Tweets,

This just in from New Zealand. Please copy Martin Taylor
<mtaylor at WP.TVNZ.CO.NZ> with any responses.

Thanks,

Dan Victor, Seattle, WA <dvictor at u.washington.edu>
Tweeters = http://weber.u.washington.edu/~dvictor/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 17:53:47 +1200
From: Martin Taylor <mtaylor at WP.TVNZ.CO.NZ>
To: dvictor at u.washington.edu
Subject: Bird culture

Can anyone help?

I am searching for examples of cultured behaviour in birds.
There are difficulties with definiitions of cultured behaviours so I will give
the main criteria I need to satisfy:
There needs to be evidence of a problem that is solved using one of at
least two alternatives, but only one is used in a given social group, and
the solution is passed (taught/learnt) through generations. In other
word, learned behaviour in a group follows social models.
Confused???

To try and clarify, here is an example from primates:
Chimpanzees have been observed 'dipping' for the same species of ants
using sticks of distinct sizes, all members of one population produce
tools of a single type.

Culture is not limited to tool use. Examples of bird culture may exist for
distinct learned techniques for nest building, foraging, accessing food
sources, courtship dances, etc.

If anyone can help please contact me with examples at:

mtaylor at wp.tvnz.co.nz

Ph: 64 3 479 9799
Fax: 64 3 479 9917

With thanks

Martin Taylor