potential important role for this species in the WNV epidemiology in Europe. A seasonal decrease in abundance of blackbirds is associated with increased feeding on Eurasian magpies (Pica pica), and this may be linked to seasonal emergence of WNV in humans. Feeding preferences on blackbirds are more marked in rural areas, while preference for magpies is higher in peridomestic areas. Other species, such as the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) appear to be selected by mosquitoes opportunistically in relation to its abundance.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide new insights into the ecology of Cx. pipiens in Europe and may give useful indications in terms of implementing targeted WNV surveillance plans. However, a clearer understanding of spatio-temporal variations of Cx. pipiens feeding preferences, and targeted studies on reservoir competence for WNV for these species are therefore now urgently needed as this is essential to describe disease dynamics and quantify virus transmission risk.}, }
@article {pmid25876841, year = {2015}, author = {Jacobs, IF and von Bayern, A and Martin-Ordas, G and Rat-Fischer, L and Osvath, M}, title = {Corvids create novel causal interventions after all.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {282}, number = {1806}, pages = {20142504}, pmid = {25876841}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; *Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; *Learning ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, }
@article {pmid25720292, year = {2014}, author = {Solov'ev, AN}, title = {[Breeding dynamic of corvids in urbanized landscapes of the European east].}, journal = {Izvestiia Akademii nauk. Seriia biologicheskaia}, volume = {}, number = {5}, pages = {529-538}, pmid = {25720292}, issn = {1026-3470}, mesh = {Animals ; Breeding ; Cities ; Crows/*physiology ; Homing Behavior/*physiology ; *Population Dynamics ; Russia ; }, abstract = {On the basis of counting and mapping of nests of the rook, hooded crow, and magpie in Kirov in 1975-2012, it was found that, under the conditions of an industrial city, rook colonies are highly unstable. The elimination of the private sector and neglected tree and scrub thickets leads to a reduction in the number of magpies nesting in the city. The nesting abundance of crows is limited by the quarter layout and placement of containers for household waste.}, }
@article {pmid25697970, year = {2015}, author = {Petit, O and Dufour, V and Herrenschmidt, M and De Marco, A and Sterck, EH and Call, J}, title = {Inferences about food location in three cercopithecine species: an insight into the socioecological cognition of primates.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {18}, number = {4}, pages = {821-830}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-015-0848-2}, pmid = {25697970}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Appetitive Behavior ; Cercopithecinae/*psychology ; *Cognition ; Problem Solving ; *Social Behavior ; *Thinking ; }, abstract = {Many animal species use a variety of cognitive strategies to locate food resources. One strategy is to make inferences by exclusion, i.e., perceiving the absence of reward as a cue that another location should be investigated. The use of such advanced cognitive strategies may be more prominent in species that are known to frequently solve social challenges, and inferential reasoning has mainly been investigated in social species such as corvids, dogs, dolphins and non-human primates. In this paper, we investigate how far social intricacy may explain the disparity of reasoning performances observed in three cercopithecine species that differ in the density of their social network and the diversity of their social partners. We used standard reasoning tasks, testing the volume concept and inference by exclusion using visual and auditory modalities. We showed that Old World monkeys can infer the location of invisible food by exclusion. In addition, Tonkean macaques and olive baboons had greater performances in most tasks compared to rhesus macaques. These responses are consistent with the social complexity displayed by these three species. We suggest that the cognitive strategies required to navigate through a demanding social world are involved in the understanding of the physical domain.}, }
@article {pmid25689114, year = {2015}, author = {Bobeva, A and Zehtindjiev, P and Ilieva, M and Dimitrov, D and Mathis, A and Bensch, S}, title = {Host preferences of ornithophilic biting midges of the genus Culicoides in the Eastern Balkans.}, journal = {Medical and veterinary entomology}, volume = {29}, number = {3}, pages = {290-296}, doi = {10.1111/mve.12108}, pmid = {25689114}, issn = {1365-2915}, mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/parasitology/*transmission ; Birds ; Bulgaria ; Ceratopogonidae/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Food Chain ; Haemosporida/physiology ; Insect Vectors/*physiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Protozoan Infections, Animal/parasitology/*transmission ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization/veterinary ; }, abstract = {Many biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are competent vectors of a diverse number of pathogens. The identification of their feeding behaviour and of vector-host associations is essential for understanding their transmission capacity. By applying two different nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, of which one targeted the avian cyt b gene and the other targeted the COI gene of a wide range of vertebrates, we identified the blood hosts of six biting midge species including Culicoides circumscriptus, Culicoides festivipennis, Culicoides punctatus, Culicoides pictipennis, Culicoides alazanicus and Culicoides cf. griseidorsum, the latter two of which are reported in Bulgaria for the first time. Bird DNA was found in 50.6% of 95 investigated bloodmeals, whereas mammalian DNA was identified in 13.7%. Two Culicoides species were found to feed on both birds and mammals. There was remarkable diversity in the range of avian hosts: 23 species from four orders were identified in the abdomens of four Culicoides species. The most common bird species identified was the magpie, Pica pica (n = 7), which was registered in all four ornithophilic biting midge species. Six bloodmeals from the great tit, Parus major, were recorded only in C. alazanicus. None of the studied species of Culicoides appeared to be restricted to a single avian host.}, }
@article {pmid25688567, year = {2015}, author = {Campobello, D and Hare, JF and Sarà, M}, title = {Social phenotype extended to communities: expanded multilevel social selection analysis reveals fitness consequences of interspecific interactions.}, journal = {Evolution; international journal of organic evolution}, volume = {69}, number = {4}, pages = {916-925}, doi = {10.1111/evo.12629}, pmid = {25688567}, issn = {1558-5646}, mesh = {Animals ; Falconiformes/genetics/physiology ; *Genetic Fitness ; Nesting Behavior ; Passeriformes/genetics/physiology ; Phenotype ; *Reproduction ; *Selection, Genetic ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {In social species, fitness consequences are associated with both individual and social phenotypes. Social selection analysis has quantified the contribution of conspecific social traits to individual fitness. There has been no attempt, however, to apply a social selection approach to quantify the fitness implications of heterospecific social phenotypes. Here, we propose a novel social selection based approach integrating the role of all social interactions at the community level. We extended multilevel selection analysis by including a term accounting for the group phenotype of heterospecifics. We analyzed nest activity as a model social trait common to two species, the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) and jackdaw (Corvus monedula), nesting in either single- or mixed-species colonies. By recording reproductive outcome as a measure of relative fitness, our results reveal an asymmetric system wherein only jackdaw breeding performance was affected by the activity phenotypes of both conspecific and heterospecific neighbors. Our model incorporating heterospecific social phenotypes is applicable to animal communities where interacting species share a common social trait, thus allowing an assessment of the selection pressure imposed by interspecific interactions in nature. Finally, we discuss the potential role of ecological limitations accounting for random or preferential assortments among interspecific social phenotypes, and the implications of such processes to community evolution.}, }
@article {pmid25627601, year = {2014}, author = {Barros, RA and Costa, CA and Pascotto, MC}, title = {Diet and feeding behavior of the White-naped Jay, Cyanocorax cyanopogon (Wied, 1821) (Aves, Passeriformes, Corvidae) in a disturbed environment in central Brazil.}, journal = {Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia}, volume = {74}, number = {4}, pages = {899-905}, doi = {10.1590/1519-6984.09313}, pmid = {25627601}, issn = {1678-4375}, mesh = {Animals ; Brazil ; *Diet ; *Environment ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Humans ; Passeriformes/classification/*physiology ; Seasons ; }, abstract = {The White-naped Jay Cyanocorax cyanopogon (Wied, 1821) is an omnivorous and opportunistic species, with a multifarious diet. In view of the scarcity of available data in the literature, the aim was to investigate and describe the bird's diet, location of food items, foraging tactics, actual feeding behavior and intraspecific interactions, as a means of defining the items consumed. The study was carried out in a Cerrado area in the Araguaia Campus of the Federal University of Mato Grosso - UFMT, in Pontal do Araguaia, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, from August to December, 2006, and from April to October, 2010. All the feeding events were recorded through 136 hours of animal focal sampling, whereby it was shown that these birds predominantly consume animal nutrients, replenished by vegetable items and human food-waste. Arthropods were predominant in the diet, with ants as the most abundant and frequent item. The fruits, flowers and seeds of eleven plant species were also consumed. Food-waste, representing about 1/10 of the total, was constantly consumed even when other food sources were available. Although active among the various strata, foraging is mainly on the ground. In the event of food-scarcity, the strategy employed is the hierarchical deployment of the members of various-sized groups, with the avoidance of direct competition. This versatility during all seasons, confirms total adaptation to the anthropic environment surrounded by native habitats that characterized the study site.}, }
@article {pmid25602306, year = {2015}, author = {Vonk, J}, title = {Corvid cognition: something to crow about?.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {25}, number = {2}, pages = {R69-R71}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2014.12.001}, pmid = {25602306}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; *Problem Solving ; }, abstract = {New research indicates that crows are capable of matching stimuli on the basis of analogical relations: that is, similarity of size, color and shape. This may be the first evidence for spontaneous analogical reasoning outside of the primate order.}, }
@article {pmid25569827, year = {2014}, author = {Bozsik, C and Áspán, N and Gádoros, J and Inántsy-Pap, J and Halász, J}, title = {[Conduct symptoms and emotional decision making in non-clinical adolescents].}, journal = {Psychiatria Hungarica : A Magyar Pszichiatriai Tarsasag tudomanyos folyoirata}, volume = {29}, number = {4}, pages = {378-385}, pmid = {25569827}, issn = {0237-7896}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Behavioral Symptoms/*psychology ; Conduct Disorder/psychology ; *Decision Making ; *Emotions ; Female ; Humans ; Hungary ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: In adults with antisocial personality disorder, literature data indicate alterations in emotional decision making and in the working of the prefrontal cortex. Similar alterations were described in adolescents with psychopathic traits, however, a dimensional link was not established between behavioral variables and variables associated with decision making. The aim of the present study was to describe the relationship between externalizing symptoms and emotional decision making in non-clinical adolescents.<br><br>METHODS: Originally 57, 7th-10th grade students between 13-16 years participated in the study after informed consent, but the data of 4 adolescents were not used because of incomplete data-set (N=53; 24 girls and 29 boys; age=14.7 ± 1.0 years, mean ± SD). The parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess behavioral problems. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) performance and Raven IQ measures were also assessed.<br><br>RESULTS: The number of summarized risky choices was positively correlated with Conduct Problems Scale of SDQ (r=0.31, p<0.05). While the number of risky choices was not correlated with conduct problems in the first 20 selections (r=0.11, p=n.s.), a marked positive correlation was present in the above measures in the last 20 selections (r=0.28, p<0.05). The number of risky choices did not depend on Raven IQ, age, and other behavioral scales of SDQ.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Even subthreshold conduct symptoms are associated with altered emotional decision making in adolescents, what might be important in the development of antisocial behavior.}, }
@article {pmid25532894, year = {2015}, author = {Smirnova, A and Zorina, Z and Obozova, T and Wasserman, E}, title = {Crows spontaneously exhibit analogical reasoning.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {25}, number = {2}, pages = {256-260}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2014.11.063}, pmid = {25532894}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Cognition ; Concept Formation ; Crows/*physiology ; *Problem Solving ; }, abstract = {Analogical reasoning is vital to advanced cognition and behavioral adaptation. Many theorists deem analogical thinking to be uniquely human and to be foundational to categorization, creative problem solving, and scientific discovery. Comparative psychologists have long been interested in the species generality of analogical reasoning, but they initially found it difficult to obtain empirical support for such thinking in nonhuman animals (for pioneering efforts, see [2, 3]). Researchers have since mustered considerable evidence and argument that relational matching-to-sample (RMTS) effectively captures the essence of analogy, in which the relevant logical arguments are presented visually. In RMTS, choice of test pair BB would be correct if the sample pair were AA, whereas choice of test pair EF would be correct if the sample pair were CD. Critically, no items in the correct test pair physically match items in the sample pair, thus demanding that only relational sameness or differentness is available to support accurate choice responding. Initial evidence suggested that only humans and apes can successfully learn RMTS with pairs of sample and test items; however, monkeys have subsequently done so. Here, we report that crows too exhibit relational matching behavior. Even more importantly, crows spontaneously display relational responding without ever having been trained on RMTS; they had only been trained on identity matching-to-sample (IMTS). Such robust and uninstructed relational matching behavior represents the most convincing evidence yet of analogical reasoning in a nonprimate species, as apes alone have spontaneously exhibited RMTS behavior after only IMTS training.}, }
@article {pmid25522499, year = {2014}, author = {Kumbar, SM and Ghadage, AB}, title = {Preliminary study on avian fauna of the Krishna River basin Sangli District, Western Maharashtra, India.}, journal = {Journal of environmental biology}, volume = {35}, number = {6}, pages = {1005-1011}, pmid = {25522499}, issn = {0254-8704}, mesh = {Animal Migration ; Animals ; Birds/*classification/*physiology ; Demography ; India ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {The present study on avifaunal diversity carried out for three years at the Krishna River Basin, Sangli District revealed a total of 126 species of birds belonging to 30 families, of which 91 species were resident, 16 migratory, 12 resident and local migratory and 7 species were resident and migratory. Among the migrant birds, Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus was dominant in the study area. Commonly recorded resident bird species were, Red vented bulbul, Jungle crow, House sparrow, Common myna, Brahminy myna, Rock pigeon, Spotted dove, Rose ringed parakeet, Indian robin, White-browed fantail-flycatcher and Small sunbird. Most of the families had one or two species, whereas Muscicapidae family alone had 16 species. Forty one species of waterfowls were recorded in this small landscape. Out of 126 bird species, 38 were insectivorous, 28 piscivorous, 25 omnivorous, 19 carnivorous, 9 granivorous, 5 frugivorous and 2 species were nectar sucker and insectivorous. These results suggest that richness of avifauna in the Krishna River Basin, Western Maharashtra might be due to large aquatic ground, varied vegetations and favourable environmental conditions.}, }
@article {pmid25502037, year = {2014}, author = {Hernández, MC and Cabrera Walsh, G}, title = {Insect herbivores associated with Ludwigia species, Oligospermum section, in their Argentine distribution.}, journal = {Journal of insect science (Online)}, volume = {14}, number = {}, pages = {}, pmid = {25502037}, issn = {1536-2442}, mesh = {Animals ; Argentina ; Biological Control Agents ; Feeding Behavior ; Herbivory ; Insecta/*physiology ; Larva/physiology ; Onagraceae/*parasitology ; }, abstract = {The South American water primroses, Ludwigia grandiflora (Michx.) Greuter &amp; Burdet, L. grandiflora subsp. hexapetala (Hook. &amp; Arn.) G.L. Nesom &amp; Kartesz, Ludwigia peploides (Kunth) P.H. Raven, and L. p. subsp. montevidensis (Spreng.) P.H. Raven (Onagraceae, Section Oligospermum), have become invasive in several watersheds of the United States and Europe. Surveys were carried out in center-east of Argentina to find insect species that might serve as biological control agents for L. g. subsp. hexapetala in California and elsewhere. Stems (0.5-0.6 m) of Ludwigia species, Sect. Oligospermum, were collected in 41 sites and analyzed in the laboratory; immature insects were reared to adults. The plant species found in the area were L. grandiflora (2 sites), L. g. subsp. hexapetala (33 sites), and L. p. subsp. montevidensis (4 sites). There was a variety of insect guilds feeding on L. g. subsp. hexapetala, including six species with stem-borer larvae, one species with fruit-feeding larvae, four species with defoliating larvae, two species with defoliating larvae on young leaves and axil meristems, one species of cell content feeder, and three species of sap feeders. Nine of these species also have defoliating adults. Biological information on most of them is provided. Of these insect herbivores, only two species were also found on L. grandiflora, and one on L. peploides. Several of the species found on L. g. hexapetala, such as the cell-content feeder Liothrips ludwigi (Thysanoptera), the stem-borers Merocnemus binotatus (Boheman) and Tyloderma spp. (Coleoptera), are promising candidates for biocontrol agents.}, }
@article {pmid25488022, year = {2015}, author = {Silva, KM and Gross, TJ and Silva, FJ}, title = {Task-specific modulation of adult humans' tool preferences: number of choices and size of the problem.}, journal = {Learning &amp; behavior}, volume = {43}, number = {1}, pages = {44-53}, pmid = {25488022}, issn = {1543-4508}, mesh = {Adult ; Choice Behavior ; *Cognition ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Problem Solving ; }, abstract = {In two experiments, we examined the effect of modifications to the features of a stick-and-tube problem on the stick lengths that adult humans used to solve the problem. In Experiment 1, we examined whether people's tool preferences for retrieving an out-of-reach object in a tube might more closely resemble those reported with laboratory crows if people could modify a single stick to an ideal length to solve the problem. Contrary to when adult humans have selected a tool from a set of ten sticks, asking people to modify a single stick to retrieve an object did not generally result in a stick whose length was related to the object's distance. Consistent with the prior research, though, the working length of the stick was related to the object's distance. In Experiment 2, we examined the effect of increasing the scale of the stick-and-tube problem on people's tool preferences. Increasing the scale of the task influenced people to select relatively shorter tools than had selected in previous studies. Although the causal structures of the tasks used in the two experiments were identical, their results were not. This underscores the necessity of studying physical cognition in relation to a particular causal structure by using a variety of tasks and methods.}, }
