The animal world, some species will have a better "wisdom" than other animals. Bird is such a class of animals, some of which show their ability, was considered to be human "patent." For example, the Magpies can recognize themselves in the reflection on the New Caledonian crow tool will create, but also a method of manufacturing these tools to learn from African Grey parrot not only count, but also according to the color of the object the shape and classify them, and can even mimic human language. A cat named "Snowball" sunflower cockatoo can also follow the beat of the music dancing.
Perhaps, few people would think that chicken is a clever animal, but in recent years, scientists study shows that the high IQ of animals, among individuals with "deceit" and "trickery" behavior.
The ability to communicate, even with the use of complex signaling willingness of individual primates par. In making the selection, chicken individuals will use their experience and information to make a judgment. They also deal with very complex issues at stake for similar, or even empathy.
These studies suggest that about chicken, and some complex cognitive behavior not as we previously thought, exists only in primates, but is widespread in the animal kingdom. These new studies also forcing people from an ethical point of view, how to treat chicken farms: For the lowest possible cost, fast production of chicken and eggs, people design a modern farming system. Now, we already know that chickens have some cognitive ability, then the design of farming systems, and whether there should be some level of moral considerations?
[Deliberate action]
It took almost a century, scientists were able to confirm that chickens mind what happened. Research related to this first appeared in the 1920s. At the time, Norwegian biologist Tuoli Fu-? Ebbe (Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe) through a series of experiments found that the chicken population there is a "hierarchy." He named this the "pecking order" (pecking order), because he found, in a ruling chicken, will use a sharp beak to peck lower status individuals, to consolidate its "absolute authority."
Another major breakthrough concerning chicken cognitive born after decades. University of California, Los Angeles late scientist Nicholas? Keliyasi (Nicholas Collias) and Elsie? Keliyasi (Elsie Collias), chicken chirping on the classification, the final confirmation of their tweet a total of 24 different Types of. Interestingly, many of the calls seem to correspond to a specific event. For example, when a chicken in danger - if you see in the sky a hungry raptor chicken depress the body and made a not loud, but the high frequency of "Yi Yi Yi Yi Hey" sound. The well known "snapping snapping" sounds, when they actually encounter a ground predator used alarm. If they find food, they will be issued cock excited "giggle" sound, which may cause a hen's attention, and judgment information.
The results of these early studies have shown that chickens mind that the size of a walnut in the think of something, much more complex than we thought. These different sound seems a special coding information, intended to arouse the crowd's response to the individual related information. However, due to the limitations of the research methods, scientists have been unable to accurately these sounds and linked to specific actions. Until the 1990s, the emergence of new technologies, so scientists can more rigorously verify their hypothesis. At that time, Chris Australian Macquarie University? Evans (Chris Evans, deceased) began to use digital recording equipment and high-definition television in the control experiments, a series of features chicken purr issued. He is placed in a cage around the television system to create a virtual world for these chicken, and you can set up different scenarios to record chicken how to deal with various situations. For example, a chicken to provide a companion, a competitor or predator - test chickens might see a virtual eagle flying overhead, or a fox lunged from the side to it, and or a rooster issued a series of "gurgling" sounds.
The results of these virtual experiments obtained, gives us a startling revelation: a home sound emitted chicken or actions will be made to convey specific information, while other chickens can understand the information. For example, whenever a family chicken sounded the alarm, even if no other chicken predators see the air, it will behave like a saw same. This alarm signal chicken has the "reminder", which means that these signals may refer to specific meanings and events, like the human language. When a chicken hear some sound signal, which seems to be the home of chicken brain outline the image of a particular object, prompting the chicken react accordingly - regardless of whether the object is a predator or food.
Virtual experiment also found that chickens individuals for different companions, sent a different message. For example, when a rooster found in imminent danger when the alarm will sound as close to the hen. However, if other nearby companions cock, it will remain silent. Hen send a message to the same selective: sound an alarm only in front of their chicks.
In conclusion, these findings suggest that chicken's voice is not only reflects the state of the individual per se, such as "fear" or "hunger." Instead, they can realize the importance of the event, and their reaction is not a simple reflex, but a deliberate act through. Chicken this reflection, and then take action mode, making them less like birds, like those of the brain capacity larger mammals.
