Posted on 02/22/2022 7:54:58 AM PST by Red Badger
When we attached tiny, backpack-like tracking devices to five Australian magpies for a pilot study, we didn't expect to discover an entirely new social behavior rarely seen in birds.
Our goal was to learn more about the movement and social dynamics of these highly intelligent birds, and to test these new, durable and reusable devices. Instead, the birds outsmarted us.
As our new research paper explains, the magpies began showing evidence of cooperative "rescue" behavior to help each other remove the tracker.
While we're familiar with magpies being intelligent and social creatures, this was the first instance we knew of that showed this type of seemingly altruistic behavior: helping another member of the group without getting an immediate, tangible reward.
Magpie tracking device, weighing less than 1 gram. (Dominique Potvin)
Testing exciting new devices As academic scientists, we're accustomed to experiments going awry in one way or another. Expired substances, failing equipment, contaminated samples, an unplanned power outage – these can all set back months (or even years) of carefully planned research.
For those of us who study animals, and especially behavior, unpredictability is part of the job description. This is the reason we often require pilot studies.
Our pilot study was one of the first of its kind – most trackers are too big to fit on medium to small birds, and those that do tend to have very limited capacity for data storage or battery life. They also tend to be single-use only.
A novel aspect of our research was the design of the harness that held the tracker. We devised a method that didn't require birds to be caught again to download precious data or reuse the small devices.
We trained a group of local magpies to come to an outdoor, ground feeding "station" that could either wirelessly charge the battery of the tracker, download data, or release the tracker and harness by using a magnet.
Our new tracker design was innovative, allowing a magnet to release the harness. (Dominique Potvin)
The harness was tough, with only one weak point where the magnet could function. To remove the harness, one needed that magnet, or some really good scissors. We were excited by the design, as it opened up many possibilities for efficiency and enabled a lot of data to be collected.
We wanted to see if the new design would work as planned, and discover what kind of data we could gather. How far did magpies go? Did they have patterns or schedules throughout the day in terms of movement, and socializing? How did age, sex or dominance rank affect their activities?
All this could be uncovered using the tiny trackers – weighing less than 1 gram – we successfully fitted five of the magpies with. All we had to do was wait, and watch, and then lure the birds back to the station to gather the valuable data.
It was not to be
Many animals that live in societies cooperate with one another to ensure the health, safety, and survival of the group. In fact, cognitive ability and social cooperation has been found to correlate. Animals living in larger groups tend to have an increased capacity for problem solving, such as hyenas, spotted wrasse, and house sparrows.
Australian magpies are no exception. As a generalist species that excels in problem solving, it has adapted well to the extreme changes to their habitat from humans.
This magpie wasn't sure what to think of its new accessory. (Dominique Potvin)
Australian magpies generally live in social groups of between two and 12 individuals, cooperatively occupying and defending their territory through song choruses and aggressive behaviors (such as swooping). These birds also breed cooperatively, with older siblings helping to raise young.
During our pilot study, we found out how quickly magpies team up to solve a group problem. Within 10 minutes of fitting the final tracker, we witnessed an adult female without a tracker working with her bill to try and remove the harness off of a younger bird.
Within hours, most of the other trackers had been removed. By day 3, even the dominant male of the group had its tracker successfully dismantled.
We don't know if it was the same individual helping each other or if they shared duties, but we had never read about any other bird cooperating in this way to remove tracking devices.
The birds needed to problem solve, possibly testing at pulling and snipping at different sections of the harness with their bill. They also needed to willingly help other individuals, and accept help.
The only other similar example of this type of behavior we could find in the literature was that of Seychelles warblers helping release others in their social group from sticky Pisonia seed clusters. This is a very rare behavior termed "rescuing".
Saving magpies
So far, most bird species that have been tracked haven't necessarily been very social or considered to be cognitive problem solvers, such as waterfowl and raptors. We never considered the magpies may perceive the tracker as some kind of parasite that requires removal.
Tracking magpies is crucial for conservation efforts, as these birds are vulnerable to the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves under climate change.
In a study published this week, Perth researchers showed the survival rate of magpie chicks in heatwaves can be as low as 10 percent.
Importantly, they also found that higher temperatures resulted in lower cognitive performance for tasks such as foraging. This might mean cooperative behaviors become even more important in a continuously warming climate.
Just like magpies, we scientists are always learning to problem solve. Now we need to go back to the drawing board to find ways of collecting more vital behavioral data to help magpies survive in a changing world. Dominique Potvin, Senior Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of the Sunshine Coast.
First, you have to be smarter than the birds you are studying......................
Heckle and Jekyl
Clearly they need a smaller device.
This story has everything. Birds, flight, microelectronics, altruistic animal behavior.
It reminds me of when a tracking device was put on a humpback whale. The first thing the video device showed was the whale pack communicating with each other and one by one, the whales looking at the device trying to remove it.
I suggest that they mandate that all magpies must be jabbed with an experimental substance which contains a tracking chip. Preferably one which can link to a 5G network.
La Gazza Ladra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MRvDGd02mA
Or smarter researchers...............
Magpies can see what’s happening.
They didn’t want to end up in some Aussie covid concentration camp.
I’ve observed a bunch of videos (you’re great, internet!) over time of wild animals maybe not helping each other but knowing that humans will help them if they’re in trouble. One involved a bunch of fishermen helping a beluga whale that had some type of harness on it. They used a giant grappler to cut the harness away and the whale was like “Thanks, guys!” and swam off.
A documentary I watched once upon a time said naturalists would sometimes find evidence of a wolf being injured at a kill and so the other wolves would bring it food while it was recuperating. Their evidence seemed pretty sound, but I wondered about it because wolves aren’t usually that nice to each other. We tend to believe media a lot, so not sure if I trust that.
Animals, especially birds, are more likely to persecute a member of the gang who has something odd about him/her, so this is interesting in that regard.
[ Magpies can see what’s happening.
They didn’t want to end up in some Aussie covid concentration camp. ]
You mean a “CORVIDAE” concentration camp?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvidae
The genus Corvus, including the jackdaws, crows, rooks, and ravens.
Corvids display remarkable intelligence for animals of their size and are among the most intelligent birds thus far studied. Specifically, members of the family have demonstrated self-awareness in mirror tests (European magpies) and tool-making ability (e.g., crows and rooks) skills which until recently were thought to be possessed only by humans and a few other higher mammals. Their total brain-to-body mass ratio is equal to that of non-human great apes and cetaceans, and only slightly lower than that of humans.
The genus Corvus, including the jackdaws, crows, rooks, and ravens.
Corvids display remarkable intelligence for animals of their size and are among the most intelligent birds thus far studied. Specifically, members of the family have demonstrated self-awareness in mirror tests (European magpies) and tool-making ability (e.g., crows and rooks) skills which until recently were thought to be possessed only by humans and a few other higher mammals. Their total brain-to-body mass ratio is equal to that of non-human great apes and cetaceans, and only slightly lower than that of humans.
Isn’t this how that Hitchcock movie started?
Ha! Magpies are a form of Crows. Don’t mess with Crows. They are smart. And evil. Spawns of Satan.
God created crows
To keep you humble.............
Their analytical prowess is unsurpassed................
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