@article {pmid25484292, year = {2014}, author = {Martinho, A and Burns, ZT and von Bayern, AM and Kacelnik, A}, title = {Monocular tool control, eye dominance, and laterality in New Caledonian crows.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {24}, number = {24}, pages = {2930-2934}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2014.10.035}, pmid = {25484292}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; *Dominance, Ocular ; Female ; *Functional Laterality ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Tool use, though rare, is taxonomically widespread, but morphological adaptations for tool use are virtually unknown. We focus on the New Caledonian crow (NCC, Corvus moneduloides), which displays some of the most innovative tool-related behavior among nonhumans. One of their major food sources is larvae extracted from burrows with sticks held diagonally in the bill, oriented with individual, but not species-wide, laterality. Among possible behavioral and anatomical adaptations for tool use, NCCs possess unusually wide binocular visual fields (up to 60°), suggesting that extreme binocular vision may facilitate tool use. Here, we establish that during natural extractions, tool tips can only be viewed by the contralateral eye. Thus, maintaining binocular view of tool tips is unlikely to have selected for wide binocular fields; the selective factor is more likely to have been to allow each eye to see far enough across the midsagittal line to view the tool's tip monocularly. Consequently, we tested the hypothesis that tool side preference follows eye preference and found that eye dominance does predict tool laterality across individuals. This contrasts with humans' species-wide motor laterality and uncorrelated motor-visual laterality, possibly because bill-held tools are viewed monocularly and move in concert with eyes, whereas hand-held tools are visible to both eyes and allow independent combinations of eye preference and handedness. This difference may affect other models of coordination between vision and mechanical control, not necessarily involving tools.}, }
@article {pmid25455033, year = {2014}, author = {Massen, JJ and Szipl, G and Spreafico, M and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Ravens intervene in others' bonding attempts.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {24}, number = {22}, pages = {2733-2736}, pmid = {25455033}, issn = {1879-0445}, support = {Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {*Aggression ; Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Cooperative Behavior ; Crows/*physiology ; *Object Attachment ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {The competition for power in a complex social world is hypothesized to be a driving force in the evolution of intelligence. More specifically, power may be obtained not only by brute force but also by social strategies resembling human politics. Most empirical evidence comes from primate studies that report unprovoked aggression by dominants to maintain power by spreading fear and third-party interventions in conflicts. Coalitionary support has also been described in other animals and is often linked to social bonding. As coalitions can lead to a gain in power and fitness benefits, individuals may try to prevent coalitionary support or indirectly prevent others from forming social bonds that might lead to coalitions. Although there is some empirical evidence that coalitionary support can be manipulated, little is known about the indirect strategy. We show here that wild ravens (Corvus corax) regularly intervene in affiliative interactions of others even though such interventions are potentially risky and without immediate benefits. Moreover, the identities of both interveners and intervened pairs are not randomly distributed. Ravens with existing ties initiate most interventions, and ravens that are creating new ties are most likely to be the targets of interventions. These patterns are consistent with the idea that interventions function to prevent others from forming alliances and consequently becoming future competitors. We thus show previously undescribed social maneuvers in the struggle for power. These maneuvers are likely to be of importance in other social species as well.}, }
@article {pmid25447513, year = {2015}, author = {Wascher, CA and Heiss, RS and Baglione, V and Canestrari, D}, title = {Behavioural responses to olfactory cues in carrion crows.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {111}, number = {}, pages = {1-5}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2014.11.009}, pmid = {25447513}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; *Cues ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Individuality ; Male ; *Odorants ; Recognition, Psychology/physiology ; Sex Characteristics ; Smell/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Until recently, the use of olfactory signals in birds has been largely ignored, despite the fact that birds do possess a fully functioning olfactory system and have been shown to use odours in social and foraging tasks, predator detection and orientation. The present study investigates whether carrion crows (Corvus corone corone), a bird species living in complex social societies, respond behaviourally to olfactory cues of conspecifics. During our experiment, carrion crows were observed less often close to the conspecific scent compared to a control side. Because conspecific scent was extracted during handling, a stressful procedure for birds, we interpreted the general avoidance of the 'scent' side as disfavour against a stressed conspecific. However, males, unlike females, showed less avoidance towards the scent of a familiar individual compared to an unfamiliar one, which might reflect a stronger interest in the information conveyed and/or willingness to provide social support.}, }
@article {pmid25437492, year = {2015}, author = {Auersperg, AM and van Horik, JO and Bugnyar, T and Kacelnik, A and Emery, NJ and von Bayern, AM}, title = {Combinatory actions during object play in psittaciformes (Diopsittaca nobilis, Pionites melanocephala, Cacatua goffini) and corvids (Corvus corax, C. monedula, C. moneduloides).}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {129}, number = {1}, pages = {62-71}, doi = {10.1037/a0038314}, pmid = {25437492}, issn = {1939-2087}, support = {J 3404/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Cockatoos ; Crows ; Parrots ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Problem Solving/*physiology ; Psittaciformes/*physiology ; Species Specificity ; }, abstract = {The playful (i.e., not overtly functional) combination of objects is considered a potential ontogenetic and phylogenetic precursor of technical problem solving abilities, as it may lead to affordance learning and honing of mechanical skills. We compared such activities in 6 avian species: 3 psittaciforms (black-headed caiques, red-shouldered macaws, and Goffin cockatoos) and 3 corvids (New Caledonian crows, ravens, and jackdaws). Differences in the type and frequency of object combinations were consistent with species' ecology. Object caching was found predominately in common ravens, which frequently cache food. The most intrinsically structured object combinations were found in New Caledonian crows and Goffin cockatoos, which both stand out for their problem solving abilities in physical tasks. Object insertions prevailed in New Caledonian crows that naturally extract food using tools. Our results support the idea that playful manipulations of inedible objects are linked to physical cognition and problem-solving abilities.}, }
@article {pmid25424402, year = {2014}, author = {Frankel, KA and Croy, CD and Kubicek, LF and Emde, RN and Mitchell, CM and Spicer, P}, title = {Toddler socioemotional behavior in a northern plains Indian tribe: associations with maternal psychosocial well-being.}, journal = {Infant mental health journal}, volume = {35}, number = {1}, pages = {10-20}, doi = {10.1002/imhj.21422}, pmid = {25424402}, issn = {1097-0355}, support = {R01 HD042760/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; HD42760/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Adult ; Child Behavior/*psychology ; Child, Preschool ; Depression/psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Indians, North American/*psychology ; Male ; Mother-Child Relations/*psychology ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Social Isolation/psychology ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Stress, Psychological/psychology ; Substance-Related Disorders/psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; }, abstract = {M.C. Sarche, C.D. Croy, C. Big Crow, C. Mitchell, and P. Spicer (2009) provided first-ever information relating the socioemotional development of American Indian toddlers to the immediate context of their mothers' lives. The current study sought to replicate and build on their earlier work by examining the impact of additional maternal risk factors, identified in previous research with non-American Indian populations, on the development of American Indian toddlers: maternal depression, negative social influences, and mother's feelings of isolation. At 27 months, American Indian mothers (N = 110) completed the Parent Demographic Questionnaire, which measured maternal psychosocial characteristics (e.g., depressed affect, social support, drug and alcohol use, isolation) and demographics. Mothers also completed the Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (A.S. Carter &amp; M.J. Briggs-Gowan, 2006) and the Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscale of the Parenting Stress Index (R.R. Abidin, 1995, 1997). Some results replicated the original study, but others did not. Reports of a dysfunctional mother-child relationship related to externalizing and internalizing problems, replicating the earlier study. This study also found associations between a dysfunctional mother-child relationship and socioemotional competence as well as dysregulation. The previous finding of a relationship between American Indian identity and socioemotional competence was supported. Adding the effects of maternal depressed affect and isolation significantly increased prediction of toddler behavior problems.}, }
@article {pmid25307108, year = {2014}, author = {Uchino, E and Watanabe, S}, title = {Self-recognition in pigeons revisited.}, journal = {Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior}, volume = {102}, number = {3}, pages = {327-334}, doi = {10.1002/jeab.112}, pmid = {25307108}, issn = {1938-3711}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; *Columbidae ; Conditioning, Operant ; *Recognition, Psychology ; Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Recognition of a self-image in a mirror is investigated using the mark test during which a mark is placed onto a point on the body that is not directly visible, and the presence or absence of self-directed behaviors is evaluated for the mirror-observing subjects. Great apes, dolphins, possibly elephants, and magpies have all passed the mark test, that is, displayed self-directed behaviors, whereas monkeys, crows, and other animals have failed the test even though they were able to use a mirror to find a not-directly-visible object. Self-directed behavior and mirror use are prerequisites of a successful mark test, and the absence of these behaviors may lead to false negative results. Epstein, Lanza, and Skinner (1981) reported self-directed behavior of pigeons in front of a mirror after explicit training of self-directed pecking and of pecking an object with the aid of a mirror, but certain other researchers could not confirm the results. The aim of the present study was to conduct the mark test with two pigeons that had received extensive training of the prerequisite behaviors. Crucial points of the training were identical topography (pecking) and the same reinforcement (food) in the prerequisite behaviors as well as sufficient training of these behaviors. After training for the prerequisite behaviors, both pigeons spontaneously integrated the learned self-directed and mirror-use behavior and displayed self-directed behavior in a mark test. This indicates that pigeons display mirror self-recognition after training of suitable ontogenetic contingency.}, }
@article {pmid25283209, year = {2014}, author = {Bochkov, AV and Klompen, H}, title = {New Harpirhynchinae Dubinin (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae)--intracutaneous and feather-base parasites of birds.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3860}, number = {4}, pages = {301-324}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.3860.4.1}, pmid = {25283209}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy &amp; histology/growth &amp; development ; Animals ; Bird Diseases/*parasitology ; Body Size ; Feathers/*parasitology ; Female ; Male ; Mite Infestations/parasitology/*veterinary ; Mites/anatomy &amp; histology/*classification/growth &amp; development ; Organ Size ; Passeriformes/parasitology ; }, abstract = {Seven new species of intracutaneous parasites of the subfamily Harpirhynchinae Dubinin (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea: Harpirhynchidae) are described: Anharpyrhynchus elizae sp. nov. from Cyanocitta cristata (type host), Cyanocitta stelleri (Passeriformes: Corvidae), and Colaptes auratus (Piciformes: Picidae) from the USA; Anharpyrhynchus apodus sp. nov. from Lichmera indistincta (type host) and Phylidonyris novaehollandiae (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae) from Australia; Anharpyrhynchus lukoschusi sp. nov. from Manorina flavigula (type host) and Certhionyx pectoralis (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae) from Australia; Fainharpirhynchus legatus sp. nov. from Legatus leucophaius (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) from Trinidad and Tobago; Fainharpirhynchus mossi sp. nov. from Myiarchus crinitus (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) from an unknown locality in North America; Perharpyrhynchus caprimulgus sp. nov. from Caprimulgus fossii (Caprimulgidae: Caprimulgiformes) from Mozambique; Perharpyrhynchus elseyornis sp. nov. from Elseyornis melanops (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) from Australia. Keys to females of the genera Anharpyrhynchus, Fainharpirhynchus, and Perharpyrhynchus are provided and data on hosts and distributions of all known intracutaneous harpirhynchines are summarized. In addition, a new non-subcutaneous harpirhynchine is described: Trichorhynchiella myiarchus sp. nov. from feather bases of Myiarchus crinitus (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) from an unknown locality in North America.}, }
@article {pmid25272009, year = {2014}, author = {Soler, M and Pérez-Contreras, T and Ibáñez-Álamo, JD and Roncalli, G and Macías-Sánchez, E and de Neve, L}, title = {Great spotted cuckoo fledglings often receive feedings from other magpie adults than their foster parents: which magpies accept to feed foreign cuckoo fledglings?.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {10}, pages = {e107412}, pmid = {25272009}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Nesting Behavior ; }, abstract = {Natural selection penalizes individuals that provide costly parental care to non-relatives. However, feedings to brood-parasitic fledglings by individuals other than their foster parents, although anecdotic, have been commonly observed, also in the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius)--magpie (Pica pica) system, but this behaviour has never been studied in depth. In a first experiment, we here show that great spotted cuckoo fledglings that were translocated to a distant territory managed to survive. This implies that obtaining food from foreign magpies is a frequent and efficient strategy used by great spotted cuckoo fledglings. A second experiment, in which we presented a stuffed-cuckoo fledgling in magpie territories, showed that adult magpies caring for magpie fledglings responded aggressively in most of the trials and never tried to feed the stuffed cuckoo, whereas magpies that were caring for cuckoo fledglings reacted rarely with aggressive behavior and were sometimes disposed to feed the stuffed cuckoo. In a third experiment we observed feedings to post-fledgling cuckoos by marked adult magpies belonging to four different possibilities with respect to breeding status (i.e. composition of the brood: only cuckoos, only magpies, mixed, or failed breeding attempt). All non-parental feeding events to cuckoos were provided by magpies that were caring only for cuckoo fledglings. These results strongly support the conclusion that cuckoo fledglings that abandon their foster parents get fed by other adult magpies that are currently caring for other cuckoo fledglings. These findings are crucial to understand the co-evolutionary arms race between brood parasites and their hosts because they show that the presence of the host's own nestlings for comparison is likely a key clue to favour the evolution of fledgling discrimination and provide new insights on several relevant points such as learning mechanisms and multiparasitism.}, }
@article {pmid25225036, year = {2015}, author = {Thom, JM and Clayton, NS}, title = {Translational research into intertemporal choice: the Western scrub-jay as an animal model for future-thinking.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {112}, number = {}, pages = {43-48}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2014.09.006}, pmid = {25225036}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; Decision Making ; Forecasting ; Humans ; *Models, Animal ; *Passeriformes ; *Thinking ; Time Factors ; *Translational Research, Biomedical ; }, abstract = {Decisions often involve outcomes that will not materialise until later, and choices between immediate gratification and future consequences are thought to be important for human health and welfare. Combined human and animal research has identified impulsive intertemporal choice as an important factor in drug-taking and pathological gambling. In this paper, we give an overview of recent research into intertemporal choice in non-human animals, and argue that this work could offer insight into human behaviour through the development of animal models. As an example, we discuss the role of future-thinking in intertemporal choice, and review the case for the Western scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica) as an animal model of such prospective cognition. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Tribute to Tom Zentall.}, }
@article {pmid25210590, year = {2014}, author = {Rahman, NA and Fadzly, N and Dzakwan, NM and Zulkifli, NH}, title = {The Numerical Competency of Two Bird Species (Corvus splendens and Acridotheres tristis).}, journal = {Tropical life sciences research}, volume = {25}, number = {1}, pages = {95-103}, pmid = {25210590}, issn = {1985-3718}, abstract = {We conducted a series of experiments to test the numerical competency of two species of birds, Corvus splendens (House Crow) and Acridotheres tristis (Common Myna). Both species were allowed to choose from seven different groups of mealworms with varying proportions. We considered the birds to have made a correct choice when it selected the food group with the highest number of mealworms. Our overall results indicated that the Common Myna is able to count numbers (161 successful choices out of 247 trials) better than House Crows (133 successful choices out of 241 trials). We suspect that House Crows do not rely on a numerical sense when selecting food. Although House Crows mostly chose the cup with more mealworms (from seven food item proportions), only one proportion was chosen at rate above random chance. The Common Myna, however, were slow performers at the beginning but became increasingly more capable of numerical sense during the remainder of the experiment (four out of seven food proportion groups were chosen at a rate above random chance).}, }
