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. 2009 Aug 23;5(4):455-8.
doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0114. Epub 2009 May 1.

Kea (Nestor notabilis) consider spatial relationships between objects in the support problem

Alice M I Auersperg  1 , Gyula K Gajdon, Ludwig Huber
Affiliations

Kea (Nestor notabilis) consider spatial relationships between objects in the support problem

Alice M I Auersperg et al. Biol Lett. .

Abstract

The 'Support Problem' is a benchmark test to investigate the understanding of spatial relationships between objects. We tested kea parrots' performance in a paradigm that has previously been studied in primates. Kea perform comparably well to tamarins when they are confronted with a choice between two support devices, one of which has a reward resting on it and the other slightly next to it, or when given a choice between a continuous and a disrupted support. Kea did better than chimpanzees in some tasks in which the perceptual connection of the food to the support was altered. The results indicate that kea are capable of assessing the spatial means-end relationships of this problem spontaneously and in a way that is comparable with primates.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Paired slat combinations as offered in the various tasks. In the On and the Connected tasks as well as in Combinations A and B, the correct slat is semi-randomly allocated (for example 3× right; 3× left).
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