Research at the KLF

Cooperation and economic behaviour in corvids

funded by: INCORE (Integrating Cooperation Research across Europe): FP6-NEST (2007-2010)

project leader: Dr. Thomas Bugnyar

Corvids have been suggested to show complex cognitive abilities similar to those of primates in the context of similar socio-ecological problems. One of the most fascinating aspects of their social life is the tactical and economical use of cooperative behaviour. Corvids are known to facultatively engage in helping at the nest (e.g. carrion crows), active recruitment of non-relatives to food sources (e.g. ravens), food sharing (e.g. jackdaws), coalitionary support between and within sexes (e.g. ravens, rooks), and post-conflict consolation (e.g. ravens, rooks). Taken together, results indicate a high flexibility in the birds’ decision of whether or not to cooperate in certain situations, some knowledge about potential cooperation partners and the use of tools both in the social and technical domain.

                So far, issues related to corvid-cooperation have been investigated as isolated topics, focusing either on specific proximate or functional aspects. Extending the view of different programs, coordinating ongoing studies and adjusting already-used procedures pose technical and practical challenges and call for improved networking between the established labs in Austria (KL Research Station, Univ. Vienna), France (Univ. Strasbourg), Great Britain (Univ. Cambridge, Univ. Oxford), Spain (Univ. Valladolid) and Italy (Univ. Trieste). This work package is aimed to improve the exchange of information between the European corvid labs in order to coordinate their activities and integrate their ongoing work on cooperative behaviour into the broad framework of other European programs (GEBACO, TECT).