@article {pmid25207993, year = {2015}, author = {Clayton, NS}, title = {Ways of thinking: from crows to children and back again.}, journal = {Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006)}, volume = {68}, number = {2}, pages = {209-241}, doi = {10.1080/17470218.2014.943673}, pmid = {25207993}, issn = {1747-0226}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Child ; *Child Development ; *Cognition ; Crows ; Humans ; Problem Solving ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; Theory of Mind/*physiology ; *Thinking ; }, abstract = {This article reviews some of the recent work on the remarkable cognitive capacities of food-caching corvids. The focus will be on their ability to think about other minds and other times, and tool-using tests of physical problem solving. Research on developmental cognition suggests that young children do not pass similar tests until they are at least four years of age in the case of the social cognition experiments, and eight years of age in the case of the tasks that tap into physical cognition. This developmental trajectory seems surprising. Intuitively, one might have thought that the social and planning tasks required more complex forms of cognitive process, namely Mental Time Travel and Theory of Mind. Perhaps the fact that children pass these tasks earlier than the physical problem-solving tasks is a reflection of cultural influences. Future research will hope to identify these cognitive milestones by starting to develop tasks that might go some way towards understanding the mechanisms underlying these abilities in both children and corvids, to explore similarities and differences in their ways of thinking.}, }
@article {pmid25151937, year = {2014}, author = {Moll, FW and Nieder, A}, title = {The long and the short of it: rule-based relative length discrimination in carrion crows, Corvus corone.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {107}, number = {}, pages = {142-149}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2014.08.009}, pmid = {25151937}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology ; Executive Function/*physiology ; Male ; Space Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Birds and other nonhuman animals can choose the larger of two discrete or continuous quantities. However, whether birds possess the conceptual grasp and cognitive control to flexibly switch between relative more-or-less-than judgments remains elusive. We therefore tested carrion crows in a rule-based line-length discrimination task to flexibly select lines presented on a touchscreen according to their relative length. In the first experiment, the crows needed to discriminate a shorter from a longer line, and vice versa. In the second experiment, the crows were required to choose a medium long line among three lines of different length (intermediate-size task). The crows switched effortlessly between "longer than/shorter than" rules, showing no signs of trial history affecting switching performance. They reliably chose the relatively longer and shorter line length, thus demonstrating a concept of greater than/less than with a continuous magnitude. However, both crows failed to discriminate a line of 'medium' length embedded in longer and shorter lines. These results indicate that relational discrimination exhibits different cognitive demands. While a greater than/less than concept requires only one relational comparison (with the respectively greater or smaller magnitude), the discrimination of a 'medium' magnitude demands to relate two or more comparisons, which might overburden crows and maybe animals in general.}, }
@article {pmid25150963, year = {2015}, author = {Tornick, JK and Callahan, ES and Gibson, BM}, title = {An investigation of quantity discrimination in Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana).}, journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)}, volume = {129}, number = {1}, pages = {17-25}, doi = {10.1037/a0037863}, pmid = {25150963}, issn = {1939-2087}, mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/physiology ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology ; *Mathematical Concepts ; Passeriformes ; }, abstract = {We examined quantity discrimination in the Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), a corvid bird with a strong dependence upon caching and recovering nuts. We presented 2 sets of nuts simultaneously, in 21 different conditions, to see if the nutcrackers could choose the larger of the 2 quantities. The nutcrackers displayed a strong ability to discriminate quantities of nuts. Like other animals tested previously, the nutcrackers' performance decreased as the ratio of the 2 quantities approached 1. Interestingly, at constant distances, the nutcrackers did not have more difficulty with contrasts containing larger quantities. Thus, nutcrackers have a fine sensitivity for discriminating between 2 quantities. We review the relevant literature and explore the possibility that nutcrackers, like some other birds, may have developed a keen ability to discriminate quantities. This ability may have developed as an adaptive specialization to cope with their scatter-hoarding ecology, though the evidence for such a conclusion is mixed.}, }
@article {pmid25149562, year = {2014}, author = {Bratus, AS and Novozhilov, AS and Semenov, YS}, title = {Linear algebra of the permutation invariant Crow-Kimura model of prebiotic evolution.}, journal = {Mathematical biosciences}, volume = {256}, number = {}, pages = {42-57}, doi = {10.1016/j.mbs.2014.08.006}, pmid = {25149562}, issn = {1879-3134}, mesh = {*Biological Evolution ; *Models, Theoretical ; }, abstract = {A particular case of the famous quasispecies model - the Crow-Kimura model with a permutation invariant fitness landscape - is investigated. Using the fact that the mutation matrix in the case of a permutation invariant fitness landscape has a special tridiagonal form, a change of the basis is suggested such that in the new coordinates a number of analytical results can be obtained. In particular, using the eigenvectors of the mutation matrix as the new basis, we show that the quasispecies distribution approaches a binomial one and give simple estimates for the speed of convergence. Another consequence of the suggested approach is a parametric solution to the system of equations determining the quasispecies. Using this parametric solution we show that our approach leads to exact asymptotic results in some cases, which are not covered by the existing methods. In particular, we are able to present not only the limit behavior of the leading eigenvalue (mean population fitness), but also the exact formulas for the limit quasispecies eigenvector for special cases. For instance, this eigenvector has a geometric distribution in the case of the classical single peaked fitness landscape. On the biological side, we propose a mathematical definition, based on the closeness of the quasispecies to the binomial distribution, which can be used as an operational definition of the notorious error threshold. Using this definition, we suggest two approximate formulas to estimate the critical mutation rate after which the quasispecies delocalization occurs.}, }
@article {pmid25148039, year = {2014}, author = {Overeem, KR and Gabriel, PO and Zirpoli, JA and Black, JM}, title = {Steller sex: infidelity and sexual selection in a social Corvid (Cyanocitta stelleri).}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {8}, pages = {e105257}, pmid = {25148039}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; *Mating Preference, Animal ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Reproduction/genetics ; Selection, Genetic ; }, abstract = {Genetic analysis of avian mating systems has revealed that more than 70% of monogamous species show incidence of offspring parentage that does not match the social partner. Extra-pair parentage (EPP) has been linked to a variety of factors, including size and symmetry of ornamental traits, coloration, resource availability, and local conspecific density. We examined how ornamental plumage traits of individual Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) and territory characteristics influence genetic fidelity of socially monogamous pairs. We used seven highly polymorphic microsatellite markers to assign paternity to 79 offspring, and identified 12 (15.2%) as extra-pair young (EPY). Steller's jays with extra-pair young had significantly lower values of feather brightness and hue, indicating more ultraviolet-blue shifted coloration, and nested in closer proximity to the forest edge than Steller's jays with no detected EPY. Body size, crest height, asymmetry of ornamental crest stripes, as well as vegetative composition of territories and their proximity to supplemental feeders appeared to have little relationship to EPP. These results indicate that extra-pair parentage plays a role in the evolution of secondary sexual characteristics in both sexes, and suggest local density and availability of resources may influence Steller's jay mating dynamics.}, }
@article {pmid25147048, year = {2014}, author = {Montaz, J and Jacquot, M and Coeurdassier, M}, title = {Scavenging of rodent carcasses following simulated mortality due to field applications of anticoagulant rodenticide.}, journal = {Ecotoxicology (London, England)}, volume = {23}, number = {9}, pages = {1671-1680}, pmid = {25147048}, issn = {1573-3017}, mesh = {4-Hydroxycoumarins/analysis ; Animals ; Arvicolinae ; *Environmental Monitoring ; *Feeding Behavior ; *Food Chain ; France ; *Raptors ; Rodenticides/*analysis ; }, abstract = {Worldwide, agricultural uses of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) cause poisonings of non-target wildlife as observed in France where bromadiolone is used to control water vole outbreaks. Following bromadiolone field application, a part of the vole population may die aboveground of the treated plots and thus, can represent an important risk of secondary poisoning for scavengers. In this study, water voles were trapped in a non-treated area and their carcasses were placed aboveground in plots located in an area where a vole outbreak occurred. Then, the environmental persistence, the diurnal and nocturnal scavenging rates of water vole carcasses were assessed in autumn 2011 and in spring 2012. The diurnal scavenger species were also identified. The environmental persistence of the carcasses to reach at least a scavenging rate of 87.5 % was 0.5-1.5 day. The average rates of diurnal and nocturnal scavenging ranged from 67 to 100 % and 5 to 100 %, respectively. They depended on the composition of the scavenger community present near the monitored plots; diurnal scavenging rates being higher with corvids than with raptors. In autumn, the red kite and the common buzzard were the main scavengers in one of the plots, what suggests a high risk of poisoning for these raptors during post-nuptial migration. So, the collection of vole carcasses after treatments and the limitations of bromadiolone applications when high densities of predators/scavengers are observed could be implemented to mitigate the risks of secondary poisoning.}, }
@article {pmid25123853, year = {2015}, author = {Shephard, TV and Lea, SE and Hempel de Ibarra, N}, title = {'The thieving magpie'? No evidence for attraction to shiny objects.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {18}, number = {1}, pages = {393-397}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-014-0794-4}, pmid = {25123853}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Exploratory Behavior ; *Folklore ; Nesting Behavior ; Object Attachment ; *Passeriformes/physiology ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {It is widely accepted in European culture that magpies (Pica pica) are unconditionally attracted to shiny objects and routinely steal small trinkets such as jewellery, almost as a compulsion. Despite the long history of this folklore, published accounts of magpies collecting shiny objects are rare and empirical evidence for the behaviour is lacking. The latter is surprising considering that an attraction to bright objects is well documented in some bird species. The present study aims to clarify whether magpies show greater attraction to shiny objects than non-shiny objects when presented at the same time. We did not find evidence of an unconditional attraction to shiny objects in either captive or free-living birds. Instead, all objects elicited responses indicating neophobia in free-living birds. We suggest that humans notice when magpies occasionally pick up shiny objects because they believe the birds find them attractive, while it goes unnoticed when magpies interact with less eye-catching items. The folklore may therefore result from observation bias and cultural inflation of orally transmitted episodic events.}, }
@article {pmid25111085, year = {2014}, author = {Rokka, K and Pihlaja, M and Siitari, H and Soulsbury, CD}, title = {Sex-specific differences in offspring personalities across the laying order in magpies Pica pica.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {107}, number = {}, pages = {79-87}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2014.07.019}, pmid = {25111085}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Exploratory Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Personality/*physiology ; Reproduction/*physiology ; Sex Factors ; }, abstract = {Maternal effects provide an important mechanism for mothers to create variation in offspring personality, and to potentially influence offspring life history strategies e.g. creating more/less dispersive phenotypes. However, within-clutch maternal effects often vary and hence there is potential for within-clutch variation in personality. We studied the effects of hatching order on explorative and neophobic behaviour of the magpies Pica pica in relation to sex using novel environment and novel object experiments. Hatching order did affect explorative behaviour in magpie, but did so in opposite directions for either sex. First-hatched females were more explorative and had a tendency to be less neophobic, whereas in males, the reverse was true. Our results suggest that hormonal as well as post-natal environmental mechanisms could be underpinning this pattern. Future research is needed to fully understand the importance of both in creating different offspring personalities. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: insert SI title.}, }
@article {pmid25110694, year = {2014}, author = {Aspan, N and Bozsik, C and Gadoros, J and Nagy, P and Inantsy-Pap, J and Vida, P and Halasz, J}, title = {Emotion recognition pattern in adolescent boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.}, journal = {BioMed research international}, volume = {2014}, number = {}, pages = {761340}, pmid = {25110694}, issn = {2314-6141}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/*psychology ; Behavior ; Emotions ; Humans ; Intelligence Tests ; Male ; *Recognition, Psychology ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Social and emotional deficits were recently considered as inherent features of individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but only sporadic literature data exist on emotion recognition in adolescents with ADHD. The aim of the present study was to establish emotion recognition profile in adolescent boys with ADHD in comparison with control adolescents.<br><br>METHODS: Forty-four adolescent boys (13-16 years) participated in the study after informed consent; 22 boys had a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, while data were also assessed from 22 adolescent control boys matched for age and Raven IQ. Parent- and self-reported behavioral characteristics were assessed by the means of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The recognition of six basic emotions was evaluated by the "Facial Expressions of Emotion-Stimuli and Tests."<br><br>RESULTS: Compared to controls, adolescents with ADHD were more sensitive in the recognition of disgust and, worse in the recognition of fear and showed a tendency for impaired recognition of sadness. Hyperactivity measures showed an inverse correlation with fear recognition.<br><br>CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that adolescent boys with ADHD have alterations in the recognition of specific emotions.}, }
@article {pmid25107529, year = {2015}, author = {Němec, M and Syrová, M and Dokoupilová, L and Veselý, P and Šmilauer, P and Landová, E and Lišková, S and Fuchs, R}, title = {Surface texture and priming play important roles in predator recognition by the red-backed shrike in field experiments.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {18}, number = {1}, pages = {259-268}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-014-0796-2}, pmid = {25107529}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Female ; Male ; Nesting Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; *Recognition, Psychology ; *Repetition Priming ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {We compared the responses of the nesting red-backed shrikes (Lanius collurio) to three dummies of a common nest predator, the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), each made from a different material (stuffed, plush, and silicone). The shrikes performed defensive behaviour including attacks on all three dummies. Nevertheless, the number of attacks significantly decreased from the stuffed dummy through the plush dummy and finally to the silicone dummy. Our results show that wild birds use not only colours but also other surface features as important cues for recognition and categorization of other bird species. Moreover, the silicone dummy was attacked only when presented after the stuffed or plush dummy. Thus, we concluded that the shrikes recognized the jay only the stuffed (with feathered surface) and plush (with hairy surface) dummies during the first encounter. Recognition of the silicon dummy (with glossy surface) was facilitated by previous encounters with the more accurate model. This process resembles the effect of perceptual priming, which is widely described in the literature on humans.}, }
@article {pmid25101235, year = {2014}, author = {Poulin-Lord, MP and Barbeau, EB and Soulières, I and Monchi, O and Doyon, J and Benali, H and Mottron, L}, title = {Increased topographical variability of task-related activation in perceptive and motor associative regions in adult autistics.}, journal = {NeuroImage. Clinical}, volume = {4}, number = {}, pages = {444-453}, pmid = {25101235}, issn = {2213-1582}, support = {MOP-84243//Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada ; }, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Anoctamins ; Autistic Disorder/*pathology/physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Cortex/blood supply/*pathology ; Chloride Channels ; Female ; Functional Laterality ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imagination ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Motor Activity/*physiology ; Oxygen/blood ; Photic Stimulation ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: An enhanced plasticity is suspected to play a role in various microstructural alterations, as well as in regional cortical reallocations observed in autism. Combined with multiple indications of enhanced perceptual functioning in autism, and indications of atypical motor functioning, enhanced plasticity predicts a superior variability in functional cortical allocation, predominant in perceptual and motor regions.<br><br>METHOD: To test this prediction, we scanned 23 autistics and 22 typical participants matched on age, FSIQ, Raven percentile scores and handedness during a visuo-motor imitation task. For each participant, the coordinates of the strongest task-related activation peak were extracted in the primary (Brodmann area 4) and supplementary (BA 6) motor cortex, the visuomotor superior parietal cortex (BA 7), and the primary (BA 17) and associative (BAs 18 + 19) visual areas. Mean signal changes for each ROI in both hemispheres, and the number of voxels composing the strongest activation cluster were individually extracted to compare intensity and size of the signal between groups. For each ROI, in each hemisphere, and for every participant, the distance from their respective group average was used as a variable of interest to determine group differences in localization variability using repeated measures ANOVAs. Between-group comparison of whole-brain activation was also performed.<br><br>RESULTS: Both groups displayed a higher mean variability in the localization of activations in the associative areas compared to the primary visual or motor areas. However, despite this shared increased variability in associative cortices, a direct between-group comparison of the individual variability in localization of the activation revealed a significantly greater variability in the autistic group than in the typical group in the left visuo-motor superior parietal cortex (BA 7) and in the left associative visual areas (BAs 18 + 19).<br><br>CONCLUSION: Different and possibly unique strategies are used by each autistic individual. That enhanced variability in localization of activations in the autistic group is found in regions typically more variable in non-autistics raises the possibility that autism involves an enhancement and/or an alteration of typical plasticity mechanisms. The current study also highlights the necessity to verify, in fMRI studies involving autistic people, that hypoactivation at the group level does not result from each individual successfully completing a task using a unique brain allocation, even by comparison to his own group.}, }
