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Abstract
There is extensive evidence that the spread of innovation via social learning can facilitate uptake of new foraging behaviours in populations. In comparison, social learning about novel food types has received comparatively little attention. Yet the adoption of novel food is vital to persistence in, or colonisation of, novel environments. Here, we present a novel food (almonds in ...
This study employs a robust experimental design to investigate social learning in urban sulphur-crested cockatoos, with clear methodological strengths. The use of individually marked birds, controlled training of demonstrators, and network-based diffusion analysis provides strong evidence for social transmission of novel food adoption. However, the initial color preference switch by demonstrators complicates the interpretation of innate biases, as the intended control for color preference was pa...