Résumé
Cognition is a key trait influencing how individuals respond to new environments, and it plays a central role in shaping selection and evolutionary responses. However, the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to variation in cognition have rarely been studied in wild populations, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of cognition’s role in adaptation to environmental conditions. To address this, we evaluated variation in cognition in wild great tits (Parus major) along an altitudinal gradient and assessed its genetic basis using a combination of quantitative genetic analyses and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Wild-caught great tits were tested in temporary captivity to reduce environmental noise and enable standardized cognitive testing. Specifically, we measured associativeblearning, reversal learning, problem-solving, and detour-reaching performance. Our results show that cognitive abilities are repeatable, moderately heritable with a few SNPs explaining a percentage of heritable variation. The combination of quantitative genetics and genomic analyses suggests that cognitive traits are at least partially under genetic control. Overall, our study provides evidence that different cognitive abilities have the potential to evolve and points to a polygenic basis for these traits in great tits.