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Largely due to the small number of individuals in captivity, birds of prey remain an understudied, but promising group for animal cognition research. Variations on the classic string-pulling task have been applied across species to evaluate abilities such as associative learning, means-end understanding, and insight problem solving. Previous research has examined only a few species of raptor on the task such as the Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), great grey owl (Strix nebulosa), and turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). Here, we explored how 1-3 individuals from each of seven raptor species (turkey vulture; barn owl, Tyto alba; western screech owl, Megascops kennicottii; eastern screech owl, M. asio; red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis; Swainson's hawk, B. swainsoni; and Harris's hawk) responded to a standardized vertical apparatus. Our goal was to replicate, diversify, and extend the literature by documenting how these different species approached the same problem. Two strings were tied around a perch, one of which was baited. Birds underwent multiple 60-min trials. At least one bird from four of the seven species retrieved the food reward. Three individuals retrieved the food consistently across trials, including the first recorded solving by a western screech owl. Birds displayed diverse apparatus-directed behaviors and solving methods which supported our predictions regarding sociality and predation method. We frame our findings as a roadmap for future researchers studying physical problem-solving by raptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations on the string-pull experiment have been presented to a variety of avian species. Here, we present the results of a basic vertical string-pull task with a Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus. A 2-year-old subject retrieved a shielded food reward within 8 min on each of eight trials and spontaneously used solving techniques similar to corvids and parrots. Our data contribute to the small body of literature on raptor cognition by showing that it may be within the realm of at least one bird of prey species to perform the string-pull task similarly to avian species renowned for their high cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like many other species, dogs have a natural quantity judgment system to assist with decision making to maximize resources. Additionally, dogs are highly sensitive to, and influenced by, human-delivered ostensive (i.e., social) cues. Here, we assessed the influence of one such cue-a high, rising, positive "Oooh!" sound-on dogs' choice of differing quantities of pieces of food presented on two different plates. Subjects ( N = 29) received 16 randomized trials of four conditions: 1 versus 1 paired with experimenter "Oooh!" while looking at the one plate, 1 versus 3, 3 versus 1 paired with experimenter "Oooh!," and 1 versus 1. As predicted, dogs chose the larger quantity more often in 1 versus 3 conditions. Contrary to one of our predictions, subjects chose the 1 versus 1+ "Oooh!" at chance levels. However, in support of another prediction, pairing the smaller reward with a positive intonation in 3 versus 1+ "Oooh!" significantly reduced dogs' choice of the larger reward. That is to say, without the presence of words, eye contact, or facial expressions, dogs followed a misguiding cue and chose a smaller reward that a stranger had deemed more valuable than a larger one. Local enhancement as well as a drive to increase social capital with the human are discussed as possible explanations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).