Selective selfishness in alarm calling behaviour by some members of wintering mixed-species groups of crested tits and willow tits

Krama, Tatjana; Elferts, Didzis; Sieving, Kathryn E.; Krams, Ronalds

doi:10.1098/rstb.2022.0102

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 33 publications

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“…We increasingly understand how signals and cues used by senders and receivers across species boundaries facilitate and maintain mixed-species groups [48][49][50]. A recent study, for example, has found that young crested tits, Lophophanes cristatus, are more likely to produce alarm calls in the winter and early spring months when they are in flocks with willow tits, Poecile montanus, than when they are alone or in flocks with just conspecifics [51].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed-species flock sizes and compositions influence flock members’ success in three field experiments with novel feeders

Freeberg,

Adams,

Price

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Mixed-species groups and aggregations are quite common and may provide substantial fitness-related benefits to group members. Individuals may benefit from the overall size of the mixed-species group or from the diversity of species present, or both. Here we exposed mixed-species flocks of songbirds (Carolina chickadees, Poecile carolinensis, tufted titmice, Baeolophus bicolor, and the satellite species attracted to these two species) to three different novel feeder experiments to assess the influence of mixed-species flock size and composition on ability to solve the feeder tasks. We also assessed the potential role of habitat density and traffic noise on birds’ ability to solve these tasks. We found that likelihood of solving a novel feeder task was associated with mixed-species flock size and composition, though the specific social factor involved depended on the particular species and on the novel feeder. We did not find an influence of habitat density or background traffic noise on likelihood of solving novel feeder tasks. Overall, our results reveal the importance of variation in mixed-species group size and diversity on foraging success in these songbirds.

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Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed-species flock sizes and compositions influence flock members’ success in three field experiments with novel feeders

Freeberg,

Adams,

Price

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes

Carlson

Freeberg

Goodale

et al. 2023

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Mixed-species groups of birds, fishes and mammals have traditionally been described in taxa-specific journals. However, mixed-species systems are actually more widely found when one includes aggregative (non-moving) systems, such as those common in amphibians and invertebrates. The objective of this special issue is to dispel the idea that mixed-species phenomena are a ‘niche topic’ to ecology and instead explore how taking a mixed-species perspective can change our conception of important ecological patterns and processes. A mixed-species perspective starts by understanding the relative abundance and positioning of individuals of different species and their behavioural synchrony; it is enriched by understanding differences between species in their vulnerability/attractiveness to predators, their potential for competing with other group participants and their use as a source of public information. Contributions to the special issue show how the mixed-species perspective can change our ideas about invasion ecology, island biogeography, keystone species, mimicry, predator eavesdropping and more. Rather than seeking synthesis, the special issue celebrates the taxonomic and conceptual breadth of the field of mixed-species groups, with detailed descriptions of many distinctive systems. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes’.

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Selective selfishness in alarm calling behaviour by some members of wintering mixed-species groups of crested tits and willow tits

Krama

Elferts

Sieving

et al. 2023

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Animals adjust their use of alarm calls depending on social environments. We tested whether dominant (adult) and subordinate (juvenile non-kin) male crested tits ( Lophophanes cristatus ) warn each other and heterospecific willow tits ( Poecile montanus ) across the wintering season. Birds rarely alarm called when feeding alone. Both adult and juvenile crested tits warned each other in early winter, and adults did so in the middle of wintering season. However, juvenile males rarely warned conspecific adult males in the middle of the winter. Both adult and juvenile males stopped giving alarm calls when feeding together at the end of wintering season. The results suggest that the mid-winter reduction of juvenile alarms could increase the likelihood of successful predator attacks on adults, increasing the chances for juveniles to replace adults and acquire their territories. By contrast, both adult and juvenile males produced alarm calls throughout the season when foraging together with willow tits. Whether juvenile male crested tits could be selectively altering alarm call propensity to endanger adult males, thereby selfishly enhancing their own succession to territory ownership, is discussed. The results add to the understanding of the origin of mixed-species groups and explain the dynamics of social communication. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes’.

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Selective selfishness in alarm calling behaviour by some members of wintering mixed-species groups of crested tits and willow tits

Cited by 3 publications

References 33 publications

Mixed-species flock sizes and compositions influence flock members’ success in three field experiments with novel feeders

Mixed-species flock sizes and compositions influence flock members’ success in three field experiments with novel feeders

Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes

Selective selfishness in alarm calling behaviour by some members of wintering mixed-species groups of crested tits and willow tits

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