Female cognitive performance and mass are correlated with different aspects of mate choice in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

What do zebra finches learn besides singing? Systematic mapping of the literature and presentation of an efficient associative learning test

“…For example, the individuals were required to eat from at least two of the four baited wells within two minutes to pass a stage. If a bird did not pass a given stage after 60 trials, it was removed from further testing and marked as a non-solver (Howell et al 2019 ). The most commonly used apparatus for associative learning is lid-covered wells, and the prerequisite of this test is the ability to perform a motoric task (Howell et al 2019 ).…”

“…If a bird did not pass a given stage after 60 trials, it was removed from further testing and marked as a non-solver (Howell et al 2019 ). The most commonly used apparatus for associative learning is lid-covered wells, and the prerequisite of this test is the ability to perform a motoric task (Howell et al 2019 ). Incorporating the prerequisite to test and analyse motoric task performance before further assessment of other learning domains may provide a better resolution of the participation and performance outcome of the latter tests.…”

“…While tests of other domains may modify this setup to establish a baseline level of skill before conducting subsequent cognitive assessments, they do not analyse motoric training independently (e.g. associative learning with coloured lids) Lid removal: Boogert et al 2008 ; Campbell et al 2017 ; Crino et al 2014 ; Daria et al 2022 ; Goodchild et al 2021 ; Grindstaff et al 2012 ; Howell et al 2019 , 2020 ; Osbrink et al 2021 ; Slevin et al 2020 ; Templeton et al 2014 Associative learning The association between colour or pattern and reward is formed during a learning phase and is subsequently assessed by giving focal birds a choice. Commonly used in the learning and testing phase are panels with lid-covering wells.…”

“…Such an approach would not rely on motoric ability/learning to remove the lids. Aversive food association can be another technique used to test the learning of an aversive cue Lid removal: Brust et al 2013 , 2014 ; Danner et al 2021 ; Howell et al 2019 ; Jha and Kumar 2017 ; Kriengwatana et al 2015 ; Lambert et al 2021 , 2022 ; Osbrink et al 2021 ; Patel et al 1997 ; Rojas-Ferrer and Morand-Ferron 2020 ; Sanford and Clayton 2008 ; Slevin et al 2020 ; discrimination task: Osbrink et al 2021 ; Rojas-Ferrer and Morand-Ferron 2020 ; Watanabe et al 2008 , 2011 ; choice chamber: Gibelli and Dubois 2017 ; choice corridor: Chantal et al 2016 ; Fisher et al 2006 ; Lu et al 2022 ; curtain compartment: Bonaparte et al 2011 ; food aversion: Tokarev et al 2011 Social learning The fundamental components of social learning tests are the observers and demonstrators. Observer birds are required to watch and learn the behaviour shown by the demonstrator birds.…”

Evidence supporting the microbiota–gut–brain axis in a songbird

“…To address these knowledge gaps, we studied the relationship between cognition and the gut microbiome of captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Songbirds provide an opportunity to test for a microbiota-gut-brain axis because of recent advances in understanding avian cognition [23][24][25]. Gut microbiome characteristics are expected to associate with cognitive ability because the gut microbiome is tied to development and maintenance of brain function [5,10,17], as repeatedly demonstrated in model organisms [4].…”