Growing up in a large social
group makes Australian magpies more intelligent, new research shows.
Using four tasks to test
intelligence, scientists from the University of Exeter and the University of
Western Australia found wild Australian magpies from larger groups showed
"elevated cognitive performance".
The study also found more
intelligent females produced more offspring.
The research suggests that the
demands of living in complex social groups may play a role in the evolution of
intelligence.
"Australian magpies - from
Western Australia, where we conducted our research - live in stable social
groups," said Dr Alex Thornton, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation
on the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
"We showed that individuals
living in larger groups in the wild show elevated cognitive performance, which
in turn is linked to increased reproductive success.
"Repeated testing of
juveniles at different ages showed that the link between group size and
intelligence emerged in early life."
Researchers examined 14 wild
groups of Australian magpies (Western Australian subspecies Cracticus tibicen
dorsalis) in Perth, ranging in size from three to 12 birds.
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