@article {pmid25100696, year = {2014}, author = {Verhulst, S and Geerdink, M and Salomons, HM and Boonekamp, JJ}, title = {Social life histories: jackdaw dominance increases with age, terminally declines and shortens lifespan.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {281}, number = {1791}, pages = {20141045}, pmid = {25100696}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {*Aging ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Longevity ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; *Social Dominance ; }, abstract = {Behaviour may contribute to changes in fitness prospects with age, for example through effects of age-dependent social dominance on resource access. Older individuals often have higher dominance rank, which may reflect a longer lifespan of dominants and/or an increase in social dominance with age. In the latter case, increasing dominance could mitigate physiological senescence. We studied the social careers of free-living jackdaws over a 12 year period, and found that: (i) larger males attained higher ranks, (ii) social rank increased with age within individuals, and (iii) high-ranked individuals had shorter lifespan suggesting that maintaining or achieving high rank and associated benefits comes at a cost. Lastly, (iv) social rank declined substantially in the last year an individual was observed in the colony, and through its effect on resource access this may accelerate senescence. We suggest that behaviour affecting the ability to secure resources is integral to the senescence process via resource effects on somatic state, where behaviour may include not only social dominance, but also learning, memory, perception and (sexual) signalling. Studying behavioural effects on senescence via somatic state may be most effective in the wild, where there is competition for resources, which is usually avoided in laboratory conditions.}, }
@article {pmid25089821, year = {2014}, author = {Lee, WY and Kim, M and Jablonski, PG and Choe, JC and Lee, SI}, title = {Effect of incubation on bacterial communities of eggshells in a temperate bird, the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica).}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {8}, pages = {e103959}, pmid = {25089821}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Bacteria/*growth &amp; development ; Egg Shell/*microbiology ; Nesting Behavior ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Phylogeny ; }, abstract = {Inhibitory effect of incubation on microbial growth has extensively been studied in wild bird populations using culture-based methods and conflicting results exist on whether incubation selectively affects the growth of microbes on the egg surface. In this study, we employed culture-independent methods, quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing, to elucidate the effect of incubation on the bacterial abundance and bacterial community composition on the eggshells of the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica). We found that total bacterial abundance increased and diversity decreased on incubated eggs while there were no changes on non-incubated eggs. Interestingly, Gram-positive Bacillus, which include mostly harmless species, became dominant and genus Pseudomonas, which include opportunistic avian egg pathogens, were significantly reduced after incubation. These results suggest that avian incubation in temperate regions may promote the growth of harmless (or benevolent) bacteria and suppress the growth of pathogenic bacterial taxa and consequently reduce the diversity of microbes on the egg surface. We hypothesize that this may occur due to difference in sensitivity to dehydration on the egg surface among microbes, combined with the introduction of Bacillus from bird feathers and due to the presence of antibiotics that certain bacteria produce.}, }
@article {pmid25081449, year = {2014}, author = {Dronen, NO and Tkach, VV}, title = {Key to the species of Morishitium Wienberg, 1928 (Cyclocoelidae), with the description of a new species from the red-billed blue magpie, Urocissa erythrorhyncha (Boddaert) (Corvidae) from Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3835}, number = {2}, pages = {273-282}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.3835.2.7}, pmid = {25081449}, issn = {1175-5334}, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy &amp; histology/growth &amp; development ; Animals ; Body Size ; China ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Organ Size ; Ovum/cytology ; Trematoda/anatomy &amp; histology/*classification/growth &amp; development ; }, abstract = {The 11 species currently assigned to Morishitium and the new species described herein are divided into the rauschi, straightum and vagum body types, and keys to species are provided. Morishitium urocissae n. sp. is described from the red-billed blue magpie, Urocissa erythrorhyncha (Corvidae), from the Dashahe Nature Reserve, Guizhou Province, southwestern Peoples Republic of China. Morishitium urocissae n. sp. is similar to M. bivesiculatum by having a similar ratio of the width of the pharynx to the width of the oral sucker (1:1.0-1:1.2 compared to 1:1.0) and a similar sized cirrus sac (470-565 long; 3-5% of body length compared to 400; 4%). Both species also have the anterior extent of the vitelline fields reaching the level of the pharynx, which distinguishes them from all other species in the genus that have an oral sucker present and lack a ventral. The new species differs from M. bivesiculatum by having a larger maximum egg size (135 by 70 compared to 127 by 65), uterine loops that overreach the ceca laterally rather than being intercecal, a shorter distance from the posterior testis to the posterior arch of the cyclocoel (70 [0-110] compared to 400), and by being from a magpie from the People's Republic of China rather than being from a barbet from Sri Lanka. The new species is most similar to M. dumetellae, but differs from this species by having wider eggs (65 compared to 60), a longer body (10,400- 13,350 compared to 8,500), a shorter cirrus sac (470-565; 3-5% of the body length compared to 595; 7%), a smaller ratio of the pharynx to the oral sucker (1:1.0-1:1.3 compared to 1:1.7), more laterally extensive uterine loops (overreaching the ceca compared to being interececal), the anterior extent of the vitelline fields reaching to the level of the pharynx as compared to terminating posterior to the cecal bifurcation, and by being from a magpie from the People's Republic of China rather than from a catbird from the United States.}, }
@article {pmid25055009, year = {2014}, author = {Logan, CJ and Jelbert, SA and Breen, AJ and Gray, RD and Taylor, AH}, title = {Modifications to the Aesop's Fable paradigm change New Caledonian crow performances.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {7}, pages = {e103049}, pmid = {25055009}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Child, Preschool ; *Cognition ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Problem Solving ; Reward ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {While humans are able to understand much about causality, it is unclear to what extent non-human animals can do the same. The Aesop's Fable paradigm requires an animal to drop stones into a water-filled tube to bring a floating food reward within reach. Rook, Eurasian jay, and New Caledonian crow performances are similar to those of children under seven years of age when solving this task. However, we know very little about the cognition underpinning these birds' performances. Here, we address several limitations of previous Aesop's Fable studies to gain insight into the causal cognition of New Caledonian crows. Our results provide the first evidence that any non-human animal can solve the U-tube task and can discriminate between water-filled tubes of different volumes. However, our results do not provide support for the hypothesis that these crows can infer the presence of a hidden causal mechanism. They also call into question previous object-discrimination performances. The methodologies outlined here should allow for more powerful comparisons between humans and other animal species and thus help us to determine which aspects of causal cognition are distinct to humans.}, }
@article {pmid25027746, year = {2015}, author = {Schiebener, J and García-Arias, M and García-Villamisar, D and Cabanyes-Truffino, J and Brand, M}, title = {Developmental changes in decision making under risk: The role of executive functions and reasoning abilities in 8- to 19-year-old decision makers.}, journal = {Child neuropsychology : a journal on normal and abnormal development in childhood and adolescence}, volume = {21}, number = {6}, pages = {759-778}, doi = {10.1080/09297049.2014.934216}, pmid = {25027746}, issn = {1744-4136}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain/*physiology ; Child ; Cognition/*physiology ; Decision Making/*physiology ; Executive Function/*physiology ; Female ; Games, Experimental ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Risk-Taking ; Thinking ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {Previous studies have shown that children and adolescents often tend toward risky decisions despite explicit knowledge about the potential negative consequences. This phenomenon has been suggested to be associated with the immaturity of brain areas involved in cognitive control functions. Particularly, "frontal lobe functions," such as executive functions and reasoning, mature until young adulthood and are thought to be involved in age-related changes in decision making under explicit risk conditions. We investigated 112 participants, aged 8-19 years, with a frequently used task assessing decisions under risk, the Game of Dice Task (GDT). Additionally, we administered the Modified Card Sorting Test assessing executive functioning (categorization, cognitive flexibility, and strategy maintenance) as well as the Ravens Progressive Matrices assessing reasoning. The results showed that risk taking in the GDT decreased with increasing age and this effect was not moderated by reasoning but by executive functions: Particularly, young persons with weak executive functioning showed very risky decision making. Thus, the individual maturation of executive functions, associated with areas in the prefrontal cortex, seems to be an important factor in young peoples' behavior in risky decision-making situations.}, }
@article {pmid25004080, year = {2014}, author = {Kanai, M and Matsui, H and Watanabe, S and Izawa, E}, title = {Involvement of vision in tool use in crow.}, journal = {Neuroreport}, volume = {25}, number = {13}, pages = {1064-1068}, doi = {10.1097/WNR.0000000000000229}, pmid = {25004080}, issn = {1473-558X}, mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Male ; Psychomotor Performance ; *Tool Use Behavior ; *Vision, Ocular ; }, abstract = {Birds are capable of dexterous sensory-motor activities such as tool use. Reaching is a crucial component of tool use and is a vision-guided behavior in primates, in which arm movement is monitored online in a stable visual frame. However, vision-guided reaching in primates is enabled by anatomical separation of the head and arm; neck reaching in birds accompanies head movement, which produces unstable vision because the eye necessarily moves with the bill. This anatomical difference raises the question whether tool use in birds involves visuomotor mechanisms that are distinct from those in primates. As the role of vision in avian tool use has been poorly understood, we investigated the role of vision in tool use in the large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos), a nontool user in the wild. Crows were trained to manipulate an L-shaped hook to retrieve food that was otherwise out of reach. After training, an opaque panel was placed on the front window of the platform to block their vision, and the effects on tool use were tested with respect to performance and movement trajectory. Vision blocking caused similar deviation of tool movement trajectories for both near and far targets, as well as far target-specific deviation. This suggests the involvement of vision in tool use by crows, specifically in the premanipulation process for conversion of vision-body coordinates for motor planning and in the process of tool manipulation. This is the first behavioral evidence for the involvement of vision in avian tool use.}, }
@article {pmid25001401, year = {2015}, author = {Kalinowski, RS and Gabriel, PO and Black, JM}, title = {Who's watching influences caching effort in wild Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri).}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {18}, number = {1}, pages = {95-98}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-014-0780-x}, pmid = {25001401}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior/*psychology ; Female ; Food ; Male ; *Passeriformes ; *Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) often store food and return to retrieve the stored items at a later time. Between caching and consumption, stored food has the potential to be pilfered by conspecific observers. We investigated whether individually marked Steller's jays in suburban neighborhoods of Arcata, California, USA, adjusted cache concealment effort when in the presence of conspecifics. Both male and female jays traveled the shortest distances to cache when alone, traveled further when a mate was present, and traveled furthest when neighbors from adjacent territories were present. These results suggest that Steller's jays recognize and respond to social contexts when concealing food items.}, }
@article {pmid24984324, year = {2014}, author = {Gavrilov, VM}, title = {Ecological and scaling analysis of the energy expenditure of rest, activity, flight, and evaporative water loss in Passeriformes and non-Passeriformes in relation to seasonal migrations and to the occupation of boreal stations in high and moderate latitudes.}, journal = {The Quarterly review of biology}, volume = {89}, number = {2}, pages = {107-150}, doi = {10.1086/676046}, pmid = {24984324}, issn = {0033-5770}, mesh = {Animal Migration/*physiology ; Animals ; Basal Metabolism ; Birds/physiology ; *Ecology ; Energy Metabolism/*physiology ; Metabolism ; Molting/physiology ; Passeriformes/*metabolism/physiology ; *Seasons ; Temperature ; Water Supply ; }, abstract = {A unified system of bioenergetic parameters that describe thermal regulation and energy metabolism in many passerine and non-passerine species has been developed. These parameters have been analyzed as functions of ambient temperature, and bioenergetic models for various species have been developed. The level of maximum food energy or maximal existence metabolism (MPE) is 1.3 times higher in passerines than in non-passerines, which is consistent with the ratio of their basal metabolic rates (BMR). The optimal ambient temperature for maximizing productive processes (e.g., reproduction, molting) is lower for passerines than for non passerines, which allows passerines to have higher production rates at moderate ambient temperatures. This difference in the optimal ambient temperature may explain the variation in bioenergetic parameters along latitudinal gradients, such as the well-known ecological rule of clutch size (or mass) increase in the more northerly passerine birds. The increased potential for productive energy output in the north may also allow birds to molt faster there. This phenomenon allows passerine birds to occupy a habitat that fluctuates widely in ambient temperature compared with non-passerine birds of similar size. Passerines have a more effective system for maintaining heat balance at both high and low temperatures. The high metabolism and small body sizes of passerines are consistent with omnivore development and with ecological plasticity. Among large passerines, the unfavorable ratio of MPE to BMR should decrease the energy that is available for productive processes. This consequence limits both the reproductive output and the development of long migration (particularly in Corvus corax). The hypothesis regarding BMR increase in passerines was suggested based on an aerodynamic analysis of the flight speed and the wing characteristics. This allometric analysis shows that the flight velocity is approximately 20% lower in Passeriformes than in non-Passeriformes, which is consistent with the inverted ratio of their BMR level. The regressions for the aerodynamic characteristics of wings show that passerines do not change the morphological characteristics of their wings to decrease velocity. Passerine birds prefer forest habitats. The size range of 5-150 g for birds in forest habitats is almost exclusively occupied by passerines because of their large energetic capability.}, }
@article {pmid24967077, year = {2014}, author = {DeGregorio, BA and Weatherhead, PJ and Sperry, JH}, title = {Power lines, roads, and avian nest survival: effects on predator identity and predation intensity.}, journal = {Ecology and evolution}, volume = {4}, number = {9}, pages = {1589-1600}, pmid = {24967077}, issn = {2045-7758}, abstract = {1 Anthropogenic alteration of landscapes can affect avian nest success by influencing the abundance, distribution, and behavior of predators. Understanding avian nest predation risk necessitates understanding how landscapes affect predator distribution and behavior. 2 From a sample of 463 nests of 17 songbird species, we evaluated how landscape features (distance to forest edge, unpaved roads, and power lines) influenced daily nest survival. We also used video cameras to identify nest predators at 137 nest predation events and evaluated how landscape features influenced predator identity. Finally, we determined the abundance and distribution of several of the principal predators using surveys and radiotelemetry. 3 Distance to power lines was the best predictor of predator identity: predation by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), corvids (Corvus sp. and Cyanocitta cristata), racers (Coluber constrictor), and coachwhips (Masticophis flagellum) increased with proximity to power lines, whereas predation by rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta) and raptors decreased. In some cases, predator density may reliably indicate nest predation risk because racers, corvids, and cowbirds frequently used power line right-of-ways. 4 Of five bird species with enough nests to analyze individually, daily nest survival of only indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea) decreased with proximity to power lines, despite predation by most predators at our site being positively associated with power lines. For all nesting species combined, distance to unpaved road was the model that most influenced daily nest survival. This pattern is likely a consequence of rat snakes, the locally dominant nest predator (28% of predation events), rarely using power lines and associated areas. Instead, rat snakes were frequently associated with road edges, indicating that not all edges are functionally similar. 5 Our results suggest that interactions between predators and landscape features are likely to be specific to both the local predators and landscape. Thus, predicting how anthropogenic changes to landscapes affect nesting birds requires that we know more about how landscape changes affect the behavior of nest predators and which nest predators are locally important.}, }
