https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:4719 A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia Caspar, Kai R. Kai R. Caspar Lois-Milevicich, Jimena Jimena Lois-Milevicich Soulsbury, Carl Carl Soulsbury Reber, Stephan A. Stephan A. Reber Mettke-Hofmann, Claudia Claudia Mettke-Hofmann Lambert, Megan Megan Lambert University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Ashton, Benjamin J. Benjamin J. Ashton Auersperg, Alice M. I. Alice M. I. Auersperg 0000-0001-7405-9791 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Bateson, Melissa Melissa Bateson Belle, Solenne Solenne Belle Bilčík, Boris Boris Bilčík Biondi, Laura M. Laura M. Biondi Bonadonna, Francesco Francesco Bonadonna Brucks, Desiree Desiree Brucks Butler, Michael W. Michael W. Butler Caro, Samuel P. Samuel P. Caro Charrier, Marion Marion Charrier Chatelin, Tiffany Tiffany Chatelin Ching, Johnathan Johnathan Ching Clayton, Nicola S. Nicola S. Clayton Cluver, Benjamin J. Benjamin J. Cluver Cochran, Ella B. Ella B. Cochran Cornero, Francesca Francesca Cornero Danby, Emily Emily Danby Danel, Samara Samara Danel Darwich, Martina Martina Darwich Davies, James R. James R. Davies de la Colina, Alicia Alicia de la Colina Fischer, Dominik Dominik Fischer Fišer, Ondřej Ondřej Fišer Foitzick, Florencia Florencia Foitzick Galluccio, Edward C. Edward C. Galluccio Garcia-Co, Clara Clara Garcia-Co Garcia-Pelegrin, Elias Elias Garcia-Pelegrin George, Isabelle Isabelle George Gladow, Kai-Philipp Kai-Philipp Gladow Gómez, Raúl O. Raúl O. Gómez Grewer, Anna Anna Grewer Grice, Katie Katie Grice Guillette, Lauren M. Lauren M. Guillette Hallihan, Devon C. Devon C. Hallihan Harrington, Katie J. Katie J. Harrington 0000-0002-3974-1020 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Heer, Frauke Frauke Heer Henry, Chloe Chloe Henry Hodova, Vladimira Vladimira Hodova Hoeschele, Marisa Marisa Hoeschele Houdelier, Cécilia Cécilia Houdelier de Aldecoa, Paula Ibáñez Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa Iyasere, Oluwaseun Serah Oluwaseun Serah Iyasere Kanemitsu, Yuka Yuka Kanemitsu Khodadadi, Mina Mina Khodadadi Khong, Duc Duc Khong Kimball, Melanie G. Melanie G. Kimball Klappert, Ariana N. Ariana N. Klappert Koch, Lucy N. Lucy N. Koch König von Borstel, Uta U. Uta U. König von Borstel Košt’ál, Lubor Lubor Košt’ál Krasheninnikova, Anastasia Anastasia Krasheninnikova Kubikova, Lubica Lubica Kubikova Lambert, Connor T. Connor T. Lambert Laméris, Daan W. Daan W. Laméris Lampert, Courtenay G. Courtenay G. Lampert Larousse, Oceane Oceane Larousse Lattin, Christine R. Christine R. Lattin Li, Zhongqiu Zhongqiu Li Lindenmeier, Michael Michael Lindenmeier Lister, Delia A. Delia A. Lister Mackenzie, Julia A. Julia A. Mackenzie Mainz, Selina Selina Mainz Masri, Danna Danna Masri Massen, Jorg J. M. Jorg J. M. Massen Mohr, Laurenz Laurenz Mohr Müller, Wendt Wendt Müller Nealen, Paul M. Paul M. Nealen Nieder, Andreas Andreas Nieder Novac, Aurèle Aurèle Novac Cavalcante, Nínive Paes Nínive Paes Cavalcante Pascual, Kristina Kristina Pascual Pascual-Guàrdia, Carla Carla Pascual-Guàrdia Patel, Ayushi Ayushi Patel Pichová, Katarína Katarína Pichová Pilenga, Cristina Cristina Pilenga Prétôt, Laurent Laurent Prétôt Quinn, John L. John L. Quinn Račevska, Elena Elena Račevska Reboreda, Juan C. Juan C. Reboreda Reynolds, Sam Sam Reynolds Ridley, Amanda R. Amanda R. Ridley Rössler, Theresa Theresa Rössler 0000-0002-2403-8375 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Ruiz-Raya, Francisco Francisco Ruiz-Raya Salas, Marina Marina Salas Saldanha, Beatriz C. Beatriz C. Saldanha Santiago, Sebastián