Social Learning in Birds

doi:10.1017/9781108564113.027

22 - Social Learning in Birds

from Part IV - Social Learning and Teaching

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 July 2021

Victoria E. Lee ,

Alison L. Greggor and

Edited by

Josep Call and

Allison B. Kaufman: Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
Josep Call: Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
James C. Kaufman: Affiliation:
University of Connecticut

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Summary

Birds have contributed a great deal to our understanding of social learning. In this chapter we briefly review this extensive body of research, describing the contexts in which birds use social information to make behavioral decisions. We discuss the ecological factors that promote social learning, and the mechanisms by which social learning occurs. We consider individual differences in social learning, focusing on how learning strategies and biases influence when, how and from whom birds will learn. We examine the consequences of social learning for evolutionary processes, from the emergence of culture to speciation and adaptation to environmental change. Finally, we highlight how knowledge of social learning processes can be applied in the conservation and management of threatened bird species.

Keywords

social learning strategies social cognition learning bias culture birds conservation

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Handbook of Animal Cognition , pp. 503 - 533

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108564113.027 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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