@article {pmid24950485, year = {2014}, author = {deShazo, RD and Smith, R and Skipworth, LB}, title = {Black physicians and the struggle for civil rights: lessons from the Mississippi experience: part 2: their lives and experiences.}, journal = {The American journal of medicine}, volume = {127}, number = {11}, pages = {1033-1040}, doi = {10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.05.042}, pmid = {24950485}, issn = {1555-7162}, mesh = {African Americans/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; Civil Rights/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; Delivery of Health Care/*ethnology/history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Mississippi ; Physicians/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence/supply &amp; distribution ; Racism/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; *Social Justice ; }, abstract = {Little information is available on the lives and experiences of black physicians who practiced in the South during the Jim Crow era of legalized segregation. In Mississippi and elsewhere, it is a story of disenfranchised professionals who risked life, limb, and personal success to improve the lot of those they served. In this second article on this topic, we present the stories of some of the physicians who were leaders in the civil rights movement in Mississippi as examples. Because the health disparities they sought to address have, not of their own making, been passed on to the next generation of physicians, the lessons learned from their experience are worthy of consideration.}, }
@article {pmid24941459, year = {2014}, author = {deShazo, RD and Smith, R and Skipworth, LB}, title = {Black physicians and the struggle for civil rights: lessons from the Mississippi experience: part 1: the forces for and against change.}, journal = {The American journal of medicine}, volume = {127}, number = {10}, pages = {920-925}, doi = {10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.05.038}, pmid = {24941459}, issn = {1555-7162}, mesh = {African Americans/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; Civil Rights/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; Delivery of Health Care/*ethnology/history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Mississippi ; Physicians/*history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence/supply &amp; distribution ; Racism/*ethnology/history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; *Social Justice ; }, abstract = {The roles of black physicians in the South in the period leading up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 have not been fully disclosed. In Mississippi and elsewhere in the South, it is a story of disenfranchised professionals who risked life, limb, and personal success to improve the lot of those they served. This first of 2 articles on the subject provides an overview of the forces for and against the struggle for civil rights and social justice in medicine in the South. We use newly available data from Mississippi as a prime example. An understanding of these forces is essential to an understanding of medical education and medical practice in this period and helps explain why the South remains in last place in most indicators of health today.}, }
@article {pmid24920476, year = {2014}, author = {Taylor, AH and Cheke, LG and Waismeyer, A and Meltzoff, AN and Miller, R and Gopnik, A and Clayton, NS and Gray, RD}, title = {Of babies and birds: complex tool behaviours are not sufficient for the evolution of the ability to create a novel causal intervention.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {281}, number = {1787}, pages = {}, pmid = {24920476}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {Animals ; *Biological Evolution ; Child, Preschool ; *Cognition ; Conditioning, Operant ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; *Learning ; Male ; New Caledonia ; *Tool Use Behavior ; }, abstract = {Humans are capable of simply observing a correlation between cause and effect, and then producing a novel behavioural pattern in order to recreate the same outcome. However, it is unclear how the ability to create such causal interventions evolved. Here, we show that while 24-month-old children can produce an effective, novel action after observing a correlation, tool-making New Caledonian crows cannot. These results suggest that complex tool behaviours are not sufficient for the evolution of this ability, and that causal interventions can be cognitively and evolutionarily disassociated from other types of causal understanding.}, }
@article {pmid24918951, year = {2014}, author = {Margiotta, G and Gabbrielli, M and Carnevali, E and Alberti, T and Carlini, L and Lancia, M and Bacci, M}, title = {Genetic identification by using short tandem repeats analysis in a case of suicide by self-incineration: a case report.}, journal = {The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology}, volume = {35}, number = {3}, pages = {172-175}, doi = {10.1097/PAF.0000000000000101}, pmid = {24918951}, issn = {1533-404X}, mesh = {Burns/*pathology ; *DNA Fingerprinting ; Fires ; Humans ; Male ; *Microsatellite Repeats ; Middle Aged ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; *Suicide ; }, abstract = {Suicide by self-incineration is an uncommon method of suicide in the western world in contrast with Asian countries, where this type of suicide is more common. If there is a lack of witnesses, genetic analysis for identification is mandatory, especially when anthropologic or dental identification is barely significant.The authors report a case of self-incineration of a 55-year-old white man, which occurred near Siena, Tuscany, Italy.The recovered bones were classified according to the Crow-Glassman scale and assigned to category 5 (the highest extent of combustion according to this scale). Therefore, because of the extent of the bone damage, analyzing the residual soft tissue around the pelvic bones was the only way to reach a genetic identification.The authors report this case to emphasize that even if the highest level of burn injury to human body is reached, an accurate analysis of the findings may lead to a genetic identification. In these cases, an efficient cooperation among police, fire experts, and forensics is necessary, especially because it is the only way to determine if the modality of death was accidental, suicidal, or homicidal.}, }
@article {pmid24916150, year = {2014}, author = {Molina-Morales, M and Martínez, JG and Martín-Gálvez, D and Dawson, DA and Burke, T and Avilés, JM}, title = {Cuckoo hosts shift from accepting to rejecting parasitic eggs across their lifetime.}, journal = {Evolution; international journal of organic evolution}, volume = {68}, number = {10}, pages = {3020-3029}, doi = {10.1111/evo.12471}, pmid = {24916150}, issn = {1558-5646}, mesh = {Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Female ; Male ; *Nesting Behavior ; *Ovum ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; }, abstract = {One of the best-known outcomes of coevolution between species is the rejection of mimetic parasite eggs by avian hosts, which has evolved to reduce costly cuckoo parasitism. How this behavioral adaptation varies along the life of individual hosts remains poorly understood. Here, we identify for the first time, lifetime patterns of egg rejection in a parasitized long-lived bird, the magpie Pica pica and show that, during the years they were studied, some females accept, others reject, and some others modify their response to model eggs, in all cases switching from acceptance to rejection. Females tested in their first breeding attempt always accepted the model egg, even those individuals whose mothers were egg rejecters. A longitudinal analysis showed that the probability of egg rejection increased with the relative age of the female, but was not related to the risk of parasitism in the population. We conclude that ontogeny plays a fundamental role in the process leading to egg rejection in magpies.}, }
@article {pmid24899702, year = {2014}, author = {Veit, L and Hartmann, K and Nieder, A}, title = {Neuronal correlates of visual working memory in the corvid endbrain.}, journal = {The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience}, volume = {34}, number = {23}, pages = {7778-7786}, pmid = {24899702}, issn = {1529-2401}, mesh = {Action Potentials/*physiology ; Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Crows ; Female ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology ; Neurons/*physiology ; Photic Stimulation ; ROC Curve ; Reaction Time/physiology ; Telencephalon/*cytology/physiology ; }, abstract = {The concept of working memory is key to cognitive functioning. Working memory encompasses the capacity to retain immediately past information, to process this information, and to use it to guide goal-directed behavior. Corvid songbirds are renowned for their high-level cognitive capabilities, but where and how visual information is temporarily retained by neurons in the avian brain in a behaviorally relevant way remains poorly understood. We trained four carrion crows (Corvus corone) on versions of a delayed match-to-sample task that required the crows to remember a visual stimulus for later comparison. While the crows performed the task, we recorded the activity of single neurons in the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a pallial association area of the avian endbrain. We show that many NCL neurons encode information about visual stimuli and temporarily maintain this information after the stimulus disappeared by sustained delay activity. Selective delay activity allows the birds to hold relevant information in memory and correlates with discrimination behavior. This suggests that sustained activity of NCL neurons is a neuronal correlate of visual working memory in the corvid brain and serves to bridge temporal gaps, thereby offering a workspace for processing immediately past visual information.}, }
@article {pmid24889656, year = {2014}, author = {Shaw, RC and Clayton, NS}, title = {Pilfering Eurasian jays use visual and acoustic information to locate caches.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {17}, number = {6}, pages = {1281-1288}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-014-0763-y}, pmid = {24889656}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Auditory Perception ; Feeding Behavior/*psychology ; Female ; Male ; *Passeriformes/physiology ; *Spatial Memory ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Pilfering corvids use observational spatial memory to accurately locate caches that they have seen another individual make. Accordingly, many corvid cache-protection strategies limit the transfer of visual information to potential thieves. Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) employ strategies that reduce the amount of visual and auditory information that is available to competitors. Here, we test whether or not the jays recall and use both visual and auditory information when pilfering other birds' caches. When jays had no visual or acoustic information about cache locations, the proportion of available caches that they found did not differ from the proportion expected if jays were searching at random. By contrast, after observing and listening to a conspecific caching in gravel or sand, jays located a greater proportion of caches, searched more frequently in the correct substrate type and searched in fewer empty locations to find the first cache than expected. After only listening to caching in gravel and sand, jays also found a larger proportion of caches and searched in the substrate type where they had heard caching take place more frequently than expected. These experiments demonstrate that Eurasian jays possess observational spatial memory and indicate that pilfering jays may gain information about cache location merely by listening to caching. This is the first evidence that a corvid may use recalled acoustic information to locate and pilfer caches.}, }
@article {pmid24859099, year = {2014}, author = {Douglas, V and Chan, HM and Wesche, S and Dickson, C and Kassi, N and Netro, L and Williams, M}, title = {Reconciling traditional knowledge, food security, and climate change: experience from Old Crow, YT, Canada.}, journal = {Progress in community health partnerships : research, education, and action}, volume = {8}, number = {1}, pages = {21-27}, doi = {10.1353/cpr.2014.0007}, pmid = {24859099}, issn = {1557-0541}, mesh = {Arctic Regions ; *Climate Change ; Community-Based Participatory Research/methods/organization &amp; administration ; Culture ; Feeding Behavior/*ethnology ; Focus Groups ; Food Preservation/economics/methods ; Food Storage/economics/methods ; Food Supply/economics/*methods ; Gardening/*education/methods ; Humans ; Indians, North American/*education ; Nutritional Sciences/*education ; Transportation/economics/methods ; Yukon Territory ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Because of a lack of transportation infrastructure, Old Crow has the highest food costs and greatest reliance on traditional food species for sustenance of any community in Canada's Yukon Territory. Environmental, cultural, and economic change are driving increased perception of food insecurity in Old Crow.<br><br>OBJECTIVES: To address community concerns regarding food security and supply in Old Crow and develop adaptation strategies to ameliorate their impact on the community.<br><br>METHODS: A community adaptation workshop was held on October 13, 2009, in which representatives of different stakeholders in the community discussed a variety of food security issues facing Old Crow and how they could be dealt with. Workshop data were analyzed using keyword, subject, and narrative analysis techniques to determine community priorities in food security and adaptation.<br><br>RESULTS: Community concern is high and favored adaptation options include agriculture, improved food storage, and conservation through increased traditional education. These results were presented to the community for review and revision, after which the Vuntut Gwitchin Government will integrate them into its ongoing adaptation planning measures.}, }
@article {pmid24843936, year = {2013}, author = {Campbell, R and Thiemann, TC and Lemenager, D and Reisen, WK}, title = {Host-selection patterns of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) determine the spatial heterogeneity of West Nile virus enzootic activity in northern California.}, journal = {Journal of medical entomology}, volume = {50}, number = {6}, pages = {1303-1309}, doi = {10.1603/me13089}, pmid = {24843936}, issn = {0022-2585}, support = {R01-AI65507/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Birds/physiology ; California ; Culex/*physiology/*virology ; Feeding Behavior ; Insect Vectors/*physiology/*virology ; Mammals/physiology ; West Nile Fever/*transmission ; West Nile virus/*isolation &amp; purification/physiology ; }, abstract = {The spatial heterogeneity of West Nile virus (WNV) activity in Sutter County, CA, as measured by mosquito infection rates, was associated with spatial variation in the prevalence of Culex blood feeding on competent passeriform hosts. Overall, 42 vertebrate host species (31 avian, 11 mammal) were identified from 601 blood-fed Culex tarsalis Coquillett and 151 blood-fed Culex pipiens L. complex females using sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene and the Barcode of Life Data Systems database. WNV infection rates were low at sites where the primary vector, Cx. tarsalis, fed frequently on domestic cattle or incompetent galliform birds and high when females fed frequently on American Robins, American Crows, and Yellow-billed Magpies. Opportunistic host selection by Cx. tarsalis in combination with spatial variation in the presence of highly competent corvid hosts appeared to determine the distribution of WNV activity in rural Sutter County, CA.}, }
@article {pmid24825344, year = {2014}, author = {Krieger, N and Chen, JT and Coull, BA and Beckfield, J and Kiang, MV and Waterman, PD}, title = {Jim Crow and premature mortality among the US Black and White population, 1960-2009: an age-period-cohort analysis.}, journal = {Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)}, volume = {25}, number = {4}, pages = {494-504}, pmid = {24825344}, issn = {1531-5487}, support = {R21 CA168470/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States ; 1R21CA168470/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States ; }, mesh = {African Americans/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Mortality, Premature/history ; *Racism/history/legislation &amp; jurisprudence ; United States/epidemiology ; Whites/*statistics &amp; numerical data ; }, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Scant research has analyzed the health impact of abolition of Jim Crow (ie, legal racial discrimination overturned by the US 1964 Civil Rights Act).<br><br>METHODS: We used hierarchical age-period-cohort models to analyze US national black and white premature mortality rates (death before 65 years of age) in 1960-2009.<br><br>RESULTS: Within a context of declining US black and white premature mortality rates and a persistent 2-fold excess black risk of premature mortality in both the Jim Crow and non-Jim Crow states, analyses including random period, cohort, state, and county effects and fixed county income effects found that, within the black population, the largest Jim Crow-by-period interaction occurred in 1960-1964 (mortality rate ratio [MRR] = 1.15 [95% confidence interval = 1.09-1.22), yielding the largest overall period-specific Jim Crow effect MRR of 1.27, with no such interactions subsequently observed. Furthermore, the most elevated Jim Crow-by-cohort effects occurred for birth cohorts from 1901 through 1945 (MRR range = 1.05-1.11), translating to the largest overall cohort-specific Jim Crow effect MRRs for the 1921-1945 birth cohorts (MRR ~ 1.2), with no such interactions subsequently observed. No such interactions between Jim Crow and either period or cohort occurred among the white population.<br><br>CONCLUSION: Together, the study results offer compelling evidence of the enduring impact of both Jim Crow and its abolition on premature mortality among the US black population, although insufficient to eliminate the persistent 2-fold black excess risk evident in both the Jim Crow and non-Jim Crow states from 1960 to 2009.}, }
@article {pmid24770885, year = {2014}, author = {Garland, A and Low, J and Armstrong, N and Burns, KC}, title = {Wild robins (Petroica longipes) respond to human gaze.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {17}, number = {5}, pages = {1149-1156}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-014-0747-y}, pmid = {24770885}, issn = {1435-9456}, mesh = {Animals ; *Attention ; Choice Behavior ; Cognition ; Cues ; Discrimination, Psychological ; Feeding Behavior/psychology ; Female ; Fixation, Ocular ; Humans ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {Gaze following and awareness of attentional cues are hallmarks of human and non-human social intelligence. Here, we show that the North Island robin (Petroica longipes), a food-hoarding songbird endemic to New Zealand, responds to human eyes. Robins were presented with six different conditions, in which two human experimenters altered the orientation or visibility of their body, head or eyes in relation to mealworm prey. One experimenter had visual access to the prey, and the second experimenter did not. Robins were then given the opportunity to 'steal' one of two mealworms presented by each experimenter. Robins responded by preferentially choosing the mealworm in front of the experimenter who could not see, in all conditions but one. Robins failed to discriminate between experimenters who were facing the mealworm and those who had their head turned 90° to the side. This may suggest that robins do not make decisions using the same eye visibility cues that primates and corvids evince, whether for ecological, experiential or evolutionary reasons.}, }
