Watching birds on my favorite walking route, I often meet a jay. And in fact, she meets me, because as soon as I sit down, she appears instantly and patiently waits.
I had never paid much attention to its behavior until I read an article about how this bird behaves in certain situations. And that's how I found out that there is such a thing as a "foam test", which the jay passes perfectly.
What is the "foam test?"
Well, some birds, including the jay, can refrain from eating their favorite food, for example a nut they just got, if they know that thanks to this they will get even more of this delicacy.
First and second time
I decided to do just such a test. So I threw one nut to the bird. The first time the jay took it and flew away to consume it. The second time the situation was identical, the bird flew away with the nut to a quiet place.
Third time
The third time I threw a nut, the jay jumped off the branch, took the nut in its beak, put it in its throat, and returned to the branch watching me closely. Of course, I threw her another nut, and only then did she fly away to a quiet place to eat the treats.
This ability to delay reward and refrain from immediate food consumption testifies to this bird's amazing cognitive skills, speed of learning and, as it turns out, planning for the future.
Now the jay can see me from a distance, because when I come to the bench, she is already waiting there. She sits on a branch and watches me closely, although she is very timid and any sudden movement causes her to move away. Of course, only for a moment, because in a few minutes he returns.
