Biologists - magpies do not steal shiny objects Bashny.Net

Scientists from the University of Exeter refuted the common myth that magpies like to drag shiny objects.

The results of the study show that these birds are not attracted to shiny objects, and they are even afraid of unfamiliar things. A team of researchers under carefully controlled conditions conducted a series of tests with wild magpies, which were offered both ordinary and shiny objects. Metal screws, small rings made of aluminum foil were partially shiny, partly painted in matte blue. In experiments, all objects were placed on the ground, 30 cm away from a pile of nuts. The Wild Magpies made contact with the shiny object only twice in 64 Tests. In both cases, the silver ring was picked up and immediately discarded.

Toni Shephard, the author of the study, said: We found no evidence that birds were attracted to shiny objects in the magpie. Instead, the experiments pointed to neophobia — the fear of new things.”

Source: nauka24news.ru/