The discrimination of natural movement by budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates) and pigeons (Columba livia).

Journal article

Three experiments examined the ability of birds to discriminate between the actions of walking forwards and backwards as demonstrated by video clips of a human walking a dog. Experiment 1 revealed that budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates) could discriminate between these actions when the demonstrators moved consistently from left to right. Test trials then revealed that the discrimination transferred, without additional training, to clips of the demonstrators moving from right to left. Exper...

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Authors: Mui, R; Haselgrove, M; McGregor, A; Futter, J; Heyes, C

• Journal: Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 371-380
• Publication date: 2007-10-01
• DOI: 10.1037/0097-7403.33.4.371
• EISSN: 1939-2184
• ISSN: 0097-7403
• Language: English
• Keywords: Melopsittacus; Discrimination Learning; Transfer (Psychology); Motion Perception; Columbidae; Imitative Behavior; Female; Video Recording; Cues; Walking; Humans; Pattern Recognition, Visual; Animals; Orientation; Male