Innovative problem solving by wild falcons

Innovation (i.e., a new solution to a familiar problem, or applying an existing behavior to a novel problem1,2) plays a fundamental role in species’ ecology and evolution. It can be a useful measure for cross-group comparisons of behavioral and cognitive flexibility and a proxy for general intelligence.3,4,5 Among birds, experimental studies of innovation (and cognition more generally) are largely from captive corvids and parrots,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 though we lack serious models for avian technical intelligence outside these taxa. Striated caracaras (Phalcoboenus australis) are Falconiformes, sister clade to parrots and passerines,13,14,15 and those endemic to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) show curiosity and neophilia similar to notoriously neophilic kea parrots16,17 and face similar socio-ecological pressures to corvids and parrots.18,19 We tested wild striated caracaras as a new avian model for technical cognition and innovation using a field-applicable 8-task comparative paradigm (adapted from Rössler et al.20 and Auersperg et al.21). The setup allowed us to assess behavior, rate, and flexibility of problem solving over repeated exposure in a natural setting. Like other generalist species with low neophobia,21,22 we predicted caracaras to demonstrate a haptic approach to solving tasks, flexibly switching to new, unsolved problems and improving their performance over time. Striated caracaras performed comparably to tool-using parrots,20 nearly reaching ceiling levels of innovation in few trials, repeatedly and flexibly solving tasks, and rapidly learning. We attribute our findings to the birds’ ecology, including geographic restriction, resource unpredictability, and opportunistic generalism,23,24,25 and encourage future work investigating their cognitive abilities in the wild.Fil: Harrington, Katie J.. Medical University Of Vienna; AustriaFil: Folkertsma, Remco. Medical University Of Vienna; AustriaFil: Auersperg, Alice M. I.. Medical University Of Vienna; AustriaFil: Biondi, Laura Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Lambert, Megan L.. Medical University Of Vienna; Austri

Proportional hazard models including both sexes.

<p>Proportional hazard models including both sexes.</p

Proportional hazard models within females.

<p>Proportional hazard models within females.</p

Bill hue and fledgling production.

<p>Fledgling production (standardised by dividing it by the median fledgling production per batch, thus not corrected for differences in longevity; see main text) of males (left panel) and females (right panel) in relation to bill hue. Only in females was redder bill hue significantly associated with reproductive success (see main text).</p

Genomic signatures of climate adaptation in bank voles

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Dryad at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1c59zw42p. Raw ddRAD sequencing data for all samples included in this study are available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information's Sequence Read Archive under bioproject number PRJNA1035302. Reviewer sharing link for data on dryad: https://datadryad.org/stash/share/9CmiHRCzjIvAd_Tze9FTG_uHImJb7egkI-qdLEcv5UM. Reviewer link for sequencing data on NCBI: https://dataview.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/object/PRJNA1035302?reviewer=p7efvk5uio3grfg7heackn6qf2International audienceEvidence for divergent selection and adaptive variation across the landscape can provide insight into a species' ability to adapt to different environments. However, despite recent advances in genomics, it remains difficult to detect the footprints of climate-mediated selection in natural populations. Here, we analysed ddRAD sequencing data (21,892 SNPs) in conjunction with geographic climate variation to search for signatures of adaptive differentiation in twelve populations of the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) distributed across Europe. To identify the loci subject to selection associated with climate variation, we applied multiple genotype-environment association methods, two univariate and one multivariate, and controlled for the effect of population structure. In total, we identified 213 candidate loci for adaptation, 74 of which were located within genes. In particular, we identified signatures of selection in candidate genes with functions related to lipid metabolism and the immune system. Using the results of redundancy analysis, we demonstrated that population history and climate have joint effects on the genetic variation in the pan-European metapopulation. Furthermore, by examining only candidate loci, we found that annual mean temperature is an important factor shaping adaptive genetic variation in the bank vole. By combining landscape genomic approaches, our study sheds light on genome-wide adaptive differentiation and the spatial distribution of variants underlying adaptive variation influenced by local climate in bank voles

Feathered Lectures-Evidence of Perceptual Factors on Social Learning in Kea Parrots (Nestor notabilis)

Social learning describes the acquisition of knowledge through observation of other individuals, and it is fundamental for the development of culture and traditions within human groups. Although previous studies suggest that Kea (Nestor notabilis) benefit from social learning, experimental evidence has been inconclusive, as in a recent two-action task, all perceptual factors were ignored. The present study attempts to address this by investigating social learning in Kea with a focus on social enhancement processes. In an experiment with a captive group of Kea, we investigated whether individuals that had the opportunity to observe a conspecific performing a simple task subsequently show better performance in that task than a control group without prior demonstration. This study provides a strong tendency of greater success in skill acquisition in Kea as a result of social learning. Kea that observed a conspecific solving a task showed clear evidence of perceptual factors drawing attention to the relevant parts of the experimental apparatus and manipulated these significantly more (100% of trials) than control birds (77.8% of trials). Combined with a strong trend (p = 0.056) of the test subjects solving the task more than the control subjects, this shows conclusively that Kea, at least when required to solve a task, do attend to perceptual factors of a demonstrated action

Bill hue and survival.

<p>Survival of males (left panel) and females (right panel) in relation to bill hue categories (tertiles). Note that data are shown for bill hue tertiles but bill hue was entered as continuous variable in the analyses. In both sexes individuals with low redness survive worst. In females a quadratic relationship of survival with bill hue was detected (see main text).</p

Association between clinical history in the radiographic request and diagnostic accuracy of thorax radiographs in dogs: A retrospective case-control study

The effect of clinical history on the interpretation of radiographs has been widely researched in human medicine. There is, however, no data on this topic in veterinary medicine.Diagnostic accuracy would improve when history was supplied.Thirty client-owned dogs with abnormal findings on thoracic radiographs and confirmation of the disease, and 30 healthy client-owned controls were drawn retrospectively.Retrospective case-control study. Sixty radiographic studies of the thorax were randomized and interpreted by 6 radiologists; first, with no access to the clinical information; and a second time with access to all pertinent clinical information and signalment.A significant increase in diagnostic accuracy was noted when clinical information was provided (64.4% without and 75.2% with clinical information; P = .002). There was no significant difference in agreement between radiologists when comparing no clinical information and with clinical information (Kappa 0.313 and 0.300, respectively).The addition of pertinent clinical information to the radiographic request significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy of thorax radiographs of dogs and is recommended as standard practice