Pigeons in the test: Do they follow the gaze of their peers?

Pigeons in the test: Do they follow the gaze of their peers?

The research team led by Fumihiro Kano and Mathilde Delacoux from the University of Konstanz examined the group behavior of pigeons in order to understand how these birds follow the gaze of their peers and what influence group size has on this behavior. This occurs within the framework of the concept of “gaze following,” which describes how both animals and humans follow the gaze of their companions in order to divide their attention and obtain information. This interesting line of research has its origins in the work of the psychologist Stanley Milgram, who researched the “quorum” effect in people, according to which individuals follow the gaze of a group above a certain group size.

Previous studies of gaze following in birds have often been limited to pairs. The University of Konstanz team chose pigeons for their experiments because these birds live in large groups and it is beneficial for them to follow others' gaze, especially while foraging. The experiments took place in a high-tech barn in Möggingen on Lake Constance, where the pigeons were divided into two groups. One group made eye contact with a moving object, while the other group could not. A sophisticated camera system recorded the pigeons' head movements in real time and enabled a precise analysis of their behavior.

Influence of group size

The researchers carried out the experiments with different group constellations, whereby 1, 3, 5 or more pigeons were able to observe the object. The results showed that pigeons do follow the gaze of their peers, but to a lesser extent than many other bird species. For a single pigeon, the probability of other pigeons following was low. Only when several pigeons looked in the same direction did others tend to join in. Interestingly, no quorum effect could be detected; there was no minimum number of pigeons necessary to trigger this effect. Rather, there was a linear increase: the more pigeons looked in the same direction, the more pigeons followed.

However, Mathilde Delacoux expressed caution about the interpretation of these results. She explained that the pigeons' behavior could be characterized by knee-jerk reactions, with no evidence of deeper cognitive abilities, such as changing positions to better see the object. The research results indicate that pigeons base their behavior strongly on the number of looks from their peers and emphasize the importance of group research for understanding the social behavior of animals.

Cognitive abilities in animals

Research on cognitive abilities in animals has increased in recent decades and encompasses a variety of mental abilities, such as learning, problem solving, and object recognition. All animal species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects, exhibit cognitive abilities that are critical to their survival strategies and behavior in the environment. Recent studies show that some species of birds, such as ravens and magpies, are capable of using tools, something that was once considered a human ability. These skills are crucial for finding food, avoiding danger, and navigating their environment efficiently.

With their work, Delacoux and her team not only shed light on the specific social behaviors of pigeons, but also initiated the general discussion about animal intelligence and cognitive abilities in the animal world. The original publication of their results will appear in the journal iScience under the title “Gaze following in pigeons increases with the number of demonstrators,” which underlines the relevance of this research in the context of behavioral biology.

For further information, please refer to the publications and the researchers' statements. Learn more about the exciting world of cognitive abilities and social interactions in animals in the following links: University of Konstanz, idw online and StudySmarter.