IIMYC   23581
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES MARINAS Y COSTERAS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Behavioral responses to a novel feeding problem in the Olrog's Gull Larus atlanticus.
Autor/es:
BIONDI, LAURA M.; GARCIA, GERMAN; CASTANO, MELINA V.; FAVERO, MARCO; ZUMPANO, FRANCISCO
Revista:
Marine Ornithology
Editorial:
Marine Ornithology
Referencias:
Lugar: Ciudad del cabo; Año: 2020 vol. 48 p. 149 - 155
ISSN:
1018-3337
Resumen:
Behavioral innovation is considered an expression of behavioral flexibility and is a source of phenotypic plasticity in animals. In this study, we explored the main components of behavioral innovation (neophobia and exploratory behavior) with respect to social context and age in the Olrog?s Gull Larus atlanticus. Twenty consecutive experimental sessions were performed, involving presentation of a plexiglass box containing food; the box could be opened and reached by pushing or pulling different lids, each leading to a food reward. Gulls were able to decrease their neophobic response throughout the course of the experiments. Fifty-three percent of individuals who entered the feeding station contacted the box. However, no successful box opening was recorded during this study. Age and social context did not affect latency to enter the feedingstation or the time that the individuals invested in exploring the novel object. Social context affected contact flexibility (variation in the location on the box where the individual made contact); greater flexibility was recorded as the number of juveniles at the feed station increased and the total abundance of individuals decreased. Our study demonstrates how knowledge of the propensity to innovate can inform our understanding of the foraging behavior of Olrog´s Gulls, with important implications to potential conservation concerns for this threatened species.