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Accurate memory for colour but not pattern contrast in chicks
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 05:08 authored by Daniel Colaco OsorioDaniel Colaco Osorio, Carl D Jones, Misha VorobyevThe visual displays of animals and plants often look dramatic and colourful to us, but what information do they convey to their intended, non-human, audience [1] and [2]? One possibility is that stimulus values are judged accurately ¿ so, for example, a female might choose a suitor if he displays a specific colour [3]. Alternatively, as for human advertising, displays may attract attention without giving information, perhaps by exploiting innate preferences for bright colours or symmetry [2], [4] and [5]. To address this issue experimentally, we investigated chicks¿ memories of visual patterns. Food was placed in patterned paper containers which, like seed pods or insect prey, must be manipulated to extract food and their patterns learnt. To establish what was learnt, birds were tested on familiar stimuli and on alternative stimuli of differing colour or contrast. For colour, birds selected the trained stimulus; for contrast, they preferred high contrast patterns over the familiar. These differing responses to colour and contrast show how separate components of display patterns could serve different roles, with colour being judged accurately whereas pattern contrast attracts attention.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
Current BiologyISSN
0960-9822Publisher
Current BiologyExternal DOI
Volume
9Page range
199-202Pages
4.0ISBN
0960-9822Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2012-02-06Usage metrics
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