@article {pmid24761929, year = {2014}, author = {Weisberg, M}, title = {Remeasuring man.}, journal = {Evolution &amp; development}, volume = {16}, number = {3}, pages = {166-178}, doi = {10.1111/ede.12077}, pmid = {24761929}, issn = {1525-142X}, mesh = {Anthropology/history ; Cephalometry/history ; History, 19th Century ; Humans ; *Racial Groups ; Racism ; Skull/*anatomy &amp; histology ; }, abstract = {Samuel George Morton (1799-1851) was the most highly regarded American scientist of the early and middle 19th century. Thanks largely to Stephen Jay Gould's book The Mismeasure of Man, Morton's cranial capacity measurements of different races is now held up as a prime example of and cautionary tale against scientific racism. A team of anthropologists recently reevaluated Morton's work and argued that it was Gould, not Morton, who was biased in his analysis. This article is a reexamination of the Morton and Gould controversy. It argues that most of Gould's arguments against Morton are sound. Although Gould made some errors and overstated his case in a number of places, he provided prima facia evidence, as yet unrefuted, that Morton did indeed mismeasure his skulls in ways that conformed to 19th century racial biases. Gould's critique of Morton ought to remain as an illustration of implicit bias in science.}, }
@article {pmid24760177, year = {2014}, author = {Röder, G and Canestrari, D and Bolopo, D and Marcos, JM and Villard, N and Baglione, V and Turlings, TC}, title = {Chicks of the great spotted cuckoo may turn brood parasitism into mutualism by producing a foul-smelling secretion that repels predators.}, journal = {Journal of chemical ecology}, volume = {40}, number = {4}, pages = {320-324}, pmid = {24760177}, issn = {1573-1561}, mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Cats ; Crows/*parasitology/physiology ; Falconiformes/physiology ; *Food Chain ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Insect Repellents ; Solid Phase Microextraction ; Spain ; *Symbiosis ; Volatile Organic Compounds/*metabolism ; }, abstract = {The great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) is an important brood parasite of carrion crows (Corvus corone corone) in northern Spain. We recently found that, unlike what is commonly known for cuckoo-host interactions, the great spotted cuckoo has no negative impact on average crow fitness in this region. The explanation for this surprising effect is a repulsive secretion that the cuckoo chicks produce when they are harassed and that may protect the brood against predation. Here, we provide details on the chemical composition of the cuckoo secretion, as well as conclusive evidence that the dominating volatile chemicals in the secretion are highly repellent to model species representative of common predators of the crows. These results support the notion that, in this particular system, the production of a repulsive secretion by the cuckoo chicks has turned a normally parasitic interaction into a mutualistic one.}, }
@article {pmid24755739, year = {2014}, author = {Massen, JJ and Pašukonis, A and Schmidt, J and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Ravens notice dominance reversals among conspecifics within and outside their social group.}, journal = {Nature communications}, volume = {5}, number = {}, pages = {3679}, pmid = {24755739}, issn = {2041-1723}, support = {M 1351/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; W 1234/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Emotional Intelligence/*physiology ; Female ; Linear Models ; Male ; Recognition, Psychology/*physiology ; *Social Dominance ; }, abstract = {A core feature of social intelligence is the understanding of third-party relations, which has been experimentally demonstrated in primates. Whether other social animals also have this capacity, and whether they can use this capacity flexibly to, for example, also assess the relations of neighbouring conspecifics, remains unknown. Here we show that ravens react differently to playbacks of dominance interactions that either confirm or violate the current rank hierarchy of members in their own social group and of ravens in a neighbouring group. Therefore, ravens understand third-party relations and may deduce those not only via physical interactions but also by observation.}, }
@article {pmid24725170, year = {2014}, author = {Soler, JJ and Pérez-Contreras, T and De Neve, L and Macías-Sánchez, E and Møller, AP and Soler, M}, title = {Recognizing odd smells and ejection of brood parasitic eggs. An experimental test in magpies of a novel defensive trait against brood parasitism.}, journal = {Journal of evolutionary biology}, volume = {27}, number = {6}, pages = {1265-1270}, doi = {10.1111/jeb.12377}, pmid = {24725170}, issn = {1420-9101}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; *Nesting Behavior ; *Odorants ; *Olfactory Perception ; Passeriformes/parasitology/*physiology ; *Recognition, Psychology ; }, abstract = {One of the most important defensive host traits against brood parasitism is the detection and ejection of parasitic eggs from their nests. Here, we explore the possible role of olfaction in this defensive behaviour. We performed egg-recognition tests in magpie Pica pica nests with model eggs resembling those of parasitic great spotted cuckoos Clamator glandarius. In one of the experiment, experimental model eggs were exposed to strong or moderate smell of tobacco smoke, whereas those of a third group (control) were cleaned with disinfecting wipes and kept in boxes containing odourless cotton. Results showed that model eggs with strong tobacco scent were more frequently ejected compared with control ones. In another experiment, models were smeared with scents from cloacal wash from magpies (control), cloacal wash or uropygial secretions from cuckoos, or human scents. This experiment resulted in a statistically significant effect of treatment in unparasitized magpie nests in which control model eggs handled by humans were more often rejected. These results provide the first evidence that hosts of brood parasites use their olfactory ability to detect and eject foreign eggs from their nests. These findings may have important consequences for handling procedures of experimental eggs used in egg-recognition tests, in addition to our understanding of interactions between brood parasites and their hosts.}, }
@article {pmid24706029, year = {2014}, author = {Komisaruk, BR and Siegel, HI and Del Cerro, MC and Gonzalez-Mariscal, G and Fleming, AS and Silver, R}, title = {Jay S. Rosenblatt, Ph.D., 1924-2014.}, journal = {Developmental psychobiology}, volume = {56}, number = {5}, pages = {1164-1165}, doi = {10.1002/dev.21216}, pmid = {24706029}, issn = {1098-2302}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Psychology/*history ; }, }
@article {pmid24688856, year = {2014}, author = {Plotnik, JM and de Waal, FB}, title = {Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) reassure others in distress.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {2}, number = {}, pages = {e278}, pmid = {24688856}, issn = {2167-8359}, support = {P51 OD011132/OD/NIH HHS/United States ; }, abstract = {Contact directed by uninvolved bystanders toward others in distress, often termed consolation, is uncommon in the animal kingdom, thus far only demonstrated in the great apes, canines, and corvids. Whereas the typical agonistic context of such contact is relatively rare within natural elephant families, other causes of distress may trigger similar, other-regarding responses. In a study carried out at an elephant camp in Thailand, we found that elephants affiliated significantly more with other individuals through directed, physical contact and vocal communication following a distress event than in control periods. In addition, bystanders affiliated with each other, and matched the behavior and emotional state of the first distressed individual, suggesting emotional contagion. The initial distress responses were overwhelmingly directed toward ambiguous stimuli, thus making it difficult to determine if bystanders reacted to the distressed individual or showed a delayed response to the same stimulus. Nonetheless, the directionality of the contacts and their nature strongly suggest attention toward the emotional states of conspecifics. The elephants' behavior is therefore best classified with similar consolation responses by apes, possibly based on convergent evolution of empathic capacities.}, }
@article {pmid24671829, year = {2014}, author = {Ostojić, L and Legg, EW and Shaw, RC and Cheke, LG and Mendl, M and Clayton, NS}, title = {Can male Eurasian jays disengage from their own current desire to feed the female what she wants?.}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {10}, number = {3}, pages = {20140042}, pmid = {24671829}, issn = {1744-957X}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; //Medical Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; *Food ; Male ; *Motivation ; *Social Behavior ; Songbirds/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Humans' predictions of another person's behaviour are regularly influenced by what they themselves might know or want. In a previous study, we found that male Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) could cater for their female partner's current desire when sharing food with her. Here, we tested the extent to which the males' decisions are influenced by their own current desire. When the males' and female's desires matched, males correctly shared the food that was desired by both. When the female's desire differed from their own, the males' decisions were not entirely driven by their own desires, suggesting that males also took the female's desire into account. Thus, the male jays' decisions about their mates' desires are partially biased by their own desire and might be based upon similar processes as those found in humans.}, }
@article {pmid24653032, year = {2014}, author = {Canestrari, D and Bolopo, D and Turlings, TC and Röder, G and Marcos, JM and Baglione, V}, title = {From parasitism to mutualism: unexpected interactions between a cuckoo and its host.}, journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)}, volume = {343}, number = {6177}, pages = {1350-1352}, doi = {10.1126/science.1249008}, pmid = {24653032}, issn = {1095-9203}, mesh = {Acids/analysis/metabolism ; Animals ; Birds/growth &amp; development/*physiology ; Bodily Secretions/chemistry ; Crows/growth &amp; development/*physiology ; Female ; Indoles/analysis/metabolism ; Male ; *Nesting Behavior ; Phenols/analysis/metabolism ; Predatory Behavior ; Reproduction ; Sulfur Compounds/analysis/metabolism ; *Symbiosis ; Volatilization ; }, abstract = {Avian brood parasites lay eggs in the nests of other birds, which raise the unrelated chicks and typically suffer partial or complete loss of their own brood. However, carrion crows Corvus corone corone can benefit from parasitism by the great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius. Parasitized nests have lower rates of predation-induced failure due to production of a repellent secretion by cuckoo chicks, but among nests that are successful, those with cuckoo chicks fledge fewer crows. The outcome of these counterbalancing effects fluctuates between parasitism and mutualism each season, depending on the intensity of predation pressure.}, }
@article {pmid24638877, year = {2014}, author = {Legg, EW and Clayton, NS}, title = {Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) conceal caches from onlookers.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {17}, number = {5}, pages = {1223-1226}, pmid = {24638877}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Feeding Behavior/*psychology ; Female ; Food ; Male ; *Social Behavior ; *Songbirds ; }, abstract = {Animals that cache food risk having their stored food pilfered by conspecifics. Previous research has shown that a number of food-caching species of corvid use strategies that decrease the probability of conspecifics pilfering their caches. In this experiment, we investigated whether Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) would choose between caching behind an opaque and caching behind a transparent barrier whilst being observed by a conspecific. If caching in out-of-sight locations is a strategy to prevent conspecifics from pilfering these caches, then the jays should place a greater proportion of caches behind the opaque barrier when being observed than when caching in private. In accordance with this prediction, jays cached a greater proportion of food behind the opaque barrier when they were observed than when they cached in private. These results suggest that Eurasian jays may opt to cache in out-of-view locations to reduce the likelihood of conspecifics pilfering their caches.}, }
@article {pmid24611615, year = {2014}, author = {Young, A and Stillman, R and Smith, MJ and Korstjens, AH}, title = {An experimental study of vertebrate scavenging behavior in a Northwest European woodland context.}, journal = {Journal of forensic sciences}, volume = {59}, number = {5}, pages = {1333-1342}, doi = {10.1111/1556-4029.12468}, pmid = {24611615}, issn = {1556-4029}, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Birds ; Deer ; Europe ; *Feeding Behavior ; Forests ; Mice ; *Postmortem Changes ; Sciuridae ; Seasons ; }, abstract = {Vertebrate scavengers can modify surface deposited human remains which can hinder forensic investigations. The effects of such scavenging vary between species and regions. Published research into the effects of the scavenging of human remains is dominated by work from North America with few studies covering Northwestern Europe. Forensic scientists, investigators, and police search officers in Northwestern Europe are often left questioning on a basic level as to which scavengers are active and how they might affect human remains. This paper presents the results of a field study utilizing deer (Cervus nippon; Capreolus capreolus) as surface deposits observed by motion detection cameras in a British woodland. The most common avian and rodent scavenger species recorded included the buzzard (Buteo buteo), carrion crow (Corvus corone), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), and gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). The scavenging behaviors observed were affected by seasonality, rates of decomposition, and insect activity. Scavenging by buzzards, unlike carrion crows, was most frequent during fall to winter and prior to insect activity. Overall, avian scavengers modified and scavenged soft tissue. Rodents scavenged both fresh and skeletonized remains with gray squirrels only scavenging skeletal remains. Wood mice were most active in winter and scavenged both soft tissue and bone.}, }
@article {pmid24601771, year = {2014}, author = {Kojima, W and Sugiura, S and Makihara, H and Ishikawa, Y and Takanashi, T}, title = {Rhinoceros beetles suffer male-biased predation by mammalian and avian predators.}, journal = {Zoological science}, volume = {31}, number = {3}, pages = {109-115}, doi = {10.2108/zsj.31.109}, pmid = {24601771}, issn = {0289-0003}, mesh = {Animals ; Coleoptera/genetics/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Predatory Behavior ; Raccoon Dogs/*physiology ; Selection, Genetic ; Sex Factors ; }, abstract = {Male sexually-selected traits often impose an increased risk of predation on their bearers, causing male-biased predation. We investigated whether males of the sap-feeding Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus were more susceptible to predation than females by comparing the morphology of beetles caught in bait traps with the remains of beetles found on the ground. The males of this species are larger than the females and have a horn on the head. We found that predation pressure was greater for males than for females, and that larger individuals of both sexes were more vulnerable to predation. We identified two predators, the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides and jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchos, by monitoring sap-site trees with infrared video cameras. Raccoon dogs visited sap-site trees at night, while crows came after daybreak. The highest frequency of visits by both predators was observed in the first half of August, which matches the peak season of T. dichotomus. Raccoon dogs often left bite marks on the remains of prey, whereas crows did not. Bite marks were found on most of the remains collected at two distant localities, which suggested that predation by raccoon dogs is common. Size- and sex-dependent differences in the conspicuousness and active period of T. dichotomus probably explain these biased predation patterns. Our results suggest that having a large horn/body is costly in terms of the increased risk of predation. Predation cost may act as a stabilizing selection pressure against the further exaggeration of male sexual traits.}, }
@article {pmid24599216, year = {2014}, author = {Selva, N and Berezowska-Cnota, T and Elguero-Claramunt, I}, title = {Unforeseen effects of supplementary feeding: ungulate baiting sites as hotspots for ground-nest predation.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {3}, pages = {e90740}, pmid = {24599216}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/physiology ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Geography ; Mammals/*physiology ; Mice ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; Poland ; Predatory Behavior/*physiology ; Probability ; Seasons ; Time Factors ; }, abstract = {Despite the ubiquity and magnitude of food provision to wildlife, our understanding of its ecological effects and conservation implications is very limited. Supplementary feeding of ungulates, still one of the main paradigms of game management in Europe, occurs in natural areas on an enormous scale. We investigated the indirect effects of this practice on nest predation risk in the Polish Eastern Carpathians (Bieszczady Mountains). We hypothesized that the predators attracted to ungulate baiting sites would also forage for alternative prey nearby, increasing the nest predation risk for ground-nesting birds in the vicinity. We conducted a paired experiment by placing artificial nests (N=120) in feeding and control sites (N=12) at different distances from the ungulate feeding site. We also documented the use of three ungulate feeding sites by potential nest predators with automatic cameras. The proportion of depredated nests was 30% higher in the vicinity of feeding sites than at control sites (65%± 31.5 vs 35%± 32.1). The probability of a nest being depredated significantly increased with time and at shorter distances from the feeding site. We predicted that the area within 1-km distance from the feeding site would have a high risk (>0.5) of nest predation. We recorded 13 species of potential ground-nest predators at ungulate baiting sites. Most frequent were Eurasian jays Garrulus glandarius, mice and voles Muroidea, ravens Corvus corax, brown bears Ursus arctos, and wild boar Sus scrofa. Nest predators made most use of supplementary feeding sites (82% pictures with predators vs 8% with ungulates, the target group). Our study alerts of the impacts of ungulate feeding on alternative prey; this is of special concern when affecting protected species. We urge for a sensible management of ungulate feeding, which considers potential indirect effects on other species and the spatial and temporal components of food provision.}, }
@article {pmid24597991, year = {2015}, author = {Rindermann, H and Stiegmaier, EM and Meisenberg, G}, title = {Cognitive ability of preschool, primary and secondary school children in Costa Rica.}, journal = {Journal of biosocial science}, volume = {47}, number = {3}, pages = {281-310}, doi = {10.1017/S0021932014000066}, pmid = {24597991}, issn = {1469-7599}, mesh = {Austria ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child Behavior/psychology ; Child, Preschool ; *Cognition ; Costa Rica ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; *Intelligence ; *Literacy/statistics &amp; numerical data ; Male ; Parents/psychology ; Schools/statistics &amp; numerical data ; Students/psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; }, abstract = {Cognitive abilities of children in Costa Rica and Austria were compared using three age groups (N = 385/366). Cognitive ability tests (mental speed, culture reduced/fluid intelligence, literacy/crystallized intelligence) were applied that differed in the extent to which they refer to school-related knowledge. Preschool children (kindergarten, 5-6 years old, N(CR) = 80, N(Au) = 51) were assessed with the Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), primary school children (4th grade, 9-11 years old, N(CR) = 71, N(Au) = 71) with ZVT (a trail-making test), Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) and items from PIRLS-Reading and TIMSS-Mathematics, and secondary school students (15-16 years old, N(CR) = 48, N(Au) = 48) with ZVT, Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) and items from PISA-Reading and PISA-Mathematics. Additionally, parents and pupils were given questionnaires covering family characteristics and instruction. Average cognitive abilities were higher in Austria (Greenwich-IQ M(CR) = 87 and M(Au) = 99, d(IQ) = 12 points) and differences were smaller in preschool than in secondary school (d(IQ) = 7 vs 20 points). Differences in crystallized intelligence were larger than in fluid intelligence (mental speed: d(IQ) = 12, Raven: d(IQ) = 10, student achievement tests: d(IQ) = 17 IQ points). Differences were larger in comparisons at the level of g-factors. Austrian children were also taller (6.80 cm, d = 1.07 SD), but had lower body mass index (BMI(CR) = 19.35 vs BMI(Au) = 17.59, d = -0.89 SD). Different causal hypotheses explaining these differences are compared.}, }
