WELLINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- New research published on Wednesday revealed how New Zealand native birds North Island robins, or toutouwai, use their memory to determine where they store food.
The study conducted in Wellington's Zealandia Ecosanctuary found that robins with stronger spatial memory hid their food farther away, making it less likely to be stolen by competitors. In contrast, birds with weaker memory stored their food closer to the source, increasing the risk of theft.
The study provides the first clear evidence that individual memory performance directly influences "caching" decisions in wild robins, highlighting the importance of cognitive abilities in shaping survival strategies, said the research article.
Researchers from the Victoria University of Wellington tested the birds on two spatial memory tasks -- reference memory and working memory -- to explore the connection between cognitive abilities and "caching" behavior.
While there was no evidence that the robins used working memory, those with better reference memory strategically placed their food at greater distances. This suggests that birds with superior memory can afford to store food in safer locations without the risk of forgetting, whereas those with weaker memory must keep their food nearby, researchers said.
The study also uncovered notable differences among individuals. Female robins outperformed males in spatial memory tasks, and overall performance declined with age. Some birds appeared to follow a heuristic approach when solving tasks, systematically checking locations in a set order to find their food rewards.
These behavioral differences indicate that memory plays a key role in shaping each bird's food storage strategy, according to the study. ■
