Spontaneous Metatool Use by New Caledonian Crows

Taylor, Alexander; Hunt, Gavin R.; Holzhaider, Jennifer C.; Gray, Russell D.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2007.07.057

Cited by 207 publications

(174 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Other studies use artificial tasks designed to probe the extents and limits of innovative problem solving. These reveal that both New Caledonian crows and chimpanzees can solve novel problems that involve up to three tools to be used in sequence [87][88][89], although this does seem to require more practice (see also [66]). Both apes and New Caledonian crows (as well as kea) can also solve problems that involve finding a novel solution, which becomes obsolete after a time, requiring that solution to be abandoned and another to be found [90,91].…”

Section: (C) Innovation and Social Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

If at first you don't succeed… Studies of ontogeny shed light on the cognitive demands of habitual tool use

Meulman

Seed

Mann

2013

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Many species use tools, but the mechanisms underpinning the behaviour differ between species and even among individuals within species, depending on the variants performed. When considering tool use ‘as adaptation’, an important first step is to understand the contribution made by fixed phenotypes as compared to flexible mechanisms, for instance learning. Social learning of tool use is sometimes inferred based on variation between populations of the same species but this approach is questionable. Specifically, alternative explanations cannot be ruled out because population differences are also driven by genetic and/or environmental factors. To better understand the mechanisms underlying routine but non-universal (i.e. habitual) tool use, we suggest focusing on the ontogeny of tool use and individual variation within populations. For example, if tool-using competence emerges late during ontogeny and improves with practice or varies with exposure to social cues, then a role for learning can be inferred. Experimental studies help identify the cognitive and developmental mechanisms used when tools are used to solve problems. The mechanisms underlying the route to tool-use acquisition have important consequences for our understanding of the accumulation in technological skill complexity over the life course of an individual, across generations and over evolutionary time.

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Section: (C) Innovation and Social Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

If at first you don't succeed… Studies of ontogeny shed light on the cognitive demands of habitual tool use

Meulman

Seed

Mann

2013

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…More recently, however, another animal group has received considerable attention in these areas of cognitive research: corvids. Corvids have demonstrated cognitive abilities that rival those of the great apes (Bird & Emery, 2009Bugnyar, 2008;Emery, 2004;Seed, Emery, & Clayton, 2009;Taylor, Hunt, Holzhaider, & Gray, 2007;Taylor, Hunt, Medina, & Gray, 2009;Taylor, Roberts, Hunt, & Gray, 2009;Tebbich, Seed, Emery, & Clayton, 2007). Like the brains of primates, corvid brains are significantly larger than would be predicted from their body size (Jerison, 1973).…”

Section: Jennifer C Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides, NC crows hereafter) stand out in the corvid family because of their exceptional ability to use and manufacture tools in both the wild (Hunt, 1996(Hunt, , 2000aHunt & Gray, 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2007 and the laboratory , 2004Weir, Chappell, & Kacelnik, 2002;, and for their considerable problem-solving skills (Taylor et al, 2007;Taylor et al, 2010;Taylor, Roberts, et al, 2009;Wimpenny, Weir, Clayton, Rutz, & Kacelnik, 2009). NC crows also appear to have relatively large brains, even among highly encephalized corvids (Cnotka, Güntürkün, Rehkämper, Gray, & Hunt, 2008;Mehlhorn et al, 2010).…”

Section: Jennifer C Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social learning in New Caledonian crows

Holzhaider

Hunt

Gray

2010

Learning & Behavior

109

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New Caledonian (NC) crows are the most sophisticated tool manufacturers other than humans. The diversification and geographical distribution of their three Pandanus tool designs that differ in complexity, as well as the lack of ecological correlates, suggest that cumulative technological change has taken place. To investigate the p possibility that high-fidelity social transmission mediated this putative ratchet-like process, we studied the ontogeny of Pandanus tool manufacture and social organization in free-living NC crows. We found that juvenile crows took more than 1 year to reach adult proficiency in their Pandanus tool skills. Although trial-and-error learning is clearly important, juveniles have ample opportunity to learn about Pandanus tool manufacture by both observing their parents and interacting with artifactual material. The crows' social system seems likely to promote the faithful social transmission of local tool designs by both favoring the vertical transmission of tool information and minimizing horizontal transmission. We suggest that NC crows develop their Pandanus tool skills in a highly scaffolded learning environment that facilitates the cumulative technological evolution of tool designs.

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“…Experimental work has suggested that their tool skills may be based on complex physical cognition ( Weir et al 2002;Weir & Kacelnik 2006;Taylor et al 2007). If this is correct, New Caledonian crows might be expected to excel at physical cognition problems, such as the trap-tube task.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do New Caledonian crows solve physical problems through causal reasoning?

et al. 2008

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The extent to which animals other than humans can reason about physical problems is contentious. The benchmark test for this ability has been the trap-tube task. We presented New Caledonian crows with a series of two-trap versions of this problem. Three out of six crows solved the initial trap-tube. These crows continued to avoid the trap when the arbitrary features that had previously been associated with successful performances were removed. However, they did not avoid the trap when a hole and a functional trap were in the tube. In contrast to a recent primate study, the three crows then solved a causally equivalent but visually distinct problem-the trap-table task. The performance of the three crows across the four transfers made explanations based on chance, associative learning, visual and tactile generalization, and previous dispositions unlikely. Our findings suggest that New Caledonian crows can solve complex physical problems by reasoning both causally and analogically about causal relations. Causal and analogical reasoning may form the basis of the New Caledonian crow's exceptional tool skills.

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Spontaneous Metatool Use by New Caledonian Crows

Cited by 207 publications

References 35 publications

If at first you don't succeed… Studies of ontogeny shed light on the cognitive demands of habitual tool use

If at first you don't succeed… Studies of ontogeny shed light on the cognitive demands of habitual tool use

Social learning in New Caledonian crows

Do New Caledonian crows solve physical problems through causal reasoning?

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