Slow-Exploring Java Sparrows Lonchura oryzivora Hold Higher Reversal Learning Ability

Abstract

Individual differences in cognition widely exist in diverse animal taxa. Such cognitive variance is supposed to be influenced by animal personality. While the relationships between various personality traits and performances in diverse cognitive tasks are not consistent, few studies have examined the effects of a particular personality trait on different cognitive abilities. We measured the exploratory behaviour of 35 individuals lab-reared Java Sparrows Lonchura oryzivora with a novel environment test and a novel object test. Three cognitive abilities of birds, for discrimination learning, reversal learning, and inhibitory control, were quantified in three classic cognition tasks (a colour association task, a colour reversal task, and a detour-reaching task). We found no correlation between the exploration and the trials required to pass the colour association task or the detour-reaching task. The slow explorers, however, needed less trials to reach the criterion in the colour reversal task. Our results suggest that slow explorers hold higher reversal learning ability. Slow-exploring style would be advantageous to birds when facing unpredictable environmental changes.