Field-based assessment of inhibitory control in black-tailed gulls using a cylinder task

Abstract

One of the executive functions, inhibitory control, enables animals to suppress ineffective behaviors and facilitate flexible behavior. Seabirds, particularly those of the family Laridae, exploit diverse food resources across various environments. This suggests a possible link between their foraging behavior and inhibitory control. However, to date, inhibitory control in seabirds has not been assessed. We used a cylinder task to assess inhibitory control in wild black-tailed gulls, which are highly omnivorous seabirds. The task required gulls to suppress the dominant response of pecking at food inside a transparent cylinder, detour to the side openings, and retrieve the food without pecking the cylinder. The trial was considered successful if the gull retrieved the food without pecking the cylinder. Ten of the 12 individuals succeeded in the task within 10 trials, with their success rates improving across trials. These findings suggest that black-tailed gulls exhibit moderate levels of inhibitory control among birds and may learn detouring behavior through repetition.