@article {pmid24560277, year = {2014}, author = {Jahidin, AH and Megat Ali, MS and Taib, MN and Tahir, NM and Yassin, IM and Lias, S}, title = {Classification of intelligence quotient via brainwave sub-band power ratio features and artificial neural network.}, journal = {Computer methods and programs in biomedicine}, volume = {114}, number = {1}, pages = {50-59}, doi = {10.1016/j.cmpb.2014.01.016}, pmid = {24560277}, issn = {1872-7565}, mesh = {Brain/*physiology ; Humans ; *Intelligence ; *Neural Networks, Computer ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; }, abstract = {This paper elaborates on the novel intelligence assessment method using the brainwave sub-band power ratio features. The study focuses only on the left hemisphere brainwave in its relaxed state. Distinct intelligence quotient groups have been established earlier from the score of the Raven Progressive Matrices. Sub-band power ratios are calculated from energy spectral density of theta, alpha and beta frequency bands. Synthetic data have been generated to increase dataset from 50 to 120. The features are used as input to the artificial neural network. Subsequently, the brain behaviour model has been developed using an artificial neural network that is trained with optimized learning rate, momentum constant and hidden nodes. Findings indicate that the distinct intelligence quotient groups can be classified from the brainwave sub-band power ratios with 100% training and 88.89% testing accuracies.}, }
@article {pmid24556949, year = {2014}, author = {Soler, JJ and Avilés, JM and Martín-Gálvez, D and de Neve, L and Soler, M}, title = {Eavesdropping cuckoos: further insights on great spotted cuckoo preference by magpie nests and egg colour.}, journal = {Oecologia}, volume = {175}, number = {1}, pages = {105-115}, pmid = {24556949}, issn = {1432-1939}, mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Color ; Female ; Linear Models ; *Nesting Behavior ; Ovum/*physiology ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Phenotype ; Reproduction ; }, abstract = {Reproductive success of brood parasites largely depends on appropriate host selection and, although the use of inadvertent social information emitted by hosts may be of selective advantage for cuckoos, this possibility has rarely been experimentally tested. Here, we manipulated nest size and clutch colouration of magpies (Pica pica), the main host of great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius). These phenotypic traits may potentially reveal information about magpie territory and/or parental quality and could hence influence the cuckoo's choice of host nests. Experimentally reduced magpie nests suffered higher predation rate, and prevalence of cuckoo parasitism was higher in magpie nests with the densest roofs, which suggests a direct advantage for great spotted cuckoos choosing this type of magpie nest. Colouration of magpie clutches was manipulated by adding one artificial egg (blue or cream colouration) at the beginning of the egg-laying period. We found that host nests holding an experimental cream egg experienced a higher prevalence of cuckoo parasitism than those holding a blue-coloured egg. Results from these two experiments suggest that great spotted cuckoos cue on magpie nest characteristics and the appearance of eggs to decide parasitism, and confirm, for the first time, the ability of cuckoos to distinguish between eggs of different colours within the nest of their hosts. Several hypothetical scenarios explaining these results are discussed.}, }
@article {pmid24501271, year = {2014}, author = {Davidson, GL and Clayton, NS and Thornton, A}, title = {Salient eyes deter conspecific nest intruders in wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula).}, journal = {Biology letters}, volume = {10}, number = {2}, pages = {20131077}, pmid = {24501271}, issn = {1744-957X}, support = {BB/H021817/1//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; England ; *Nesting Behavior ; Videotape Recording ; *Visual Perception ; }, abstract = {Animals often respond fearfully when encountering eyes or eye-like shapes. Although gaze aversion has been documented in mammals when avoiding group-member conflict, the importance of eye coloration during interactions between conspecifics has yet to be examined in non-primate species. Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) have near-white irides, which are conspicuous against their dark feathers and visible when seen from outside the cavities where they nest. Because jackdaws compete for nest sites, their conspicuous eyes may act as a warning signal to indicate that a nest is occupied and deter intrusions by conspecifics. We tested whether jackdaws' pale irides serve as a deterrent to prospecting conspecifics by comparing prospectors' behaviour towards nest-boxes displaying images with bright eyes (BEs) only, a jackdaw face with natural BEs, or a jackdaw face with dark eyes. The jackdaw face with BEs was most effective in deterring birds from making contact with nest-boxes, whereas both BE conditions reduced the amount of time jackdaws spent in proximity to the image. We suggest BEs in jackdaws may function to prevent conspecific competitors from approaching occupied nest sites.}, }
@article {pmid24498311, year = {2014}, author = {Huang, ZP and Qi, XG and Garber, PA and Jin, T and Guo, ST and Li, S and Li, BG}, title = {The use of camera traps to identify the set of scavengers preying on the carcass of a golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana).}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, pages = {e87318}, pmid = {24498311}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Carnivora/classification/*physiology ; Carnivory/*physiology ; Colobinae/*physiology ; Ecosystem ; Feeding Behavior/physiology ; Murinae/physiology ; Photography/instrumentation/methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Species Specificity ; Time Factors ; Ursidae/physiology ; Video Recording/instrumentation/*methods ; }, abstract = {There exists very limited information on the set of scavengers that feed on the carcasses of wild primates. Here, we describe, based on information collected using a remote camera trap, carnivores consuming/scavenging the carcass of a wild golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in the Laohegou Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China. During a 3 month behavioral and ecology study of a band of golden snub-nosed monkeys (March through May 2013), we encountered the carcass of an adult male (male golden snub-nosed monkeys weigh approximately 12-16 kg). After examining the dead monkey, we returned it to the death site and set out a camera trap to record the behavior and identity of scavengers. Over the course of 25 days, we collected 4145 photographs taken by the camera trap. Scavengers identified from these photographs include a masked civet (Paguma larvata), Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) and the chestnut rat (Rattus fulvescens). No member of the golden snub-nosed monkey's social group, which was composed of approximately 120 individuals, was found to return to the general area of the death site. The masked civet fed principally on the face and intestines of the corpse at night, while the black bear consumed most of the body of the dead monkey during both the daytime and nighttime. These two taxa consumed virtually the entire carcass in one week. We suggest that the use of camera traps offers a powerful research tool to identify the scavenger community of a given ecosystem.}, }
@article {pmid24498238, year = {2014}, author = {Townsend, AK and Barker, CM}, title = {Plastic and the nest entanglement of urban and agricultural crows.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {e88006}, pmid = {24498238}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; California ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; *Crows ; Humans ; Male ; *Nesting Behavior ; Social Planning ; *Urban Renewal ; }, abstract = {Much attention has been paid to the impacts of plastics and other debris on marine organisms, but the effects of plastic on terrestrial organisms have been largely ignored. Detrimental effects of terrestrial plastic could be most pronounced in intensively human-modified landscapes (e.g., urban and agricultural areas), which are a source of much anthropogenic debris. Here, we examine the occurrence, types, landscape associations, and consequences of anthropogenic nest material in the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), a North American species that breeds in both urban and agricultural landscapes. We monitored 195 nestlings in 106 nests across an urban and agricultural gradient in the Sacramento Valley, California, USA. We found that 85.2% of crow nests contained anthropogenic material, and 11 of 195 nestlings (5.6%) were entangled in their nests. The length of the material was greater in nests in agricultural territories than in urban territories, and the odds of entanglement increased 7.55 times for each meter of anthropogenic material in the nest. Fledging success was significantly lower for entangled than for unentangled nestlings. In all environments, particularly urban, agricultural, and marine, careful disposal of potential hazards (string, packing and hay bale twine, balloon ribbon, wire, fishing line) could reduce the occurrence of entanglement of nestling birds.}, }
@article {pmid24484482, year = {2014}, author = {Yoshimura, A and Koketsu, M and Bando, H and Saiki, E and Suzuki, M and Watanabe, Y and Kanuka, H and Fukumoto, S}, title = {Phylogenetic comparison of avian haemosporidian parasites from resident and migratory birds in northern Japan.}, journal = {Journal of wildlife diseases}, volume = {50}, number = {2}, pages = {235-242}, doi = {10.7589/2013-03-071}, pmid = {24484482}, issn = {1943-3700}, mesh = {*Animal Migration ; Animals ; Bird Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Birds ; Haemosporida/*isolation &amp; purification ; Japan/epidemiology ; Protozoan Infections, Animal/epidemiology/*parasitology ; }, abstract = {We analyzed blood samples of resident and migratory Japanese birds to evaluate the prevalence and genetic background of avian blood parasites in northern Japan. We used PCR targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to examine infections of Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium parasites in blood samples from 243 birds of 14 species in three orders (Passeriformes, Columbiformes, and Anseriformes). Sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The infection rate was 21% in pigeons (Columbiformes) and 17% in Anseriformes. A high infection rate of 93.8% was found in crow species (Passeriformes). Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites were detected in only two species. Infected blood samples obtained from seven bird species involved two major clades of Leucocytozoon, which were divided between resident and migratory birds. The parasites, which are genetically distinct from parasites in Japanese resident birds, may have been introduced to Japan by migratory bird species.}, }
@article {pmid24475085, year = {2014}, author = {Soler, M and Pérez-Contreras, T and Peralta-Sánchez, JM}, title = {Mirror-mark tests performed on jackdaws reveal potential methodological problems in the use of stickers in avian mark-test studies.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {e86193}, pmid = {24475085}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Concept Formation ; Crows/*physiology ; Recognition, Psychology/*physiology ; Research Design ; Self Concept ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Some animals are capable of recognizing themselves in a mirror, which is considered to be demonstrated by passing the mark test. Mirror self-recognition capacity has been found in just a few mammals having very large brains and only in one bird, the magpie (Pica pica). The results obtained in magpies have enormous biological and cognitive implications because the fact that magpies were able to pass the mark test meant that this species is at the same cognitive level with great apes, that mirror self-recognition has evolved independently in the magpie and great apes (which diverged 300 million years ago), and that the neocortex (which is not present in the bird's brains) is not a prerequisite for mirror self-recognition as previously believed. Here, we have replicated the experimental design used on magpies to determine whether jackdaws (Corvus monedula) are also capable of mirror self-recognition by passing the mark test. We found that our nine jackdaws showed a very high interest towards the mirror and exhibited self-contingent behavior as soon as mirrors were introduced. However, jackdaws were not able to pass the mark test: both sticker-directed actions and sticker removal were performed with a similar frequency in both the cardboard (control) and the mirror conditions. We conclude that our jackdaws' behaviour raises non-trivial questions about the methodology used in the avian mark test. Our study suggests that the use of self-adhesive stickers on sensitive throat feathers may open the way to artefactual results because birds might perceive the stickers tactilely.}, }
@article {pmid24439574, year = {2014}, author = {Kandel, JJ}, title = {Serendipity: translational research, high quality care, and the children's hospital. Jay and Margie Grosfeld Lecture.}, journal = {Journal of pediatric surgery}, volume = {49}, number = {1}, pages = {19-24}, doi = {10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2013.09.023}, pmid = {24439574}, issn = {1531-5037}, mesh = {Child ; Cooperative Behavior ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Hospitals, Pediatric/*history/standards ; Humans ; Interdisciplinary Communication ; Lymphatic Abnormalities/drug therapy/history ; Pediatrics/*history ; Propranolol/history/therapeutic use ; *Quality of Health Care ; Specialties, Surgical/*history ; Translational Research, Biomedical/*history ; United States ; }, abstract = {The word "serendipity" was coined by Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, in a letter he wrote in January 1754. He defined serendipity as the making of "….discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which [you] were not in quest of….you must observe that no discovery of a thing you are looking for comes under this description." I would like to make the case that a children's hospital can be a superb setting in which to attempt this feat-to generate Serendipity. I would also like to convince you that this attribute is absolutely essential to providing the very best care for children.}, }
@article {pmid24395967, year = {2014}, author = {Martin, GR}, title = {The subtlety of simple eyes: the tuning of visual fields to perceptual challenges in birds.}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences}, volume = {369}, number = {1636}, pages = {20130040}, pmid = {24395967}, issn = {1471-2970}, mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*anatomy &amp; histology/*physiology ; Eye/*anatomy &amp; histology ; Feeding Behavior ; Flight, Animal ; Visual Fields/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Birds show interspecific variation both in the size of the fields of individual eyes and in the ways that these fields are brought together to produce the total visual field. Variation is found in the dimensions of all main parameters: binocular region, cyclopean field and blind areas. There is a phylogenetic signal with respect to maximum width of the binocular field in that passerine species have significantly broader field widths than non-passerines; broadest fields are found among crows (Corvidae). Among non-passerines, visual fields show considerable variation within families and even within some genera. It is argued that (i) the main drivers of differences in visual fields are associated with perceptual challenges that arise through different modes of foraging, and (ii) the primary function of binocularity in birds lies in the control of bill position rather than in the control of locomotion. The informational function of binocular vision does not lie in binocularity per se (two eyes receiving slightly different information simultaneously about the same objects from which higher-order depth information is extracted), but in the contralateral projection of the visual field of each eye. Contralateral projection ensures that each eye receives information from a symmetrically expanding optic flow-field from which direction of travel and time to contact targets can be extracted, particularly with respect to the control of bill position.}, }
@article {pmid24391878, year = {2013}, author = {Loncaric, I and Stalder, GL and Mehinagic, K and Rosengarten, R and Hoelzl, F and Knauer, F and Walzer, C}, title = {Comparison of ESBL--and AmpC producing Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from migratory and resident population of rooks (Corvus frugilegus) in Austria.}, journal = {PloS one}, volume = {8}, number = {12}, pages = {e84048}, pmid = {24391878}, issn = {1932-6203}, mesh = {Ampicillin/*metabolism ; Animal Diseases/*microbiology ; *Animal Migration ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; Austria ; Crows ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics ; Enterobacteriaceae/genetics/*isolation &amp; purification ; Enterobacteriaceae Infections/drug therapy/microbiology/veterinary ; Escherichia coli/classification/genetics/*isolation &amp; purification ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy/microbiology/*veterinary ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/genetics/*isolation &amp; purification ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Staphylococcal Infections/drug therapy/microbiology/veterinary ; beta-Lactamases/*genetics ; }, abstract = {In order to test whether rooks (Corvus frugilegus) represent good indicators for the potential circulation of antibiotics in their native habitat, two populations with different migratory behavior were tested for the presence of beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In all, 54 and 102 samples of fresh feces of a migratory and a resident population were investigated. A total of 24 and 3 cefotaxime-resistant enterobacterial isolates were obtained from the migratory and resident population, respectively. In these isolates CTX-M-1 (n = 15), CTX-M-3 (n = 3), and CTX-M-15 (n = 3) genes were detected. TEM-1 and OXA-1 were associated with CTX-M in 3 and 2 isolates, respectively. In two E. coli isolates CMY-2 could be detected, where from one isolate displayed an overexpression of chromosomal AmpC as well. Among E. coli isolates the most common phylogenetic group was A (n = 11) and ST1683 (n = 5). In one E. coli of B2-ST131 the rfbO25b locus was detected. Three Enterobacter isolates were stably derepressed AmpC-producers. In five samples of the migratory population, PVL positive MRSA could be isolated. Two isolates were typed SCCmec IVa, spa type t127, and ST1. Three isolates carried a SCCmec type IVc, with spa type t852 and ST22. The highly significant difference of the occurrence of antibiotic resistance between the migratory population from eastern Europe compared to resident population in our study indicates that rooks may be good indicator species for the evaluation of environmental contamination with antibiotic resistant bacteria, especially due to their ecology, foraging behavior and differing migratory behavior.}, }
