Feeding innovations and forebrain size in birds

Authors: LEFEBVRE L.; WHITTLE P.; LASCARIS E.; FINKELSTEIN A.

Source: Animal Behaviour, Volume 53, Number 3, March 1997 , pp. 549-560(12)

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Abstract:

The links between ecology, behavioural plasticity and brain size are often tested via the comparative method. Given the problems in interpretating comparative tests of learning and cognition, however, alternative measures of plasticity need to be developed. From the short notes section of nine ornithological journals, two separate, exhaustive data sets have been collated on opportunistic foraging innovations in birds of North America (1973-1993; N =196) and the British Isles (1983-1993; N =126). Both the absolute and relative frequencies (corrected for species number per order) of innovations differ between bird orders in a similar fashion in the two geographical zones. Absolute and relative frequency of innovations per order are also related to two measures of relative forebrain size in the two zones. The study confirms predicted trends linking opportunism, brain size and rate of structural evolution. It also suggests that innovation rate in the field may be a useful measure of behavioural plasticity.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: Department of Biology, McGill University

Publication date: 1997-03-01