Non-Human Cognition

A hands-on exploration of animal intelligence and social behavior, conducted as part of a university course on Non-Human Cognition. This backyard field experiment focused on how urban pigeons respond to food-based competition—and what these interactions reveal about dominance, memory, and adaptive group dynamics in city-dwelling wildlife. I did this with the help of my other three team members as mentioned in the poster above.

Background & Research Focus

The study targeted a specific behavioral question:
Does introducing a second food option reduce aggression within a pigeon flock?
Inspired by previous studies on pigeon feeding hierarchies, the team aimed to observe whether offering food variety might shift power dynamics or mitigate conflict among birds. Urban pigeons—feral descendants of domesticated rock doves—served as ideal test subjects due to their close proximity to human spaces and observable social cognition.

Method: Low-Tech Observation of High-Order Behavior

The team used minimal intervention to maintain natural behavior. Daily feeding sessions were held at consistent times, alternating between oatmeal and a mixed birdseed blend. A camera captured footage for later behavioral coding using an ethogram—tracking actions like aggression, feeding, vocalization, and resting.

Key to the findings was a dominant adult male pigeon—nicknamed Gladiator—who consistently asserted control during single-food trials. His behavior provided a clear case study in despotic social hierarchy, mirroring findings from published ethological research.

Findings: Food Variety Shifts the Pecking Order

When the team introduced a second food type, subtle yet significant behavioral changes occurred:

• Reduced alpha aggression: Gladiator showed fewer attacks when both oatmeal and seed mix were present.

• Increased jostling among subordinates: Juvenile pigeons began competing with each other, no longer deterred solely by Gladiator’s dominance.

• Distributed access to food: With multiple feeding points, lower-ranking birds gained more chances to eat, creating a more balanced social structure.

These patterns suggested pigeons recall social roles, adjust behavior based on past interactions, and dynamically respond to environmental changes—hallmarks of non-human cognition.

Reflection & Takeaways

This study demonstrates how much can be uncovered through simple, low-tech research and patient observation. The team collaboratively handled feeding, filming, behavioral coding, and data analysis—proving that even modest setups can lead to meaningful insights.

The project highlights themes of animal intelligence, hierarchical negotiation, and the effects of human-altered environments on natural behavior. Observing Gladiator and his flock challenged the team to think critically about dominance, memory, and adaptability—not just in birds, but in broader social ecosystems. It stands as a compelling example of citizen science meets cognition, offering both a direct experience of animal behavior and broader questions about how non-human minds operate within human-shaped worlds.