[Competitor] to get rid of
These calls have a specific meaning to prove, chicken in cognitive ability than we think some of the more advanced. The study also found an interesting question: If the chicken can communicate to external events, whether they are likely to keep certain information confidential, even sending the wrong message, in order to benefit from this kind of fraud? In this regard, the scientists also studied other forms of signals emitted by chicken, these studies may be able to provide a better understanding for us.
In the 1940s, scientists have known, headed chicken found food, will make some complex movements. In these actions, most notably the actions that occur when a dominant rooster find food - it is quickly shaking his head, nodding again, and also dropped food and pecking , to tell the hens, it found a delicious.
This behavior is a good way rooster to hen major shows. Scientists had thought that in chickens, roosters are usually relatively weak low-key, so as not to let the "leader" dissatisfied. However, some scientists after observing the social behavior of chickens found that chickens pecking order is not as people previously thought distinct levels. In fact, more and more evidence that the chickens are more cunning.
Scientists initially did not quite find these hidden "episode", as interactive chickens inside is usually very short and hard to find, not to mention chicken liked to stay in the grass or bushes. Meanwhile, researchers, any one person can not simultaneously monitor the behavior of chickens. In order to minimize the difficulty of observation, the author Smith came up with a solution: chicken version of "Big Brother" (Big Brother, in Australia and some Western countries, the more popular a file reality show, more than 10 participants will Check-in a big house with a swimming pool, bathroom, gym, jacuzzi, which housed hundreds of hidden cameras from different angles, in different locations to shoot in the house participants in the case).
Smith and colleagues at Macquarie University delineated some outdoor sheds. The house is very big, lush vegetation, surrounded by barbed wire enclosed, and set up a number of high-definition cameras and microphones to record all acts and chicken sounds. They then recorded the results were analyzed.
With expected, in chickens, the dominant rooster (hereinafter referred to as the "ruler") through crow to show that he is the ruler of the territory. It will attract hens by showing up food, and when over a dangerous predator, it will sound an alarm to alert the flock.
Those with lower status cock and expected behavior but not the same. Researchers began to think that these cock should be law-abiding, not intercourse with hens, in order to avoid being the "ruler" blow. However, the cameras and microphones, but reveals a more complicated story. These lower status males use some secret strategy in the eyes of many, these strategies should not even appear in the flock: When they find food, will only make moves without sound, so that both quietly signaled to attract the opposite sex, and not provoke the "ruler."
Lower status cock improved to show the way of food, which can secretly attract females, so the researchers make clever behavior rather surprised. However, for chicken "wisdom", these acts can only be considered as a "tip of the iceberg."
To further understand the complex behavior of chicken, Smith and his colleagues into a more high-tech elements in experimental methods and tools. Chicken voices are often too weak, so Smith and other researchers can not capture, even using more cameras and microphones will not help. They need a way to capture each of the chicken issue and hear sounds.
Ideally, give each chicken wearing a small backpack, which is equipped with light microphone, like the kind of reporter who interviewed in outdoor use, but how to find the right backpack it? Smith thought the bra. She began to collect old bras fasten easily, and preferably black, so back in chickens would not be too conspicuous. Smith put the clasp and adjustable shoulder strap cut, fixed on the microphone. This temporary device dubbed the chicken version of "Big Brother 2.0" tied to the waist of the chicken, the chicken issue to record and hear.
Smith most want to know is that in the face of danger chicken how to react. Previous studies have shown that the air cock see predators (such as Eagle), it is sometimes a loud siren, it is very mystifying. Because there is a long and sharp sound will become extremely dangerous situation cock, which itself will be more likely to be found, and then attack. Some scientists speculate that a cock, to protect spouses and offspring are very important, so bear that risk is worth it. However, Smith wondered whether other factors also affect the rooster alarm behavior.
The answer is yes. After using the "Big Brother 2.0" devices, researchers listen to the chicken in the most feeble voice communication, they found that the rooster sometimes selfish reasons purring.
Chickens watching their own level of risk and competitor, if the alert, their minimum risk, while the risk of opponents rises, they are more willing to sound the alarm. For example, when he hid in the bushes, while competitors in the open, it is easy to capture prey, then the rooster alarm frequency will be higher. If you are lucky enough to do so not only to protect their own hens, but also to "get rid of" the other cock.
