Bird Brains

Birds with big brains less likely to get shot, a recent has found.

16:33 03 November 2016

Scientists have found a strong correlation between the size of the bird’s brain and their likelihood to get shot by human hunters. Evidence suggests that shooting enthusiasts may have an effect on the bird’s evolution. 

 

According to the theory, hunted species evolve and become bigger-brained to avoid getting shot. Each year, millions of birds are killed for sport. In North America, the death toll has reached more than 200 million based on the latest estimate. 

 

The scientists, led by Dr Anders Moller, from the University of South Paris, France, wrote in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters: 'The findings reported here have a number of implications for studies of brain size.

 

'First, hunted and protected populations of the same species should differ in brain mass with the former having larger brains.

 

'Second, we also hypothesise that if there are costs associated with an increase of brain size in hunted species, such as increased metabolic costs or increased use of antioxidants during brain development, this could potentially change the bias in brain mass in hunted compared to protected species.

 

'In conclusion, hunting selects for increased brain mass in birds, and this effect is independent of a number of potentially confounding variables, such as age, body condition, sex and body mass.'