Seed preference is only weakly linked to seed-type-specific feeding performance in a songbird

The dehusking of seeds by granivorous songbirds is a complex process that requires fast, coordinated and sensory-feedback-controlled movements of beak and tongue. Hence, efficient seed handling requires a high degree of sensorimotoric skill and behavioural flexibility, since seeds vary considerably in size, shape and husk structure. To deal with this variability, individuals might specialise on specific seed types, which could result in greater seed handling efficiency of the preferred seed type, but lower efficiency for other seed types. To test this, we assessed seed preferences of canaries (Serinus canaria) through food choice experiments and related these to data of feeding performance, seed handling skills and beak kinematics during feeding on small, spindle-shaped canary seeds and larger, spheroid-shaped hemp seeds. We found great variety in seed preferences among individuals: some had no clear preference, while others almost exclusively fed on hemp seeds, or even prioritized nove...,
Food choice experiments were conducted where individual birds fed on a tray consisting of 9 different seed types for 10 minutes.
These experiments were recorded with a Sony RX1000M4 camera, and videos were manually analysed to count which seeds the individuals selected.
Data on seed choice was used to calculate Manly's Selectivity Index of 2 seed types (hemp and white millet) and Levin's niche breadth index.
These metrics were then related to data on feeding performance, seed handling skills and beak kinematics during feeding on canary seed and hemp seed. This data was taken from Andries et al. (2023).
, , # Seed preference is only weakly linked to seed-type-specific feeding performance in a songbird

This dataset contains all the necessary data for reproducing the results of the research, as described in the manuscript with the name: 'Seed preference is only weakly linked to seed-type-specific feeding performance in a songbird'.

The data includes seed preference data obtained from manual video analysis and data on feeding performance, skills and beak kinematics obtained from Andries et al. (2023).

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset includes 2 .csv files with measurement data and a .zip file named 'analysis' which contains an R-file with the code for statistical analysis and associated .txt files (see below; code/software).

General terminology (this is a list of terms that is used across most of the files):

* bird: identification number of the individual
* sex: sex of the individual (M = male, F = female)
* birth_year: Year of birth of the individual
...

食谷鸣禽对种子的脱壳是一个复杂过程，需要喙与舌进行快速、协调且受感官反馈调控的运动。因此，高效的种子处理需要高度的感觉运动技能与行为灵活性，因为种子在大小、形状与外壳结构上差异显著。为应对这种变异性，个体可能会特化取食特定类型的种子，这可能使其对偏好种子的处理效率更高，但对其他种子类型的处理效率更低。为验证这一假设，我们通过食物选择实验评估了金丝雀（Serinus canaria）的种子偏好，并将其与取食小型纺锤形金丝雀种子及大型球形大麻籽时的取食表现、种子处理技能与喙部运动学数据相关联。我们发现个体间的种子偏好存在极大差异：部分个体无明确偏好，而另一些个体几乎仅取食大麻籽，甚至优先选择新……

食物选择实验中，单只个体在包含9种不同种子类型的托盘上取食10分钟。
实验使用索尼（Sony）RX1000M4相机进行录制，随后通过人工分析视频统计个体选取的种子种类。
种子选择数据被用于计算两种种子（大麻籽与白小米）的曼利选择性指数（Manly's Selectivity Index）以及莱文生态位宽度指数（Levin's niche breadth index）。
随后将这些指标与取食金丝雀种子及大麻籽时的取食表现、种子处理技能和喙部运动学数据相关联。该数据源自Andries等人（2023）的研究。

# 鸣禽的种子偏好仅与种子类型特异性取食表现弱相关

本数据集包含复现该研究成果所需的全部数据，对应发表标题为《鸣禽的种子偏好仅与种子类型特异性取食表现弱相关》的论文。
数据集包含通过人工视频分析得到的种子偏好数据，以及源自Andries等人（2023）的取食表现、技能与喙部运动学数据。

## 数据与文件结构说明
本数据集包含2份带测量数据的CSV文件，以及一个名为‘analysis’的压缩包，该压缩包内含用于统计分析的R脚本文件与相关联的TXT文件（详见下文；代码/软件部分）。

通用术语（本数据集多数文件中通用的术语列表）：
* bird：个体识别编号
* sex：个体性别（M=雄性，F=雌性）
* birth_year：个体出生年份
……