@article {pmid24378212, year = {2014}, author = {Thom, JM and Clayton, NS}, title = {No evidence of temporal preferences in caching by Western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica).}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {103}, number = {}, pages = {173-179}, pmid = {24378212}, issn = {1872-8308}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; //Medical Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animal Feed ; Animals ; Diet ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Housing, Animal ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Reward ; Time Perception/physiology ; }, abstract = {Humans and other animals often favour immediate gratification over long-term gain. Primates, including humans, appear more willing to wait for rewards than other animals, such as rats or pigeons. Another group displaying impressive patience are the corvids, which possess large brains and show sophisticated cognitive abilities. Here, we assess intertemporal choice in one corvid species, the Western scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica). These birds cache food for future consumption and respond flexibly to future needs. Cache-theft and cache-degradation are time-dependent processes in scrub-jay ecology that might necessitate sensitivity to delays between caching and retrieval. We adopt a caching paradigm with delays of up to 49 h. Across two experiments we find no evidence of a preference for earlier recovery. We highlight the possibility that, although scrub-jays can discriminate between the present and the future, they may not understand how far into the future an event will occur.}, }
@article {pmid24333834, year = {2014}, author = {Jacobs, IF and Osvath, M and Osvath, H and Mioduszewska, B and von Bayern, AM and Kacelnik, A}, title = {Object caching in corvids: incidence and significance.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {102}, number = {}, pages = {25-32}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2013.12.003}, pmid = {24333834}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Exploratory Behavior/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Food ; Male ; }, abstract = {Food caching is a paramount model for studying relations between cognition, brain organisation and ecology in corvids. In contrast, behaviour towards inedible objects is poorly examined and understood. We review the literature on object caching in corvids and other birds, and describe an exploratory study on object caching in ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws. The captive adult birds were presented with an identical set of novel objects adjacent to food. All three species cached objects, which shows the behaviour not to be restricted to juveniles, food cachers, tool-users or individuals deprived of cacheable food. The pattern of object interaction and caching did not mirror the incidence of food caching: the intensely food caching ravens indeed showed highest object caching incidence, but the rarely food caching jackdaws cached objects to similar extent as the moderate food caching New Caledonian crows. Ravens and jackdaws preferred objects with greater sphericity, but New Caledonian crows preferred stick-like objects (similar to tools). We suggest that the observed object caching might have been expressions of exploration or play, and deserves being studied in its own right because of its potential significance for tool-related behaviour and learning, rather than as an over-spill from food-caching research. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: CO3 2013.}, }
@article {pmid24333226, year = {2014}, author = {Cibulski, L and Wascher, CA and Weiss, BM and Kotrschal, K}, title = {Familiarity with the experimenter influences the performance of Common ravens (Corvus corax) and Carrion crows (Corvus corone corone) in cognitive tasks.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {103}, number = {}, pages = {129-137}, pmid = {24333226}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Adult ; Animals ; Anxiety/psychology ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Choice Behavior/physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Motivation/physiology ; Psychology, Experimental/*methods ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Recognition, Psychology/*physiology ; Seasons ; Species Specificity ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {When humans and animals interact with one another over an extended time span they familiarise and may develop a relationship, which can exert an influence on both partners. For example, the behaviour of an animal in experiments may be affected by its relationship to the human experimenter. However, few studies have systematically examined the impact of human-animal relationships on experimental results. In the present study we investigated if familiarity with a human experimenter influences the performance of Common ravens (Corvus corax) and Carrion crows (Corvus corone corone) in interactive tasks. Birds were tested in two interactive cognitive tasks (exchange, object choice) by several experimenters representing different levels of familiarity (long and short-term). Our findings show that the birds participated more often in both tasks and were more successful in the exchange task when working with long-term experimenters than when working with short-term experimenters. Behavioural observations indicate that anxiety did not inhibit experimental performance but that the birds' motivation to work differed between the two kinds of experimenters, familiar and less familiar. We conclude that human-animal relationships (i.e. familiarity) may affect the experimental performance of corvids in interactive cognitive tasks.}, }
@article {pmid24333225, year = {2014}, author = {Bednekoff, PA and Balda, RP}, title = {Clark's nutcracker spatial memory: the importance of large, structural cues.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {102}, number = {}, pages = {12-17}, doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2013.12.004}, pmid = {24333225}, issn = {1872-8308}, mesh = {Animals ; Cues ; Memory/*physiology ; Passeriformes ; Space Perception/*physiology ; Spatial Behavior/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Clark's nutcrackers, Nucifraga columbiana, cache and recover stored seeds in high alpine areas including areas where snowfall, wind, and rockslides may frequently obscure or alter cues near the cache site. Previous work in the laboratory has established that Clark's nutcrackers use spatial memory to relocate cached food. Following from aspects of this work, we performed experiments to test the importance of large, structural cues for Clark's nutcracker spatial memory. Birds were no more accurate in recovering caches when more objects were on the floor of a large experimental room nor when this room was subdivided with a set of panels. However, nutcrackers were consistently less accurate in this large room than in a small experimental room. Clark's nutcrackers probably use structural features of experimental rooms as important landmarks during recovery of cached food. This use of large, extremely stable cues may reflect the imperfect reliability of smaller, closer cues in the natural habitat of Clark's nutcrackers. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: CO3 2013.}, }
@article {pmid24322875, year = {2014}, author = {Watanabe, A and Grodzinski, U and Clayton, NS}, title = {Western scrub-jays allocate longer observation time to more valuable information.}, journal = {Animal cognition}, volume = {17}, number = {4}, pages = {859-867}, doi = {10.1007/s10071-013-0719-7}, pmid = {24322875}, issn = {1435-9456}, support = {//Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; }, mesh = {Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Learning ; *Passeriformes/physiology ; Social Behavior ; Spatial Memory ; }, abstract = {When humans mentally reconstruct past events and imagine future scenarios, their subjective experience of mentally time travelling is accompanied by the awareness of doing so. Despite recent popularity of studying episodic memory in animals, such phenomenological consciousness has been extremely difficult to demonstrate without agreed behavioural markers of consciousness in non-linguistic subjects. We presented western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) with a task requiring them to allocate observing time between two peepholes to see food being hidden in either of two compartments, one where observing the hiding location was necessary to later relocate the food, and another where food could easily be found without watching. Jays first separately experienced these consequences of possessing information in each compartment and subsequently, once given a choice, made more looks and spent more time looking into the compartment where information was necessary than into the compartment where it was unnecessary. Thus, the jays can collect information to solve a future problem. Moreover, they can differentiate sources of information according to their potential value and modify behaviour to efficiently collect important, usable information. This is the first evidence of metacognition in a species that passes the behavioural criteria for both retrospective and prospective mental time travel.}, }
@article {pmid24309275, year = {2013}, author = {Jozet-Alves, C and Bertin, M and Clayton, NS}, title = {Evidence of episodic-like memory in cuttlefish.}, journal = {Current biology : CB}, volume = {23}, number = {23}, pages = {R1033-5}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.021}, pmid = {24309275}, issn = {1879-0445}, mesh = {Animals ; *Feeding Behavior ; Learning ; *Memory, Episodic ; Mental Recall ; Sepia/*physiology ; }, abstract = {The recollection of past experiences allows us to recall what happened during a particular event, and where and when it occurred [1]. Since the first study on episodic-like memory in scrub-jays [2], there has been widespread acceptance of the idea that tests in animals should integrate the 'what', 'where' and 'when' components of a unique event that occurred in the past [3,4]. This is referred to as episodic-like memory rather than episodic memory per se, in acknowledgement of the lack of evidence for, or against, the phenomenological aspects that accompany episodic recollection in humans. So far, evidence for episodic-like memory has only been found in some birds and mammals. We show here that cuttlefish, cephalopod mollusks, keep track of what they have eaten, and where and how long ago they ate, in order to match their foraging behavior with the time of replenishing of different foods. Foraging in cuttlefish fulfils the criteria of 'what', 'where' and 'when' of unique events and thus provides behavioral evidence of episodic-like memory in an invertebrate.}, }
@article {pmid24285080, year = {2013}, author = {Veit, L and Nieder, A}, title = {Abstract rule neurons in the endbrain support intelligent behaviour in corvid songbirds.}, journal = {Nature communications}, volume = {4}, number = {}, pages = {2878}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms3878}, pmid = {24285080}, issn = {2041-1723}, mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Biological Evolution ; Brain/anatomy &amp; histology/*cytology/physiology ; Cognition ; *Intelligence ; Neurons/*physiology ; Songbirds/anatomy &amp; histology/*physiology ; }, abstract = {Despite the lack of a layered neocortex and fundamental differences in endbrain organization in birds compared with mammals, intelligent species evolved from both vertebrate classes. Among birds, corvids show exceptional cognitive flexibility. Here we explore the neuronal foundation of corvid cognition by recording single-unit activity from an association area known as the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) while carrion crows make flexible rule-guided decisions, a hallmark of executive control functions. The most prevalent activity in NCL represents the behavioural rules, while abstracting over sample images and sensory modalities of the rule cues. Rule coding is weaker in error trials, thus predicting the crows' behavioural decisions. This suggests that the abstraction of general principles may be an important function of the NCL, mirroring the function of primate prefrontal cortex. These findings emphasize that intelligence in vertebrates does not necessarily rely on a neocortex but can be realized in endbrain circuitries that developed independently via convergent evolution.}, }
@article {pmid24268321, year = {2014}, author = {Stolk, A and Noordzij, ML and Volman, I and Verhagen, L and Overeem, S and van Elswijk, G and Bloem, B and Hagoort, P and Toni, I}, title = {Understanding communicative actions: a repetitive TMS study.}, journal = {Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior}, volume = {51}, number = {}, pages = {25-34}, doi = {10.1016/j.cortex.2013.10.005}, pmid = {24268321}, issn = {1973-8102}, mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain/*physiology ; Brain Mapping ; *Communication ; Female ; Functional Laterality/physiology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Task Performance and Analysis ; *Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Young Adult ; }, abstract = {Despite the ambiguity inherent in human communication, people are remarkably efficient in establishing mutual understanding. Studying how people communicate in novel settings provides a window into the mechanisms supporting the human competence to rapidly generate and understand novel shared symbols, a fundamental property of human communication. Previous work indicates that the right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is involved when people understand the intended meaning of novel communicative actions. Here, we set out to test whether normal functioning of this cerebral structure is required for understanding novel communicative actions using inhibitory low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). A factorial experimental design contrasted two tightly matched stimulation sites (right pSTS vs left MT+, i.e., a contiguous homotopic task-relevant region) and tasks (a communicative task vs a visual tracking task that used the same sequences of stimuli). Overall task performance was not affected by rTMS, whereas changes in task performance over time were disrupted according to TMS site and task combinations. Namely, rTMS over pSTS led to a diminished ability to improve action understanding on the basis of recent communicative history, while rTMS over MT+ perturbed improvement in visual tracking over trials. These findings qualify the contributions of the right pSTS to human communicative abilities, showing that this region might be necessary for incorporating previous knowledge, accumulated during interactions with a communicative partner, to constrain the inferential process that leads to action understanding.}, }
@article {pmid24239503, year = {2014}, author = {Pfuhl, G and Gattermayr, M and Bugnyar, T}, title = {Will food-handling time influence agonistic behaviour in sub-adult common ravens (Corvus corax)?.}, journal = {Behavioural processes}, volume = {103}, number = {}, pages = {67-74}, pmid = {24239503}, issn = {1872-8308}, support = {Y 366/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; }, mesh = {Agonistic Behavior/*physiology ; Animals ; Conditioning, Operant/physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Food Handling ; Interpersonal Relations ; Male ; Motivation ; Problem Solving/physiology ; Psychomotor Performance/physiology ; Social Behavior ; }, abstract = {Discovering a food source may invoke either competition or cooperation, depending on many factors such as divisibility and accessibility. We experimentally investigated the influence of effort to procure food on the tolerance towards others during feeding. Nine sub-adult captive ravens were tested in different foraging contexts that differed in foraging effort, namely three string-pulling conditions and two without pulling requirement. We expected that the effort to gain access to food would positively affect the tolerance towards others at feeding. As predicted, we found fewer agonistic interactions, fewer displacements of subordinates from food and prolonged feeding bouts in the three string-pulling conditions compared to the two conditions when no pulling was involved. Further, in the string pulling tasks interactions occurred mostly on the perch before pulling and only rarely was pulling interrupted by agonistic interactions. The rate of interactions did not change over trials. Our data suggests that perceived effort influences social behaviour.}, }
@article {pmid24230988, year = {2014}, author = {López-Meraz, ML and Medel-Matus, JS and Morgado-Valle, C and Beltrán-Parrazal, L and Pérez-Estudillo, C and Manzo, J}, title = {Effect of lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus on ultrasonic vocalizations in the infant rat pup.}, journal = {Epilepsy &amp; behavior : E&amp;B}, volume = {31}, number = {}, pages = {263-266}, doi = {10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.10.006}, pmid = {24230988}, issn = {1525-5069}, mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Convulsants/*toxicity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Lithium/*toxicity ; Male ; Maternal Deprivation ; Pilocarpine/*toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Status Epilepticus/*chemically induced/*physiopathology ; Vocalization, Animal/*drug effects ; }, abstract = {Evidence shows that febrile convulsions induced in rat pups increase ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs); however, the effect of status epilepticus (SE) induced in developing rats on USVs has not been fully investigated. The goal of this study was to analyze USVs following lithium-pilocarpine-induced SE in fourteen-day-old (P14) rat pups. The rat pups were given 3-mEq/kg lithium chloride i.p. on the day before the induction of SE, which was carried out at P14 by subcutaneous injection of 100-mg/kg pilocarpine hydrochloride; control animals were given an equal volume of lithium chloride and saline on P13 and P14, respectively. Ultrasonic vocalizations were monitored at P15, P16, and P21 with a Mini 3 Bat Detector Ultra Sound Advice (15kHz-160kHz) set at 40±4kHz and digitally recorded in WAV format using the Audacity 1.3 beta software. A clear box (60×40×30cm) split down the middle with a holed wall was used; each pup was placed alone in one compartment, whereas its dam was placed on the other cage side at room temperature. Vocalizations were recorded over a 5-minute period, converted to sonograms and spectrograms, and analyzed using the Raven software. Parameters evaluated were as follows: USV frequency, latency to the first USV, and mean USV duration. There was a significant decrease in the latency (35.5±6.9s) and duration (50.8±8.6s) of USVs after SE compared with the control group (81.9±10.8s and 78.1±9.9s, respectively). Status epilepticus affected male and female rats differentially.}, }
@article {pmid24225460, year = {2014}, author = {Polnaszek, TJ and Stephens, DW}, title = {Why not lie? Costs enforce honesty in an experimental signalling game.}, journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences}, volume = {281}, number = {1774}, pages = {20132457}, pmid = {24225460}, issn = {1471-2954}, mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; Biological Evolution ; *Deception ; *Game Theory ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Reward ; }, abstract = {Communication depends on reliability. Yet, the existence of stable honest signalling presents an evolutionary puzzle. Why should animals signal honestly in the face of a conflict of interest? While students of animal signalling have offered several theoretical answers to this puzzle, the most widely studied model, commonly called the 'handicap principle', postulates that the costs of signals stabilize honesty. This model is the motivating force behind an enormous research enterprise that explores signal costs--whether they are physiological, immunological, neural, developmental or caloric. While there can be no question that many signals are costly, we lack definitive experimental evidence demonstrating that costs stabilize honesty. This study presents a laboratory signalling game using blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) that provides, to our knowledge, the first experimental evidence showing honesty persists when costs are high and disappears when costs are low.}, }
@article {pmid24204765, year = {2013}, author = {Krieger, N