Study on Juvenile Great Tits reveal some social learning patterns

Study on Juvenile Great Tits reveal some social learning patterns (Image: Canva)

Researchers have found out that siblings can be powerful role models, eclipsing even their parents’ influence. This happened in case of Juvenile great tits who primarily learn survival skills from siblings and non-parental adults. This study challenges assumption about parental teaching in wildlife.

Juvenile Great Tits Rely on Peers

Conducted by the University of California, Davis and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, the study has shown that juvenile great tits, more commonly referred to as songbirds, acquire key survival qualities more competently from sibling and non-parental adults than guardians themselves. The study refutes the conventional beliefs regarding parental attention in birds.

How was the study conducted?

Entering ten-plus weeks, 51 breeding pairs and their 229 fledglings were introduced to automated feeding puzzles. The puzzles involved moving a door to reach mealworms. The behaviour of microchipped birds was carefully observed, generating tens of thousands of data points.

Who They Learned From?

The results were striking. Although parental skills had some effects on the first learners, almost three-quarters of early learners imitated non-parental adults. Later on, learners were dependent on siblings, and approximately 94 percent of them borrowed puzzle-solving strategies. This shows that siblings and unrelated adults are important alternative teachers.

Why This Matters?

Fledgling great tits have scarcely ten days of parental attention, and they have to learn quickly, to support themselves and seek shelter. Scientists sought to discover how such birds communicate when parented with less guidance.

Conservation Implications

Awareness of these alternative learning pathways is crucial to the conservation of biodiversity. Multiple-social-pathway species are better adapted to changing environmental conditions. These forms of social learning promote adaptability and cultural spread, which facilitates population survival.

What's Next

The results highlight the relevance of sibling and peer interactions on animal behaviour research. This study could guide methods of preserving endangered species. It also highlights the learning of survival tactics in wildlife on the family level which is not limited to the parental care.