Mirror self-recognition (MSR) is considered a crucial step in the emergence of self-cognition. The MSR paradigm has become a standard method for evaluating self-cognition in several species. For example, Eurasian magpies and Indian house crows have passed the mark test for self-cognition, whereas efforts to find MSR in other corvid species have failed. However, no literature has conducted MSR tests on azure-winged magpies, a species of corvids. Therefore, the current research aimed to investigate the MSR behaviours of azure-winged magpies upon looking into a mirror for the first time. The study included four tests: (1) mirror preference and standardised mirror exploration, (2) single vertical mirror test, (3) mark test and (4) mirror-triggered search test. The azure-winged magpies displayed immense curiosity towards the mirror and their images in the mirror in Test 1&2. In the subsequent mark tests, they failed to recognise themselves in the mirror and regarded their images as conspecifics. Behaviour analysis showed no significant difference between marked and unmarked behaviours. Finally they seemed to infer the presence of bait from the image in the mirror, but were found to fail to understand that the location of the bait in the mirror was the same as that in the real world. For a better insight into the MSR behaviour of azure-winged magpies, research studies involving prolonged mirror exposure and training are recommended.

中文翻译：

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青翅喜鹊不懂镜像原理

镜像自我认知（MSR）被认为是自我认知出现的关键一步。MSR 范式已成为评估几种物种自我认知的标准方法。例如，欧亚喜鹊和印度家鸦已经通过了自我认知的标记测试，而在其他鸦科动物中寻找 MSR 的努力却失败了。然而，没有文献对鸦科动物的一种天蓝色翅喜鹊进行 MSR 测试。因此，目前的研究旨在调查青翅喜鹊第一次照镜子时的MSR行为。该研究包括四项测试：（1）镜像偏好和标准化镜像探索，（2）单一垂直镜像测试，（3）标记测试和（4）镜像触发搜索测试。在测试 1 和 2 中，蓝翅喜鹊对镜子和它们在镜子中的图像表现出极大的好奇心。在随后的标记测试中，他们未能认出镜子中的自己，将自己的形象视为同类。行为分析显示标记和非标记行为之间没有显着差异。最后他们似乎从镜子里的图像推断出诱饵的存在，但却发现无法理解镜中诱饵的位置与现实世界中的位置相同。为了更好地了解蓝翅喜鹊的 MSR 行为，建议进行涉及长时间镜面曝光和训练的研究。行为分析显示标记和非标记行为之间没有显着差异。最后他们似乎从镜子里的图像推断出诱饵的存在，但却发现无法理解镜中诱饵的位置与现实世界中的位置相同。为了更好地了解蓝翅喜鹊的 MSR 行为，建议进行涉及长时间镜面曝光和训练的研究。行为分析显示标记和非标记行为之间没有显着差异。最后他们似乎从镜子里的图像推断出诱饵的存在，但却发现无法理解镜中诱饵的位置与现实世界中的位置相同。为了更好地了解蓝翅喜鹊的 MSR 行为，建议进行涉及长时间镜面曝光和训练的研究。