This strategy is called "risk compensation" (risk compensation), this is also a strategy used in humans. If the conditions to reduce the risk, many people are willing to take risks. For example, when people tied a belt or mounted with anti-lock systems, will drive faster. Similarly, when a rooster considered to be more secure, it will make more risky behavior.
[Of] chicken warmth
With further research, the scientists found in chicken more cognitive abilities. George's University of Trento in Italy?(Giorgio Vallortigara) has been found to be able to distinguish the chick digital, resolution geometry. For example, we did not see the unfinished triangle, chick graphics intact even know what it should be. ? In 2011, the University of Bristol Joanne Edgar (Joanne Edgar) and colleagues published a research report, cunning chicken also have a soft side - can understand the feelings of other individuals.
Edgar experiment, hens will see their chick was a burst of air flow messed up feathers. In this case, although the airflow and will not cause harm, but the chick is still the stream as a threat, and show some of the typical symptoms of stress, including heart rate, temperature and eye drops and the like. Interestingly, the chicken mother noticed the child's reaction will show a depressed look, although hens has not been blown airflow, chick nor injured. In addition, the hen will be issued a "gurgling" sounds to the chick. These findings suggest that chickens can understand the feelings of other individuals. Previously, people also believe that this ability is only a small number of all species, such as crows and squirrels class, of course, including us humans.
Common chicken have such a high cognitive ability, and kinship chicken and other birds have a higher IQ far, the fact that the origins of intelligence we had some interesting thinking. Perhaps in the animal kingdom, scientists conventional belief, intelligence is not a rare, difficult evolved trait, but quite common, as long as social conditions permit, intelligence can evolve.
For the chicken, its extraordinary cognitive abilities should come from their wild ancestors, that is, to live in South and Southeast Asia forest red jungle fowl. The basic structure of this society is the chicken contains from 4 to 13 individuals of small groups of members in all ages, group relationship is relatively stable, and can be long-term maintenance. Like many other social animals, each group led by a male and a female, they are controlled by the low level of the individual, groups occupy all the resources required, whether it is food, space or the right to mate. Males attract females spend most of their time and provide them with the food, while females are carefully observed in male every move by male behavior and memory of past behavior to react accordingly, avoid those deceptive or malicious individuals. To maintain relations with the hen, cock position is very important, and expanded around the hen competition is fierce.
Competition within the group is not a chicken evolved unique pressure intelligence. They are also subjected to a series of threats from outside the group, including foxes and eagles and other predators, for each threat requires a different strategy to escape. Different situations, prompting red jungle fowl develop clever ways to deal with different dangers, but also the formation of the ability to communicate with each other to deal with the threat. These capabilities are still present in today's home chickens.
Human eaten chicken may be billions, and so many in such a set of cognitive skills animals, naturally sparked controversy they suffered treatment. As a bird, chicken should have a small group living in the wild, but now they are off the field, sometimes a chicken farm rearing up to 50,000 chickens. Chicken of life would have been about 10 years, but now they can only survive for six months, and then will be killed, become a source of meat. These chickens are killed so early, because they go through genetic selection, they grow quickly, but age slightly larger, would be heart disease, osteoporosis, fracture problems. Chicken egg situation a little better, but their life is the 18-month and lifetime can only stay in a confined space.
From Social chicken red jungle fowl ancestors inherited the flexibility and adaptability, is perhaps one of the source of their suffering, which makes this bird can survive in unnatural, harsh artificial breeding environment. As long as people do not care about where their food comes from, do not know chicken eminent wisdom, this intensive farming pattern will continue.
However, some consumers have begun to seek change. In Europe and the United States, several states, such as California, have adopted a number of requirements to improve egg chicken breeding conditions for new regulations. Through these regulations, mainly based on consumer demand for healthy food and improve animal treatment. In Australia, farmers will emphasize their superior breeding animals that live in the environment in order to attract more and more attention to animal welfare and consumer groups. However, we still have much work to do, such as meat, chicken breeding environment largely not taken seriously.
Scientists are just beginning to reveal the wisdom of chicken, but the stories have told us that the chicken is no longer thought of, stupid stupid animals, they also have the wisdom, strategy, and even have a soft side.
(???? Author: Caroline L Smith / Carolynn "K-lynn" L. Smith Sarah L Zielinski / Sarah L. Translation:? Xue Jing Liu Yang)
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