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You might not think that a bird and a gambler would have much in common.

But scientists have found that human gamblers and pigeons are 35 per cent more likely to take greater risks when there is a chance of a big win.

They discovered that both species use past experiences to guide future gambling decisions.

Risky business: Scientists have found that human gamblers and pigeons are 35 per cent more likely to take greater risks when there is a chance of a big win. Both species use past experiences to guide future gambling decisions. A stock image of a gambler planning on winning big is pictured

Researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of Alberta, Canada, said their study shows the important role that memories of previous biggest wins and losses play when we make risky gambling decisions.

'Birds are distantly related to humans, yet we still share the same basic psychology that drives risk-taking,' said Dr Elliot Ludvig, from the University of Warwick's Department of Psychology.

'This may be due to a shared common ancestry or similar evolutionary pressures.

'When people gamble, they often rely on past experiences with risk and rewards to make decisions.

'What we found in this study is that pigeons used these past experiences in very similar ways to guide their future gambling decisions.

'Any big wins we've had in the past are memorable and stand-out when we are making our decision to gamble again.'

Bird brained? In the experiment, both humans and pigeons (pictured) were shown to be less risk averse for high rewards then they were for low rewards. Dr Ludvig thinks this is linked to our past memories and experiences of making risky decisions

In an experiment, human volunteers and pigeons were given four options: two that led to high-value rewards and two that led to low-value rewards.

Humans were rewarded with points, while the pigeons were rewarded with food, according to the study published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.

For each reward level - high or low - one safe option resulted in a guaranteed fixed reward, and one risky option yielded a 50/50 chance of a better or worse reward.

Both birds and humans were found to be 35 per cent more likely to take a gamble on the high-value rewards.

'Both humans and pigeons were shown to be less risk averse for high rewards than they were for low rewards and this is linked to our past memories and experiences of making risky decisions,' Dr Ludvig said.

Despite humans having a greater mental capacity than pigeons, he claims: 'humans and pigeons react in similar ways when faced with risky decisions because equivalent mental processes are driving their behaviour.

'Humans and pigeons are equally influenced by the biggest wins and losses that they have previously encountered'.