Birds with larger brain sizes survive better in nature

According to the Royal Society Association's B-Journal of Bioscience Reports, the birds with larger brains than body size have lower mortality rates than those of the B Royal Society. I have a smaller brain.

The study provided the first evidence that what scientists call the ' cognitive buffer ' hypothesis is the idea that larger brains help animals with more flexible and vital behaviors. along with the challenges of the environment.

The researchers found that birds with larger brains relative to body size would survive in nature better than those with small brains.(Photo: Sciencedaily)

The theory first led to the answer around why animals including humans will evolve to a larger brain, based on what is needed in conjunction with the development and maintenance of a bigger brain.

The researchers compared the size of the brain, body mass, mortality rate of over 200 different bird species from polar, temperate to tropical regions.

They found that birds with larger brains than body size survived better than those with small brains . For example, this may explain why those with relatively small brain sizes such as pheasants have difficulty avoiding moving vehicles compared to those with larger brain sizes such as magpie.

"The idea of ​​bigger brains combined with fewer deaths has never been scientifically proven," said Professor Tamas Szekely of Bath University's Department of Biology and Biochemistry .

Birds are the ideal type for experiments because they are just one of the animal groups that the relationship between increased brain and behavioral responses is most easily recognized when there are ecological changes.

We have shown that species with brains that are larger than the body balance experience lower mortality compared to those with smaller brains, helping to support an overall value for the theory of 'Buffer Buffer consciousness' in the process of evolution to larger brains.

Researchers provide factors that can be considered changes in mortality rates, such as immigration behaviors, competition for partners and playful behaviors.

Professor Szekely is working on this project along with researchers from the University of Barcelona (Spain), Pannon University (Hungary) and McGill University (Canada), adding 'Our findings suggest that animals having a larger brain size can better cope with environmental challenges such as climate change and habitat destruction. '

The discovery is based on previous bird brain studies and has been more successful in identifying new habitats as well as better bird resistance when changing seasons.

The study was funded by the University of Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Spain), the Canadian Council for Natural Genetics and Research Research and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Anh Phuong