High level of self-control ability in a small passerine bird

Abstract

Cognitively advanced animals are usually assumed to possess better self-control, or ability to decline immediate rewards in favour of delayed ones, than less cognitively advanced animals. It has been claimed that the best predictor of high such ability is absolute brain volume meaning that large-brained animals should perform better than small-brained ones. We tested self-control ability in the great tit, a small passerine. In the common test of this ability, the animal is presented with a transparent cylinder that contains a piece of food. If the animal tries to take the reward through the transparent wall of the cylinder, this is considered an impulsive act and it fails the test. If it moves to an opening and takes the reward this way, it passes the test. The average performance of our great tits was 80%, higher than most animals that have been tested and almost in level with the performance in corvids and apes. This is remarkable considering that the brain volume of a great tit is 3% of that of a raven and 0.1% of that of a chimpanzee.Significance statementThe transparent cylinder test is the most common way to test the ability of self-control in animals. If an animal understands that it only can take food in the cylinder from the cylinder’s opening and controls its impulsivity, it passes the test. A high level of self-control has been demonstrated only in cognitively advanced animals such as apes and corvids. Here, we demonstrate that the great tit, a small song bird that is very good at learning, performs almost in level with chimpanzees and ravens in this test.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00265-018-2529-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Uninhibited chickens: ranging behaviour impacts motor self-regulation in free-range broiler chickens ( Gallus gallus domesticus )

“…However, caution needs to be taken with overtraining animals as they may establish strong stimulus-response habit solutions, resulting in misleading high performances [37,38]. As our low and high rangers performed similarly during habituation and training, and still groups had different performances during test trials, the most plausible explanation for learning during tests is that chickens' lack of experience with transparency in the first trials resulted in poor initial performance [23], and, as trials progressed, animals became more accurate and faster, as was the case for Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) and pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) [38,39].…”

Wild‐caught great tits Parus major fail to use tools in a laboratory experiment, despite facilitation

“…The birds may then not be able to consider other options—like using a tool. Even though the great tit has almost as good impulse control as ravens ( Corvus corax ) and apes (Isaksson et al, ), one great tit was pecking intensely at the meal worm behind the wall of the tube, suggesting lack of self‐control.…”

“…Another possible reason for why our great tits failed could be that we used transparent tubes (e.g., Isaksson et al, 2018;Kabadayi, Taylor, Bayern, & Osvath, 2016). In nature, the occasions when a great tit might be induced to use a stick-like object as a tool, would probably occur when the bird spotted a larva deep in a bark crevice.…”

“…The rural habitats consisted of forest lots surrounded by grazed farmlands, situated at least 5 km from the nearest suburban or urban environment. Birds from these capture sites have previously shown (a) high ability in plug opening and string‐pulling tests (I. Kacergyte, J. Gaviraghi‐Mussoi, U. Urhan, & A. Brodin, unpublished data), (b) a high level of self‐control (Isaksson, Urhan, & Brodin, ), and (c) an advanced ability for observational learning (Brodin & Urhan, ). Using plumage and moulting characteristics, we determined that of the 26 captured birds seven were juveniles, 18 were adults, 1 was of unknown age, 13 were males and 13 were females.…”

“…Urhan, & A. Brodin, unpublished data). Therefore, assuming great tits can learn to use tools, we were interested in whether or (Isaksson, Urhan, & Brodin, 2018), and (c) an advanced ability for observational learning (Brodin & Urhan, ). Using plumage and moulting characteristics, we determined that of the 26 captured birds seven were juveniles, 18…”