Jack,
Lesley Rogers has also asked the question "Why are
some species left-footed and others right footed?".
She gives two possibilities. First, that it may be
dependent on the "particular direction of laterality
in the perceptual processes used in feeding behaviour
in the given species or, indeed, in the given individual".
The alternative is that it depends on the type of
searching strategy that the species uses in feeding.
Rogers suggests that "left-footedness may occur in
species in which foraging involves greater use of
spatial cues rather than detailed discrimination
of food objects from the background, and vice-versa
for right-footed species". She concludes however that
much more data is need on Austrlalian species.
The aims of my (Victorian Ornithological Reseach
Group) study is to collect additional observations
on a wide variety of Austrlalian parrot species with
one of the aims to determine if there are differences
in handedness on the individual and species level and,
if so is it related to foraging methods.
References to Roger's work include:
Rogers, L.J. 1980. Lateralisation in the avian brain.
Bird Behaviour 2:1-12
Rogers, L.J. 1981. Environmental influences on brain
and lateralization. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
4:35-36
Rogers, L.J. 1989. Laterality in Animals. The International
Journal of Comparative Psychology 3(1):5-25.
As collection of data on handedness in parrots is largely
opportunistic we certainly welcome additional observations
from interested persons.
When observing the birds using their feet to manipulate
items it is useful to record the following information:
Date, Location, Species, wild/captive, foot used,
surface (eg ground, perch), object (eg seed pod, stick)
regards
Lynda Chambers
Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre
Street Address: 150 Lonsdale Street MELBOURNE Vic 3001
Postal Address: GPO 1289k MELBOURNE Vic 3001
E-Mail:
Phone : +613 9669 4784 Fax : +613 9669 4660
WWW Page: http://www.bom.gov.au/bmrc/mrlr/lec/lec.htm
(to get to the Handedness in Parrots study follow the
links "Victorian Ornithological Research Group" then
"Handedness in Parrots")
On Thu, 27 Jul 2000, Jack Shapiro wrote:
> 27/7/00
>
> Hi Lynda,
>
> According to a message attached below, in which you "welcome more
> observations on the subject" of footedness in cockatoos you may be able to
> provide an answer a question of interest to me.
>
> Do you have any idea of your own, or from reading the literature as to why
> most (all ?) cockatoos and many parrots are left footed and others are not ?
>
> Your comments would be appreciated.
>
> Jack Shapiro
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