A group of scientists, led by Katie Harrington from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, has examined the puzzle-solving abilities of striated caracaras in the Falkland Islands. These birds live in an isolated habitat, facing strong winds and surrounded by the ocean, which the researchers believe has forced the caracaras to develop innovative ways to find food. Harrington says, “Striated caracaras have to be really exploratory, constantly examining new situations in their environment to find out what works for them. It takes a certain creative bravery to make life work on the Falklands.”
The researchers set up a box containing eight puzzles, each offering a food reward. The birds explored the puzzles daily, gradually learning how to solve them and becoming faster at the tasks. When compared with Goffin’s cockatoo, a bird renowned for its intelligence, problem-solving abilities, and tool usage, the caracara’s performance was found to be similar.
Most of the knowledge about avian intelligence comes from parrots and corvids, with little focus on falcons like the caracara. This research indicates that living in a variable environment with unpredictable resources could promote the mental flexibility necessary for solving new problems.
