Randomized trial examines how ravens adapt foraging strategies using social cues to navigate risks, implying significant adaptability in changing environments.
Key Points
This study investigates how ravens use information from both their own species and other species to navigate uncertain foraging situations.
Focused on free-ranging ravens foraging in a wildlife park among boars
Conducted a two-sites experiment presenting a choice between familiar and unfamiliar foraging sites
Used an object test to assess responses in relation to known and unknown environments.
In E1, ravens delayed their approach until boars reached the food, indicating social learning, with longer delays at the unfamiliar site
Ravens stole more food from conspecifics at the new site, suggesting greater risk-taking in unfamiliar environments
In E2, the aversive response to the object was stronger at the familiar site, highlighting unpredictability's impact.