Effect of human gaze on behavior of Magpies Pica pica

Gun-ho JooHyeon-jeong Lee

Ji-won Kim

Introduction

Question : Does the magpies recognize human gaze?Assumption : They might care about human gaze and we can see more sensitive reaction when passerby pass them staring at themExperiments : 2groups; gaze vs. non-gaze

About Magpie

Scientific name : Pica pica sericeaThey live in a small groups around their nestsReproduce in spring. They lay 5~6 eggs.They eat insects, small animals (Like Rat), fruits and grains etc.

Procedure

Location

Condition establishment

Measurement

Location

In the SNU campus only. We did not walk into the grass (we walk only on the p

avement). Where magpies appear abundant. Exclude some places with too much passerby. As many places as possible. (To try on many individu

als) We choose < 두레문예관 >, < 대운동장 >, <37 동 >,

<20 동 >, < 음대식당 >.

Condition establishment

1) Find a magpie foraging alone on the grass, at a distance of 1~2 meters from the pavement.

2) When the magpie is facing us, start walking towards the magpie. (Two people walking, one person watching)

3) Mark the Recognition point and the Second reaction point.

4) Pm 3:00 ~ pm 7:00 about 15 days.5) At each experimental site, experimental

sequence (gaze and non-gaze) was randomized.

Measurement

Measurement

Recognition point : The point where the magpie first recognize the passerby (glancing or stopping foraging)

Second reaction point : The point where the magpie start to show some specific reaction like flying away, hopping, walking away, or hiding.

Recognition distance (RD) Second reaction distance (SRD) Time interval between two points.

Result

Reaction type Gaze Non-gaze

Fly away 10 5

Hop 3 1

Walk 1 4

Disregard 0 4

Total 14 14

Gaze

Flyaway,

10

Walk ,1Hop, 3

Gaze

Flyaway, 5

Hop, 1Walk , 4

Disregard, 4

Result

4.355.23

9.529.07

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

non gaze gaze

dis

tance (

m) second

reactiondistance

recognitiondistance

Result

• Reaction Pattern Gaze : 70% Fly away, No disregard Non-gaze : 35% Fly away, 30% disregard

• Distance Recognition distance : Almost similar (Gaze or non-

gaze) Second reaction distance : Gaze > Non-gaze Standard deviation of non-gaze : RD > SRD

• Time SRD => Thinking time Thinking time : Gaze < Non-gaze

Discussion

In non-gaze condition, the standard deviation of RD data is larger than that of SRD data. Because it is difficult to distinguish the first recognition behavior of magpie exactly. The clear and accurate method must be prepared in the next experiment to catch the magpie’s first recognition reaction, especially in non-gaze experiment.

Conclusion

When magpie first recognize passerby, whether it’s gaze condition or non-gaze condition is NOT important.

The magpie is more threatened when passerby staring at them.

Conclusion

The difference of SRD between gaze and non-gaze experiments is consistent with the research done last year.

Dividing the second reaction into more detailed category and comparing each one might reduce the error range.