Memory for spatial and local cues: A comparison of a storing and a nonstoring species

Two passerine species, black-capped chickadees (Parus atricapillus, a food-storing bird) and darkeyed juncos (Junco hyemalis, a nonstoring bird) were compared in a task in which they inspected four feeders in an aviary. Different feeders and different spatial locations were used on each trial. One of the feeders was baited. The subjects returned after a 5-min retention interval to find the baited feeder. Tests with transformations of the feeder array made it possible to determine what cues controlled the food-finding behavior. Chickadees responded to spatial cues preferentially over local color and pattern cues associated with the feeder (Experiments 2–4). The same ordering of responding was found in Experiment 1, a food-storing version of the food-finding task outlined above. Experiment 5 tested juncos on the food-finding task. Juncos responded to all types of information equally. The results are discussed in relation to the notion that because of their food-storing lifestyle, chickadees may need to rely more heavily on spatial cues than do juncos.

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