This bird builds a nest of its own color, contrary to popular belief

Photo: Dr. Lauren Guillette / Animal Cognition Research Group

Dog or cat owners know very well that animals have their own passions: a favorite toy, a specific spot on the couch, or a treat. In the wild, individuality manifests no less vividly. However, tastes, as IFL Science writes, are not only found in pets. In the bird world, for example, male zebra finches turned out to be extremely principled in choosing the color of material for their nest.

Researchers from the University of Alberta (Canada) decided to test whether male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) have stable color preferences and whether they are able to abandon them under the influence of the majority opinion. In other words, scientists were interested in what would prevail – personal taste or social pressure.

In the wild, zebra finches are very social birds. They do not show clear territoriality, nesting in colonies in Australia and placing nests quite close to each other. In laboratory conditions, they are also able to nest throughout the year, which makes them a convenient model for behavioral research.

In the first stage, scientists determined the individual preferences of each male. The birds were offered two bundles of threads – yellow and blue – and the time spent with each was counted. This allowed not only to determine the fact of preference itself, but also its strength. If a male spent 600 seconds with a yellow thread and 400 with a blue thread, it indicated an initial preference for yellow with a "preference strength" of 60 percent.

Then the birds were tested for conformity. They were moved to another part of the laboratory where they could observe their conspecifics who had already built nests.

Conditions varied: some subjects saw that most neighbors used their favorite color, while others observed the opposite – most chose a color that the male did not like. After observation, the birds were returned to build their own nest. The main question was: would their initial choice change under the influence of what they saw?

The results showed a clear trend. Males who initially had a weak preference (their choice was close to random) more often changed their decision and joined the majority, choosing the "popular" color.

However, those birds who initially demonstrated a strong affinity for a particular color showed admirable steadfastness. No social influence could make them change their minds. They ignored the choice of their conspecifics and remained true to their original choice.

Thus, even in small birds, one can observe a complex interaction between individual inclinations and group dynamics. And, as the experiment shows, if personal taste is strong enough, it can even overcome group pressure.

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