Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Use of experimenter-given cues by African gray parrots (Psittacus erithacus)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Animal Cognition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

One advantage of living in a social group is the opportunity to use information provided by other individuals. Social information can be based on cues provided by a conspecific or even by a heterospecific individual (e.g., gaze direction, vocalizations, pointing gestures). Although the use of human gaze and gestures has been extensively studied in primates, and is increasingly studied in other mammals, there is no documentation of birds using these cues in a cooperative context. In this study, we tested the ability of three African gray parrots to use different human cues (pointing and/or gazing) in an object-choice task. We found that one subject spontaneously used the most salient pointing gesture (looking and steady pointing with hand at about 20 cm from the baited box). The two others were also able to use this cue after 15 trials. None of the parrots spontaneously used the steady gaze cues (combined head and eye orientation), but one learned to do so effectively after only 15 trials when the distance between the head and the baited box was about 1 m. However, none of the parrots were able to use the momentary pointing nor the distal pointing and gazing cues. These results are discussed in terms of sensitivity to joint attention as a prerequisite to understand pointing gestures as it is to the referential use of labels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson JR (1998) Social stimuli and social rewards in primate learning and cognition. Behav Processes 42:159–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JR, Montant M, Schmitt D (1996) Rhesus monkeys fail to use gaze direction as an experimenter-given cue in an object-choice task. Behav Processes 37:47–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JR, Sallaberry P, Barbier H (1995) Use of experimenter-given cues during object-choice tasks by capuchin monkeys. Anim Behav 49:201–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldwin DA (1991) Infants’ contribution to the achievement of joint reference. Child Dev 62:875–890

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barth J, Reaux JE, Povinelli DJ (2005) Chimpanzees’ (Pan troglodytes) use of gaze cues in object-choice tasks: different methods yield different results. Anim Cogn 8:84–92

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Behne T, Carpenter M, Tomasello M (2005) One-year-olds comprehend the communicative intentions behind gestures in a hiding game. Dev Sci 8:492–499

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury JW (2003) Vocal communication in wild parrots. In: de Waal FBM, Tyack PL (eds) Animal social complexity: intelligence culture and individualized societies. Harvard Press, Cambridge, pp 293–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Bugnyar T, Stöwe M, Bernd H (2004) Ravens, Corvus corax, follow gaze direction of humans around obstacles. Proc Biol Sci 271:1331–1336

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Call J, Hare BA, Tomasello M (1998) Chimpanzee gaze following in an object-choice task. Anim Cogn 1:89–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Call J, Tomasello M (1994) Production and comprehension of referential pointing by Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus). J Comp Psychol 108:307–317

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danchin E, Giraldeau L-A, Valone TJ, Wagner RH (2004) Public information: from nosy neighbors to cultural evolution. Science 305:487–491

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dominey PF, Dodane C (2004) Indeterminacy in language acquisition: the role of child directed speech and joint attention. J Neurolinguistics 17:121–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emery NJ, Clayton DH (2001) Effects of experience and social context on prospective caching strategies by scrub jays. Nature 416:443–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emery NJ, Dally JM, Clayton NS (2004) Western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) use cognitive strategies to protect their caches from thieving conspecifics. Anim Cogn 7:37–43

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Evans CS (1997) Referential signals. Perspect Ethol 12:99–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Farroni T, Mansfield EM, Lai C, Johnson MH (2003) Infants perceiving and acting on the eyes: tests of an evolutionary hypothesis. J Exp Child Psychol 85:199–212

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez J-C (2005) Species comparative studies and cognitive development. Trends Cogn Sci (Regul Ed) 9:118–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hare B, Brown M, Williamson C, Tomasello M (2002) The domestication of social cognition in dogs. Science 298:1634–1636

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hare B, Plyusnina I, Ignacio N, Schepina O, Stepika A, Wrangham R, Trut L (2005) Social cognitive evolution in captive foxes is a correlated by-product of experimental domestication. Curr Biol 15:226–230

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hare B, Tomasello M (1999) Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) use human and conspecific social cues to locate hidden food. J Comp Psychol 113:173–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Itakura S, Agnetta B, Hare B, Tomasello M (1999) Chimpanzee use of human and conspecific social cues to locate hidden food. Dev Sci 2:448–456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Itakura S, Tanaka M (1998) Use of experimenter-given cues during object-choice tasks by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), an orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), and human infants (Homo sapiens). J Comp Psychol 112:119–126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaminski J, Riedel J, Call J, Tomasello M (2005) Domestic goats, Capra hircus, follow gaze direction and use social cues in an object choice task. Anim Behav 69:11–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maros K, Gácsi M, Miklósi Á (2008) Comprehension of human pointing gestures in horses (Equus caballus). Anim Cogn. doi:10.1007/s10071-008-0136-5

  • McGregor PK, Dabelsteen T (1996) Communication networks. In: Kroodsma DE, Miller EH (eds) Ecology and evolution of acoustic communication in birds. Ithaca, New York, pp 409–425

