Crows can easily identify a traitor and will not trust him

Ravens showed complex cooperative abilities, which were previously identified only in several species of mammals and one species of fish. However, cooperation between these birds is possible only if they trust each other.

Delicacy for a partnership

Dr. Jorg Massen of the University of Vienna conducted an experiment to test how the trust between the crows would help them to procure food. Outside the cell with a thread, he installed a small platform, on which were located two small pieces of cheese. Each of the crows could swing the bar, on which the food lay, just pulling on the lace. But the catch was that only two ravens could get the cheese at the same time. If only one of them pulled the lace, the platform would be turned over, depriving both birds of goodies.

Results of experiments

In several scientific reports, Massen and co-authors of the study showed that out of 600 tests, 397 (66.2%) were successful. At the same time scientists used the same method of testing birds, but each pair of crows chose their unique way of cooperation.

Apparently, this kind of winged is very like cheese, as some individuals showed their dominant character and literally monopolized the platform. But Masse did not stop there, repeating the process again and again, to give the crows an opportunity to cooperate.

Despite the fact that the first tests took place without the training of birds, success was also, although less pronounced. So, out of 36 pairs of crows, who previously did not work together, 15 (27.3%) completed their assignment together.

How birds choose their partners

In accordance with previous studies, an important indicator of the success of the experiment was the "interindividual tolerance" of birds, that is, their ability to get along with each other.

In the second round of tests, certain regularities that had previously been hidden were revealed. Thus, the individuals of the opposite sexes turned out to be the best employees. In this pair, consisting only of females or only of males, were not too reliable. In addition, the influence of the hierarchy on the results of cooperation was observed. Couples, in which one bird obeyed another, coped much better with their task.

Massen noted that the behavior of crows in many ways determines the possibility of their cooperation. For example, if one of the participants in the experiment took all the cheese for themselves, the second one refused to work with it, even at subsequent stages of the process.

"Previously, this way to assess the actions of a partner was peculiar only to man and chimpanzee. For birds, it is an absolute novelty, "the author of the study said in a statement.

Underwater rocks

It is also worth noting that crows-villains did not regret what they had done. In rare cases, they acted differently on the second attempt. Although, even changing their strategy, these birds hesitated, as if being two steps away from deceiving their partner again.

Despite the fact that crows are able to recognize a good employee or traitor, they do not understand the importance of this check. This proves the following experiment: one of the birds was immediately given access to the rope, and the second received it only after a while. In most cases, the first participants in the experiment shook the platform before the aid arrived, indicating that they had no observability.