Parrots perception of time

[DRB]

Just curious if any of you have thoughts on how your parrots perceive time. It is believed (due to various studies in the past 30 years) that animals do perceive the passage of time and certain animals perceive it different than others.

I know that our FIDS and other domesticate pets understand routines, which are often relative to the passage of time, but do they understand the difference in time when it isn't directly related to routine, or their notion of routine, like a feeding or going for a walk.

I leave Perjo alone for 4 hrs at a time at least 3 times a week. I often wonder if she understands how long I was gone, or if once I walk back in the door if it feels like I was only gone for a minute to her.

 

[plumsmum2005]

This is really interesting and something me and hubby wonder time to time. Plum will ask for 'bubbyes' and it is always nearly bang on 8 o'clock all year round. How does he know? Leave Plum alone for an amount of time he is happy with no problem but if it goes over that then he is desperate you are not coming back. Greets us like we have been gone for days. How does it work in their little heads LOL?

 

[BeatriceC]

I don't know how they do it, but my birds let me know in no uncertain terms when it's 4PM.

 

[wrench13]

I know if I am going to be away from the house, on a day that I am home, like a Sat or SUn, I have to tell Salty that I am going out for X hours and that I will be back.
Or if I am going to CHina for 2 weeks , or we have a gig for the weekend, I have to tell him about it BEFORE I go, or he definitely is pissed off at me, or even mad at me.
No kidding, he will turn his back on me, and wont play and gives me only cursory attention during any training session.

SO I have learned to keep Salty informed of where I am going to be. Funny thing is, he is OK with me being gone all day and coming home from work. I leave before he gets up, and come home generally between 5:30 and 6:00. That he is OK with.

 

[Scott]

That is a really good question!! On a scientific level, I'd assume specific parts of the brain are involved with time perception, though don't know if they have been identified in birds - or in humans.

I do believe they have some awareness of time beyond preset routines. My job takes me away from home for 3 or 4 days per week. When I return, certain of my tame birds are more clingy than normal for a day or so. Don't notice this when back home after a few hours separation during the day. So they are definitely aware of very long absences, and have a specific response!!

 

[GaleriaGila]

We have a smart little dog who definitely knows the difference between an hour's absence, a day, or even a few days: her responses are incremental (and delightful).

The Rickeybird... not so much. My perception is that he has one (rather casual) greeting style for absences of minutes, maybe hours, but past that, absences ranging from 8-ish hours to days pretty much gets the same hysterical welcome. He wakes up at dawn and retires at dusk, and doesn't display any particular awareness of schedules, other than his regular nap from about 1-3!

 

[SailBoat]

That is a really good question!! On a scientific level, I'd assume specific parts of the brain are involved with time perception, though don't know if they have been identified in birds - or in humans.

I do believe they have some awareness of time beyond preset routines. My job takes me away from home for 3 or 4 days per week. When I return, certain of my tame birds are more clingy than normal for a day or so. Don't notice this when back home after a few hours separation during the day. So they are definitely aware of very long absences, and have a specific response!!

It is surprising how little study has been done regarding this subject, especially where in the brain it is perceived.

Thinking of Time. Clearly there is a need to separate it into at least four groups:

Large Scale Time:
That which is connected to the movement of our Earth in conjunction with the Sun and Moon, which would also include the Stars - A Day! The location of the Sun and Moon as we perceive them to change location based on there the Rise and Setting points are each day - A Month and a Year cycle. As the individual ages and with setting of memories this scale grows to even longer (multi-year scale).

Short Scale Time:
The location of the Sun, Moon and Stars with in a given day - An Hour.

With in these first two groups is what allows long lived Creatures to set memories against; therefor, adjusting migration based on Sun cycles and Weather cycles. Remembering that Humans migrated for a very long time, even into modern times. In fact Human migration continues in North America everyyear with the year migration of the Snow Birds. Yes, a moment of light Humor, which is based in a truth!

Conceptual Time:
With the invention of devices that measured time. Time as understood by educated /knowledge exposed Humans changed. These devices allow (at first) a select group to predict with accuracy events of the past into the future. As the devices became more available the period 'DAY' changed to very precise measurements that Humans revolve around evermore. Today, most all of us are lost without a Time Device.

Large Scale Calendar Time:
This extends beyond the memory of an individual or individuals. At the point that Humans began setting down in a conveyable form multiple years, Large Scale Calendar Time came to be understood by Humans. As knowledge grew so did the ability of pushing the Scale not only back but forward in time.

So, to the question: Parrot's Perception of Time

In living with Amazon Parrots for well over 40 years, I have watched them use and understand both Short and Long Scale Time.

Clearly nearly all living things have a perception of the Time Period of a DAY! The living 'surface' creature adjusts their daily life to the DAY cycle. So yes, Parrots have an understanding of a Day /Night cycle and a general concept of whether it is early, mid or late Day /Night.

As a general statement, near all long lived /conceptual Creatures also have Large Scale Time understand as a result of aging and interaction with older members of the Social Group.

Answer: YES! but limited to the first two types!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Thanks for that, Sailboat!
I was reading about Einstein's Relativity Theory, which projected that time passes at different rates according to gravity. That was apparently later confirmed when instrumentation got good enough. Velocity can also be relative. About that time, I got a headache.

 

[texsize]

This is a question I have wondered about. I think most birds can tell time by seasons daylight vs night time. I am sure they can break it down to smaller increments up to a point.

I have been gone for short periods (2 days) for up to 10 days.
for a 2 day gap my zon's great me with a moderate amount of enthusiasm. For a 10 day gap they are over the moon happy when I greet them.

For a shorter period of time (minuets) I don't think they can tell the difference between 20 minuets and 45 minuets.
My cockatiels are the best example. I normally let them out to fly for about 30 minutes. If they start getting into trouble it might only be 15 min. If they behave themselves It could be close to 1 hour. Whatever amount of time they are out they seem happy when they go back in there cage.

texsize