Innovative problem solving in wild Steller’s jays

Animals capable of innovation are able to solve novel problems or create novel solutions to existing problems. Performance in problem-solving tasks may be influenced by an individual's characteristics and its social environment. I examined how individual Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) vary in problem-solving performance by presenting them with a novel problem using a string-pulling task containing a food reward. During the study, seven of 50 jays successfully solved the task on their first to eighteenth experimental opportunity (X ± SE = 6.71 ± 2.2); solvers differed from nonsolvers by showing higher levels of persistence by pulling the string in more trials. Of the successful jays, five solvers were successful without observing another solver, while two jays observed successful trials of other solvers and then completed the task. During the study, 19 of 50 jays attempted to solve the problem by pulling on the string but were unsuccessful. These jays were significantly bolder, more explorative (contacted more parts of the task) and had observed solvers more than jays that did not attempt. Scrounging behavior (stealing food from a solver) may be an alternative to solving a problem. Scroungers in this study were more explorative and had observed solvers more than nonscroungers. These results suggest jays show individual variation in problem- solving performance and their performance is responsive to current social and environmental conditions.