Can a solitary avian species use collective detection? An assay in semi-natural conditions

Fernández‐Juricic, Esteban; Delgado, Juan A.; Remacha, Carolina; Clavijo, Miguel; Garcia, Vanessa; Hori, Keiko

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2009.05.002

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This 0.48-m-high enclosure was placed on top of a round wooden base with sawdust as a substrate (Fig. The ground predator model was a stuffed domestic black cat (Blue Russian Model, Piutrè Animal Collection 63.5 cm from nose to tail; Piutrè USA, Ltd., Falls Church, VA, USA) attached to a skateboard (see also Jones et al 2007;Ferná ndez-Juricic et al 2009). We kept food availability constant across trials by mixing the sawdust with 20 g of mixed birdseed (Kaytee midwest regional blend wild bird food; Chilton).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A string was attached to the skateboard and stretched across the track so that the predator model could be rolled smoothly across the opening between the panels producing as little noise as possible (see also Ferná ndez-Juricic et al 2009). A string was attached to the skateboard and stretched across the track so that the predator model could be rolled smoothly across the opening between the panels producing as little noise as possible (see also Ferná ndez-Juricic et al 2009).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A 3.2-m-long and 0.32-m-wide wooden track covered in rubber was placed 3.5 m in front of the enclosure. The ground predator model was a stuffed domestic black cat (Blue Russian Model, Piutrè Animal Collection 63.5 cm from nose to tail; Piutrè USA, Ltd., Falls Church, VA, USA) attached to a skateboard (see also Jones et al 2007;Ferná ndez-Juricic et al 2009). Our predator model was representative of an introduced species; nevertheless, domestic cats have been shown to be a source of predation to birds in a wide variety of habitats (e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The head of the predator model was facing toward the enclosure. A string was attached to the skateboard and stretched across the track so that the predator model could be rolled smoothly across the opening between the panels producing as little noise as possible (see also Ferná ndez-Juricic et al 2009). We established that noise did not noticeably affect responses because individuals did not react to the predator model before it became visible through the opening.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predator Detection is Limited in Microhabitats with High Light Intensity: An Experiment with Brown‐Headed Cowbirds

et al. 2012

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Variations in ambient light conditions across different microhabitats can modify the detectability of predators and prey. Prey have been shown to be more visible in sunlit than in shaded patches, leading to higher predation risk and more investment in vigilance (predation risk hypothesis). Additionally, prey have been hypothesized to take longer to detect predators in sunlit compared to shaded patches because of the excess of sunlight causing glare effects (disability glare hypothesis). We tested the predictions of these two non‐mutually exclusive hypotheses in a seminatural experiment with brown‐headed cowbirds by measuring vigilance behavior and detection of a ground predator in patches under the shade of vegetation and in the open. Light intensity and achromatic contrast were higher in the sunlit patches, which could enhance glare effects, but chromatic contrast was higher in the shaded patches. Brown‐headed cowbirds took longer to show alert reactions to and flee from a ground predator in sunlit compared to shaded patches. However, the two parameters associated with perceived predation risk (vigilance prior to the predator exposure and time to resume foraging after the attack) did not differ between sunlit and shaded patches. Our findings support to a greater extent the disability glare hypothesis than the predation risk hypothesis. Overall, ambient light conditions can affect two critical components of behavioral predator–prey interactions in terrestrial habitats: detection of and escape from predators. The effects of disability glare are expected to be more pronounced in bird species with wider visual fields or without sun‐shading structures; however, species may compensate through various behaviors (e.g. avoidance of sunlit patches and changes in head orientation).

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predator Detection is Limited in Microhabitats with High Light Intensity: An Experiment with Brown‐Headed Cowbirds

et al. 2012

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“…In addition, the risk of being targeted by a predator is lower in larger groups due to the dilution effect, which would enable individuals to assess danger more fully before reacting. Longer reaction times in larger groups have been documented in one shorebird species, the redshank Tringa totanus (Hilton, Cresswell, & Ruxton, ; Quinn & Cresswell, ), but not in a species of frog (Martín, Luque‐Larena, & Lopez, ) and other species of birds (Fernández‐Juricic et al., ). Longer reaction times are also expected when individuals in the group are further apart.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spread of false alarms in foraging flocks of house sparrows

2017

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In group‐foraging species with no alarm signals, the sudden departure of neighbours can be used to inform the rest of the group about the detection of a threat. However, sudden departures are ambiguous because they can be triggered by factors unrelated to predator detection. We evaluated how animals react to the sudden departure of neighbours in groups of foraging house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We focussed on false alarms that occurred for no apparent reasons to us because predation attempts were not frequent. Three factors can explain how the sudden departure of a neighbour can influence reaction times, namely group size, the distance between neighbours, and predation risk. We predicted reaction times to be longer in larger groups where individual vigilance levels are low, and when group members are further apart and cannot easily monitor each other. In addition, we expected reaction times to be longer when predation risk is lower. Departures that are more temporally clumped are also expected to be less ambiguous and should trigger faster reaction times. Our results show that sparrows reacted faster, not more slowly, to the sudden departures of neighbours in larger groups, and, as predicted, more slowly when neighbours were more distant from each other. Reaction times were longer in one of the two study years in which predation risk was deemed lower. Sparrows reacted more quickly when earlier departures were more temporally clumped. The results thus provided partial support for the predictions, and future work is needed to assess how individuals react to fleeing responses by their neighbours in species with no alarm signals.

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Non-vocal communication as an anti-predator strategy in scaled doves (Columbina squammata)

Amorim

Dias

2019

J Ethol

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Can a solitary avian species use collective detection? An assay in semi-natural conditions

Cited by 20 publications

References 49 publications

Predator Detection is Limited in Microhabitats with High Light Intensity: An Experiment with Brown‐Headed Cowbirds

Predator Detection is Limited in Microhabitats with High Light Intensity: An Experiment with Brown‐Headed Cowbirds

Spread of false alarms in foraging flocks of house sparrows

Non-vocal communication as an anti-predator strategy in scaled doves (Columbina squammata)

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