Role of chemical and visual cues of mammalian predators in nest defense in birds

Amo, Luisa; Tomás, Gustavo; López‐García, Alejandro

doi:10.1007/s00265-017-2281-9

Cited by 21 publications

(48 citation statements)

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“…We used ferret scent as threat stimuli because the ferret is a potential mammalian predator of birds. The scent produced by the anal sac secretion of male ferrets is similar to odours of other mustelid species which prey on birds (Brinck, Erlinge, & Sandell, ), and ferret scent is used by blue tits to assess predation risk (Amo et al, ; Amo, Tomás, & López‐García, ). We chose wet papers impregnated with recent cues of fresh urine and gland secretions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Papers soiled with faeces were discarded. This method of odour collection has been used in previous studies (Amo, Caro, & Visser, ; Amo et al, , ; Amo, Visser, et al, ). We prepared an odorous control by adding several drops of lemon essence to clean absorbent paper.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lemon essence is not a scent associated with predation risk for birds and has been used as a control odour in other studies (Parejo, Amo, Rodríguez, & Avilés, ). Several drops of water were added to a clean piece of absorbent paper to mimic the humidity of the papers in the other treatments (odourless control [Amo et al, ; Amo et al, ]).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Egg concealment is an antipredatory strategy in a cavity‐nesting bird

Saavedra

Amo

2019

Ethology

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Birds have developed different behavioural strategies to reduce the risk of predation during the breeding period. Bird species that nest in the open often cover their eggs to decrease the risk of predators detecting the clutches. However, in cavity nesters, the potential functions of egg covering have not been explored despite some bird species that nest in cavities also covering their eggs as open nesters do. We analysed whether egg covering is an antipredatory behaviour in the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We simulated an increase in the perceived risk of predation at experimental nests by adding predator scent inside the nest boxes during the egg‐laying period, whilst adding lemon essence or water to control nest boxes. Birds exposed to predator chemical cues in the nest of experimental pairs more frequently covered their eggs than birds exposed to an odorous control. These results suggest that egg covering may have evolved as an antipredatory behaviour also in cavity nesters to reduce the risk of egg predation and thus increase reproductive success in birds.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Egg concealment is an antipredatory strategy in a cavity‐nesting bird

Saavedra

Amo

2019

Ethology

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“…Therefore, papers could not be visually detected or contacted by birds. However, birds could perceive the scent of experimental papers (Amo et al 2017). In the behavior treatments, we placed a live rabbit (n = 2) or a live ferret (n = 2) inside the cages under the nest-boxes.…”

Section: Experimental Design and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We used water as an odorless control stimulus to mimic the humidity of the papers containing the other treatments. Water has been used as an odorless control stimulus in previous studies on chemical detection by birds (Amo et al 2008(Amo et al , 2017(Amo et al , 2018.…”

Section: Experimental Design and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of chemical, visual and behavioral cues of predators on the antipredatory behavior of birds

Saavedra

Amo

2020

Journal of Avian Biology

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Nesting mortality in birds is caused primarily by predation. The ability to use different predator cues to assess the level of predation risk could be essential to minimize the predation risk during the breeding period. Previous studies show that birds modified their parental behavior when they detected chemical or visual cues of predators in the surrounding of the nest. However, according to the threat sensitivity hypothesis, birds may use more than one predator cue in order to accurately assess the level of predation risk. In this assessment, the behavior of predators can provide important information to evaluate the motivation of the predator to launch an attack. However, there are no studies that examined the importance of chemical, visual and behavioral cues of predators on the antipredatory behavior of birds. We examined the antipredatory behavior of blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus parents when they were exposed to live predators or stuffed models of predators that also had predator chemical cues. Blue tits were able to detect the behavioral cues of predators and exhibited greater antipredatory behaviors when exposed to a live predator than to a stuffed model with chemical cues. The results suggest that birds use the chemical, visual and behavioral cues of the predators to assess the level of predation risk and adjust their antipredatory behavior accordingly.

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Insectivorous birds can see and smell systemically herbivore‐induced pines

Mäntylä

Kipper

Hilker

2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Several studies have shown that insectivorous birds are attracted to herbivore‐damaged trees even when they cannot see or smell the actual herbivores or their feces. However, it often remained an open question whether birds are attracted by herbivore‐induced changes in leaf odor or in leaf light reflectance or by both types of changes. Our study addressed this question by investigating the response of great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) damaged by pine sawfly larvae (Diprion pini). We released the birds individually to a study booth, where they were simultaneously offered a systemically herbivore‐induced and a noninfested control pine branch. In the first experiment, the birds could see the branches, but could not smell them, because each branch was kept inside a transparent, airtight cylinder. In the second experiment, the birds could smell the branches, but could not see them, because each branch was placed inside a nontransparent cylinder with a mesh lid. The results show that the birds were more attracted to the herbivore‐induced branch in both experiments. Hence, either type of the tested cues, the herbivore‐induced visual plant cue alone as well as the olfactory cues per se, is attractive to the birds.

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Role of chemical and visual cues of mammalian predators in nest defense in birds

Cited by 21 publications

References 50 publications

Egg concealment is an antipredatory strategy in a cavity‐nesting bird

Egg concealment is an antipredatory strategy in a cavity‐nesting bird

The importance of chemical, visual and behavioral cues of predators on the antipredatory behavior of birds

Insectivorous birds can see and smell systemically herbivore‐induced pines

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