    Google Scholar 

  • McKinley J, Sambrook TD (2000) Use of human-given cues by domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and horses (Equus caballus). Anim Cogn 3:13–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miklósi Á, Kubinyi E, Topál J, Gácsi M, Virányi Z, Csányi V (2003) A simple reason for a big difference: wolves do not look back at humans, but dogs do. Curr Biol 13:763–766

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miklósi Á, Polgárdi R, Topál J, Csányi V (1998) Use of experimenter-given cues in dogs. Anim Cogn 1:113–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miklósi Á, Soproni K (2006) A comparative analysis of animals’ understanding of the human pointing gesture. Anim Cogn 9:81–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peignot P, Anderson JR (1999) Use of experimenter-given manual and facial cues by gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) in an object-choice task. J Comp Psychol 113:253–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pepperberg IM (1999) The Alex studies: cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Pepperberg IM (2006) Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots. Appl Anim Behav Sci 100:77–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pepperberg IM, McLaughlin MA (1996) Effect of avian-human joint attention on allospecific vocal learning by grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). J Comp Psychol 110:286–297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Povinelli DJ, Reaux JE, Bierschwale DT, Allain AD, Simon BB (1997) Exploitation of pointing as a referential gesture in young children, but not adolescent chimpanzees. Cogn Dev 12:423–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratx I (2004) Le perroquet gris d’Afrique Psittacus erithacus. Pharmacy Thesis, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, p 244

  • Schloegl C, Kotrschal K, Bugnyar T (2008) Do common ravens (Corvus corax) rely on human or conspecific gaze cues to detect hidden food? Anim Cogn 11:231–241

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schmid R, Doherr MG, Steiger A (2006) The influence of the breeding method on the behaviour of adult African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 98:293–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smitha B, Thakar J, Watve M (1999) Do bee eaters have theory of mind? Curr Sci 76:574–577

    Google Scholar 

  • Soproni K, Miklósi Á, Topál J, Csányi V (2001) Comprehension of human communicative signs in pet dogs (Canis familiaris). J Comp Psychol 115:122–126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soproni K, Miklósi Á, Topál J, Csányi V (2002) Dogs’ (Canis familiaris) responsiveness to human pointing gestures. J Comp Psychol 116:27–34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tomasello M, Call J, Gluckman A (1997) Comprehension of novel communicative signs by apes and human children. Child Dev 68:1067–1080

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomasello M, Call J, Hare B (1998) Five primate species follow the visual gaze of conspecifics. Anim Behav 55:1063–1069

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tomasello M, Hare B, Agnetta B (1999) Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, follow gaze direction geometrically. Anim Behav 58:769–777

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tschudin A, Call J, Dunbar RIM, Harris G, van der Elst C (2001) Comprehension of Signs by Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). J Comp Psychol 115:100–105

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vick S-J, Anderson JR (2003) Use of human visual attention cues by olive baboons (Papio anubis) in a competitive task. J Comp Psychol 117:209–216

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Virányi Z, Gácsi M, Kubinyi E, Topál J, Belényi B, Ujfalussy D, Miklósi Á (2008) Comprehension of human pointing gestures in young human-reared wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canis familiaris). Anim Cogn. doi:10.1007/s10071-007-0127-y

  • Watve M, Thakar J, Kale A, Puntambekar S, Shaikh I, Vaze K, Jog M, Paranjape S (2002) Bee-eaters (Merops orientalis) respond to what a predator can see. Anim Cogn 5:253–259

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamashita C (1987) Field observations and comments on the Indigo Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari), a highly endangered species from northeastern Brazil. Wilson Bull 99:280–282

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Marie Monbureau and Sarah-Jane Vick for their suggestions on how to improve the manuscript. We thank Syrina Al Aïn, Aurélie Albert, Mathieu Amy, Julie Chébaux, Colette Désaleux, Tudor Dragonoiu, Violaine Garcia-Fernandez, Marion Grand, Philippe Groué, Valériane Jouffroy, Philippe Lenouvel, Alexandre Lerch, Maëlle Parisot, Magali Pasteau and Aurélie Tanvez for taking care of the parrots. Funding for this research was provided by the Sixth PCRD Nest Pathfinder “What it means to be human.” The experiments comply with the French laws concerning animal care.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Ethologie et de Cognition Comparées, Université Paris X-Nanterre, Bât. BSL, 1er étage, 200, avenue de la République, 92001, Nanterre cedex, France

    Nicolas Giret, Michel Kreutzer & Dalila Bovet

  2. Department of Ethology, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary

    Ádam Miklósi

Authors
  1. Nicolas Giret
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ádam Miklósi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michel Kreutzer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dalila Bovet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicolas Giret.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Giret, N., Miklósi, Á., Kreutzer, M. et al. Use of experimenter-given cues by African gray parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Anim Cogn 12, 1–10 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-008-0163-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-008-0163-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation