AAA+Max

__Follow the Rhythm __ A systematic observation by Max Taylor

Will birds be able to associate music with food? I.e. If I play music next to a feeder for a while, then take away the feeder and play the music somewhere else, will the birds follow it? I came up with this question thinking of Pavlov's conditioned reflex experiment in which he trained his dogs to associate a bell with food. I am trying to see if birds will be able to do the same. I choose the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain" because it is a very repetitive and uses the same tune, this makes it easier for the birds to associate it with music.
 * Problem statement:**

I think that, given enough time, birds could be conditioned to fly to the feeder when they hear music.
 * Hypothesis**

My variables are kind of confusing. I suppose the variable is the food because I take it away later in the experiment and see if the birds still visit the feeder.
 * Independent Variable(s)**

Whether birds fly towards the music in search of food.
 * Dependent Variable**


 * Materials needed**
 * Bird feeder made of bottle (picture coming soon)
 * 1 large bag Birdseed
 * Measuring cup (for birdseed)
 * Clock or other reliable time measurer
 * CD player
 * Disc (Henry McClintock, "Big Rock Candy Mountain")
 * Patience

Inconclusive, no birds visited the feeder.
 * Procedure**
 * 1) Purchase necessary materials
 * 2) Fill feeder with birdseed. Scatter remainder around the area.
 * 3) Hang feeder outside screened window
 * 4) Leave window open
 * 5) Play music through screen so it is right next to the feeder (BRCM). From 7:45am to 7:45pm.
 * 6) Repeat this for two days
 * 7) Bring feeder inside and stop playing music for 1 day
 * 8) Repeat steps 3-6
 * 9) On the final day. Play music in the usual spot but keep the feeder inside.
 * 10) Watch for birds from 7:45am-8:45am, 11:00am-12:00pm, and 6:00pm-7:00pm
 * 11) From each time frame, record the number of birds that fly near the window in search of food.
 * 12) Determine weather there are enough birds to be able to say that they came because they thought that music meant food.
 * 13) Record data and present
 * Results**

Though my results were inconclusive, other experiments have showed that birds have a high intelligence for conditioned reflex, such is written in this article:
 * Conclusion**