We ran ageneralized linear model (Model 4) with a gamma distribution. Fixed factors were Condition (test condition and control condition),Order (sequence of novel objects presented), Subject identity, and Object (yellow Frisbee, pink giraffe soft toy, and multicolour softball).
What exactly is a GLM and why is it important for this study?
Three subjects were a minimum age of five years, the fourth one was a juvenile
Could age possibly play a factor in how they reacted to their own images?
More specifically,these experiments included the study of social learning, exclusion performance, animal-human communication, or reversal learning
Would the fact that these birds have participated in behavioural studies before not affect their performance in this one since they've technically already experienced how these should go?
n this pilot study, we aimed to evaluate whether ground-hornbills habituate to their reflection inmirrors, the influence of context on this learning process, and if neophobia levels delay habituation. Contraryto our expectations, behaviours directed at the mirrors did not decrease over trials. Moreover, ground-hornbillsvaried in their levels of neophobia.
I don't think I fully understand what they mean by habituate or neophobia which is making this whole thing confusing
Generally, birds retrieved the food reward more quickly in the absence of novel objects. Latency to getthe food reward also varied between some individuals.
part of me feels like this part of the study wasn't needed because i felt like the birds would've obviously went for the food still, so could you maybe explain this part more so we could get a different viewpoint?
s a result, humans locally persecute this species, which isendangered in South Africa (Kemp & Rose, 2025). Although some conservation tools have been developed forSouthern ground-hornbills (e.g., acoustic bird deterrents, perforated vinyl to reduce reflection; Kemp et al.2023), shadow boxing is still recognised as one of the primary reasons for the species’ decline.
Do you guys know the exact numbers of this? For the species to go from being normal to endangered means that their numbers had to have dropped significantly, so do we know the exact % decline or their population size before and after?
In the wild, a number of species (e.g., Dusky Sunbird, Cinnyrus fuscus; pin-tailed whydah, Viduamacroura; White-bellied Sunbird, Cinnyris talatala) perceive their self-images as threatening conspecificsover multiple years (Roerig, 2013). For welfare purposes, mirrors have been provided in captive social species(e.g., as sensory or social enrichments). However, mirror exposure can lead to adverse consequences (increaseof submissive or aggressive behaviours; de Groot & Cheyne, 2016).
I find it interesting how they mentioned another bird and its reaction to seeing self images and not the bird they were studying. Does the hornbill see its self-image the same was and is that why it is breaking windows and mirrors or is it just out of curiosity? (At least I dont remember reading that part)