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Cited by 139Memory Processes and InfluencesPrimate Behavior and EcologyChild and Animal Learning Development

What–Where–When memory in magpies (Pica pica)

Zinkivskay, Ann, Nazir, Farrah, Smulders, Tom V.·2009·Animal Cognition
DOI 10.1007/s10071-008-0176-x
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Abstract

Some animals have been shown to be able to remember which type of food they hoarded or encountered in which location and how long ago (what-where-when memory). In this study, we test whether magpies (Pica pica) also show evidence of remembering these different aspects of a past episode. Magpies hid red- and blue-dyed pellets of scrambled eggs in a large tray containing wood shavings. They were allowed to make as many caches as they wanted. The birds were then returned either the same day or the next day to retrieve the pellets. If they returned the same day, one colour of pellets was replaced with wooden beads of similar size and colour, while if they returned the next day this would happen to the other colour. Over just a few trials, the birds learned to only search for the food pellets, and ignore the beads, of the appropriate colour for the given retention interval. A probe trial in which all items were removed showed that the birds persisted in searching for the pellets and not the beads. This shows that magpies can remember which food item they hoarded where, and when, even if the food items only differ from each other in their colour and are dispersed throughout a continuous caching substrate.

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  • Much of the evidence for episodic-like memory in birds, particularly using the what-where-when paradigm, has revolved around food caching in species highly specialized in this behaviour: scrub-jays, Eurasian jays, magpies, and black-capped chickadees.

    “Much of the evidence for episodic-like memory in birds, particularly using the what–where–when paradigm, has revolved around food caching in species that are highly specialized in this behaviour, namely scrub-jays [52,59,60], Eurasian jays [92], magpies [61] and black-capped chickadees [62].”

    From Is episodic-like memory <i>like</i> episodic memory? (2024) · cites this paper as [61]

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Authors
Zinkivskay, A., Nazir, F., & Smulders, T. V.
Affiliations
Newcastle University (GB)
Corresponding author
Smulders, Tom V.
ORCID
Smulders, Tom V.
Venue
Animal Cognition
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2008-08-01
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
119-125
ISSN
  • 1435-9448 (ISSN-L)
  • 1435-9456
DOI
10.1007/s10071-008-0176-x
OpenAlex
W2060900107
Cited by
139
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 7
FWCI
5.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Animal Cognition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBS/S/H/2005/12030)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords
magpies, Eurasian magpie, food caching, food hoarding, spatial memory, temporal memory, color discrimination
MeSH terms
Animals, Association Learning, Color Perception, Discrimination Learning, Female, Male, Retention, Psychology, Spatial Behavior, Recognition, Psychology, Crows

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