M. Sebastián M. Santiago Schlöglová, Nikola Nikola Schlöglová Seatriz, Gia Gia Seatriz Serrano-Davies, Eva Eva Serrano-Davies Shair Ali, Eva G. Eva G. Shair Ali 0009-0009-3483-3709 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Sirovnik, Janja Janja Sirovnik 0000-0003-1483-6522 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Skalná, Zuzana Zuzana Skalná Slocombe, Katie E. Katie E. Slocombe Soma, Masayo Masayo Soma Srdoc, Tiziana Tiziana Srdoc Stanescu, Stefan Stefan Stanescu Syrová, Michaela Michaela Syrová Taylor, Alex H. Alex H. Taylor Templeton, Christopher N. Christopher N. Templeton Thompson, Karlie Karlie Thompson Trigo, Sandra Sandra Trigo Troisi, Camille A. Camille A. Troisi Urhan, Utku Utku Urhan Valbert, Maurice Maurice Valbert van Oers, Kees Kees van Oers Velando, Alberto Alberto Velando Verbruggen, Frederick Frederick Verbruggen Verkleij, Jorrit W. Jorrit W. Verkleij Vernouillet, Alizée Alizée Vernouillet Verspeek, Jonas Jonas Verspeek Veselý, Petr Petr Veselý von Bayern, Auguste M. P. Auguste M. P. von Bayern Waalders, Eline Eline Waalders Whittaker, Benjamin A. Benjamin A. Whittaker Williamson, Ella R. Ella R. Williamson Wilson, Vanessa A. D. Vanessa A. D. Wilson Winfield, Michelle A. Michelle A. Winfield Wittek, Neslihan Neslihan Wittek Yeung, Karen K. L. Karen K. L. Yeung Zanutto, Jade A. Jade A. Zanutto Public Library of Science (PLoS) journal article open access eng Neophobia, or aversion to novelty, is important for adaptability and survival as it influences the ways in which animals navigate risk and interact with their environments. Across individuals, species and other taxonomic levels, neophobia is known to vary considerably, but our understanding of the wider ecological drivers of neophobia is hampered by a lack of comparative multispecies studies using standardized methods. Here, we utilized the ManyBirds Project, a Big Team Science large-scale collaborative open science framework, to pool efforts and resources of 129 collaborators at 77 institutions from 24 countries worldwide across six continents. We examined both difference scores (between novel object test and control conditions) and raw data of latency to touch familiar food in the presence (test) and absence (control) of a novel object among 1,439 subjects from 136 bird species across 25 taxonomic orders incorporating lab, field, and zoo sites. We first demonstrated that consistent differences in neophobia existed among individuals, among species, and among other taxonomic levels in our dataset, rejecting the null hypothesis that neophobia is highly plastic at all taxonomic levels with no evidence for evolutionary divergence. We then tested for effects of ecological factors on neophobia, including diet, sociality, habitat, and range, while accounting for phylogeny. We found that (i) species with more specialist diets were more neophobic than those with more generalist diets, providing support for the Neophobia Threshold Hypothesis; (ii) migratory species were also more neophobic than nonmigratory species, which supports the Dangerous Niche Hypothesis. Our study shows that the evolution of avian neophobia has been shaped by ecological drivers and demonstrates the potential of Big Team Science to advance our understanding of animal behavior. Birds Animal Migration Habitats Domestic Animals Food Diet Ecological Niches Taxonomy http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:4719/download 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003394 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf PLOS Biology issn:1545-7885 VoR PLOS Biology 23 10 2.34 MB 2025