A Case of Intraspecific Killing in Passerines: The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus)

Abstract

Even if intraspecific conflict is a well-known behaviour in birds, intraspecific killing among passerines is very rare in the literature. Cases of intraspecific predation among passerines constitute a very small percentage of published reports, and many of the cases are based on circumstantial evidence. In March 2013, we witnessed a group of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) kill a conspecific male adult in the village of Gonsans (France, Doubs department). During the reproductive season three explanations of others studies (lack of food, weak condition and territorial behaviour during) could be relevant in our case. In conclusion, it appears that our observation is a very rare one and the second one for the House Sparrow.

Variation in food availability mediate the impact of density on cannibalism, growth, and survival in larval yellow spotted mountain newts (Neurergus microspilotus): Implications for captive breeding programs

“…Such cannibalism is probably frequent and is best exemplified by facultative predators and species that eat conspecific eggs and young as a by‐product of normal feeding activities [Polis, ; Richardson et al, ]. Second, individuals of many species maintain inter‐individual space or territory in which they are intolerant to conspecifics and initiate cannibalism [Polis, ; Collins and Cheek, ; Wildy et al, ; Rudolf et al, ; Halliez and Becel, ].…”