Identification of Novel Can Manipulation Behaviour in the Common Raven (Corvus corax).

Simple Summary: Corvid behaviour is an area of interest for behavioural ecologists and conservationists alike. This explanatory study reports a novel behaviour, aluminium can perforation, presented by the common raven (Corvus corax) captured using camera trap technology and behavioural scoring. This study considers the ontogeny and motivation for this behaviour to begin to elucidate its purpose. The results suggest that camera trap technology is useful for capturing behaviour that may not be recorded via human observation, which, in this study, was predominantly can manipulation. However, human observation captured a significantly greater number of maintenance behaviours compared to camera trap collection methods. Can manipulation observations were clustered in human-inhabited areas, potentially due to the abundance of cans in these areas, with the suggested motivations for this behaviour including the olfactory properties of the cans and the performance of can manipulation to extract prey from the cans. This research contributes to our knowledge of corvid behavioural repertoires and paves the way for further research into corvid behaviour on the island of Lanzarote. This study examines the common raven (Corvus corax) population on Lanzarote, Spain, at a previously unstudied site. The study aimed to compare the use of camera trap technology and human observation in capturing a wide repertoire of raven behaviour and pay close attention to the perforation of aluminium cans, a behaviour that has not been described in the scientific literature previously but has been reported anecdotally through human observation. Five cameras were sited over a period of 6 months, with three aluminium cans placed at each location. One of the three cans was baited with meat and eggs, mimicking wild feeding substrate. Human observations took place over the same period of time in the same locations. Raven sightings were highly correlated in human-inhabited areas as well as agricultural areas, seemingly linked to food acquisition. Camera trap technology identified a greater number of can-orientated behaviours (interaction, manipulation, peeking inside, and pecking) compared to the human observation method. Conversely, human observation yielded a greater number of non-can-orientated behaviours (analysed as a group) when compared to that of camera trap observation. Overall, there was a significantly greater number of ravens observed via human observation when compared to that of camera trap observation. Initial evidence suggests that ravens only perforate cans they deem salient in terms of food acquisition, with beer cans being the most common focus of the behaviours observed, possibly linked to olfactory stimuli, the movement of the can or learned behaviour relating to reward acquisition. This study presents new data regarding object interaction in ravens, adding to the current body of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]