A study by researchers from Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada that appears in a paper published in Animal Behavior found that bird colonies provide a rich source of social information. This could help birds reduce uncertainty about nest locations, mates, or food sources. What is interesting is that birds don't use this information. The study involved fitting Ring-billed Gulls with GPS and watching their flight patterns. Researchers identified key bird leaders and then watched if the leaders' flight pattern was mimicked by other Gulls; it was not.

It appears these colonizing birds took the advice of parents of a different species: would you jump off of a bridge if all your friends would?

(Photo of California Gull by Dave Menke/USFWS)

Citation

Racine, F; Giraldeau, L; Patenaude-Monette, M; Giroux, J. 13 April 2012. Evidence of social information on food location in a ring-billed gull colony, but the birds do not use it. Animal Behavior.