A TALK about the Western Australian magpie is one of three presentations to be held at the Clarkson Library this morning.
Grace Blackburn works with wild Western Australian magpies to try and contextualise the importance of cognition by understanding if and how it can help individuals to respond to man-made changes.
She is one of three scientists from the University of Western Australia presenting their latest research findings focusing on the study of cognition and communication in birds, using two main species – the Western Australian magpie and the southern pied babbler.
The presentations run from 10.30am to 11.30am and are suitable for all ages.
Camilla Soravia investigates the relationship between heat stress and cognition in pied babblers, an arid zone South African bird.
Sarah Walsh explores the ability for humans to create seemingly infinite meaning from a finite set of sounds, which has likely been a critical component in the success of the species, allowing the unbounded communication of information.
Syntax, the combining of meaningful sounds into phrases, is one of the primary features of language that enables this extensive expressivity.
Animal cognition is defined as the way animals perceive, take in, store, and act on information from their environment, cognition is vital for animals to be able to make decisions, respond to changes, and plastically alter their behaviour.
The scientist said cognition and communication of avian species is advanced far beyond people’s comprehension.
“These birds that we study are capable of amazing feats that we are only just beginning to understand,’’ they said.
