Rethinking raptors: caracaras as a model for avian cognition in the wild

Area of Science:

• Comparative Cognition
• Avian Biology
• Evolutionary Neuroscience

Background:

• Caracaras (subfamily Polyborinae) are a distinctive falcon lineage, closely related to cognitively advanced birds like parrots and corvids.
• They possess traits associated with cognitive evolution: large brains, high neuron counts, complex sociality, and ecological flexibility.
• Existing research on caracaras is limited, despite their potential for cognitive studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing evidence on caracaras' behavioral, ecological, and neurological characteristics.
• To assess their suitability as a model organism for studying the evolution of avian cognition.
• To identify research opportunities for investigating social and physical cognition in caracaras.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of existing behavioral data.
• Review of ecological studies on caracara foraging and social structures.
• Examination of available neurological evidence.

Main Results:

• Caracaras exhibit key traits indicative of cognitive potential, including large brains and high neuron counts.
• Their complex social structures and generalist foraging strategies provide ecologically relevant contexts for cognitive research.
• Their accessibility and responsiveness in the wild facilitate field-based studies.

Conclusions:

• Caracaras are a promising, yet underexplored, model for comparative cognition research.
• They offer unique opportunities to study cognitive evolution in response to socio-ecological pressures.
• Expanding research to caracaras will enhance taxonomic diversity in cognitive studies and provide broader evolutionary insights.