McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Mélanie Guigueno
Kelly, Debbie, (University of Manitoba)
Start: 2023-08-30

Project

Evaluating caching behaviour in corvid species along an increasing gradient of food-storing reliance
Some species mitigate the impact of food scarcity and benefit from ephemeral food stores by caching, a behaviour by which an individual stores food for later retrieval. Indeed, interspecific differences in caching intensity (number of caches created and distance between caches) and retrieval (success rate and use of cognitive, visual, or olfactory cues) suggest a gradient of reliance on food-storing across related species. However, research on the relationships between cache use in corvids (crows, jays, and magpies) often stems from captive laboratory populations due to logistical constraints investigating wild, free-range birds. This study will investigate the relationships between animal movement, cognitive development, and cache behaviour in 3 species of closely related corvid found in wild, coexisting populations across British Columbia, Canada. We will use novel, remote, solar-powered GPS tracking, video surveillance, and radio-labelled seeds to locate and examine cache sites. By implementing novel GPS technology adequate for small body-sized birds, coupled with tested methods for identifying cache sites, we can mitigate the logistical constraints encountered by previous research in wild populations. We will also compare genetic associations across species, using single nucleotide polymorphisms to identify differences in known genes associated with brain morphology and development. Indeed, individuals with a higher reliance on caching will express a greater difference in genes associated with cognitive development and morphology. As such, this integrative project combining movement, cognitive and molecular ecology will take a holistic approach to evaluate a continuum of caching behaviour in a first-of-its-kind investigation of caching in wild, free-range corvids.