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Yin D, Yu J, Jin J, Shen C, Zhang L, Li X, Zhang K, Wang H. Nest box entrance hole size can influence nest site selection and nest defence behaviour in Japanese tits. Anim Cogn 2023:10.1007/s10071-023-01791-0. [PMID: 37231181 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01791-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Birds have the ability to assess the risk of predation in their environment and adjust their antipredation strategies based on this risk information. However, whether nest site selection has effect on subsequent nest defence behaviour has not been studied. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the Japanese tit (Parus minor) exhibits a nest-box hole size preference and whether the entrance hole sizes of nest boxes influence the nest defence behaviour of tits. We hung nest boxes with three different entrance hole sizes (diameters: 6.5 cm, 4.5 cm and 2.8 cm) in our study sites and investigated which nest boxes were occupied by tits. In addition, by using dummy-presentation experiments, we observed the nest defence behaviours of tits that nested in boxes with 2.8 cm and 4.5 cm entrance holes towards common chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus, a small nest predator able to enter these holes) and Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris, a large nest predator unable to enter the 2.8 cm entrance hole). The tits that bred in nest boxes with 2.8 cm entrance holes exhibited more intense nest defence responses to chipmunks than to squirrels. In contrast, the tits that bred in nest boxes with 4.5 cm entrance holes exhibited similar nest defence responses to chipmunks and squirrels. Additionally, Japanese tits that bred in nest boxes with 2.8 cm entrance holes exhibited more intense behavioural responses to chipmunks than those that bred in nest boxes with 4.5 cm entrance holes. Our results suggested that Japanese tits prefer to occupy nest boxes with small holes for breeding and that nest-box characteristics influenced their nest defence behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dake Yin
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jiangping Yu
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
| | - Jiangping Jin
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Chao Shen
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Xudong Li
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Keqin Zhang
- School of Zoological Science, Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University, Jilin, 132109, China.
| | - Haitao Wang
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
- Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun, 130024, China.
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Benson SA, Kelly JR, Kullberg C, Krama T, Vrublevska J, Krams I, Freeberg TM. Graded‐risk sensitivity in northern European mixed‐species flocks of tit and nuthatch species. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Indriķis Krams
- Daugavpils University Daugavpils Latvia
- University of Latvia Riga Latvia
- University of Tartu Tartu Estonia
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Blackwell BF, Seamans TW, Pfeiffer MB, Buckingham BN. European Starling Nest‐site Selection Given Enhanced Direct Nest Predation Risk. WILDLIFE SOC B 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley F. Blackwell
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
| | - Thomas W. Seamans
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
| | - Morgan B. Pfeiffer
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
| | - Bruce N. Buckingham
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
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Kyle SC. Do Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) use predator eyes in risk assessment? Anim Cogn 2020; 24:533-540. [PMID: 33205320 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01449-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have found that Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice use a predator's head orientation to determine risk, taking fewer seeds from a feeder if an avian predator model's head is facing the feeder while ignoring the head orientation. In addition to head orientation, eyes are a cue of predator risk. In the current study, I examined whether or not chickadees and titmice used the presence of eyes of a predator model to determine when to forage for food. Plastic owl models, with their eyes covered or uncovered, were presented to wild flocks of chickadees and titmice. To test whether or not chickadees and titmice would respond to the presence of eyes, the number of seeds taken and the calling behavior of birds were compared between the two types of predator presentations (eyes covered or uncovered). Chickadees and titmice took fewer seeds when the eyes were uncovered than when they were covered. Chickadees also gave significantly more introductory notes, often used in association with the presence of predators or risk, in their calls when the eyes were visible than when the eyes of the predator model were covered. The results indicate that chickadees and titmice can use the presence of eyes on predators to determine predation risk and possibly use eye gaze to determine where a predator is looking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven C Kyle
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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Jung H, Sherrod A, LeBreux S, Price JM, Freeberg TM. Traffic noise and responses to a simulated approaching avian predator in mixed‐species flocks of chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hwayoung Jung
- Department of Psychology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
| | - Atira Sherrod
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
| | - Steven LeBreux
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
| | - Joshua M. Price
- Office of Information Technology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
| | - Todd M. Freeberg
- Department of Psychology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
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Ramesh D, Lima SL. Tail-flashing as an anti-predator signal in small wintering birds. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2678-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Bowers MT, Friedlaender AS, Janik VM, Nowacek DP, Quick NJ, Southall BL, Read AJ. Selective reactions to different killer whale call categories in two delphinid species. J Exp Biol 2018; 221:jeb162479. [PMID: 29895580 PMCID: PMC6515772 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.162479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The risk of predation is often invoked as an important factor influencing the evolution of social organization in cetaceans, but little direct information is available about how these aquatic mammals respond to predators or other perceived threats. We used controlled playback experiments to examine the behavioral responses of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA, and Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) off the coast of Southern California, USA, to the calls of a potential predator, mammal-eating killer whales. We transmitted calls of mammal-eating killer whales, conspecifics and baleen whales to 10 pilot whales and four Risso's dolphins equipped with multi-sensor archival acoustic recording tags (DTAGs). Only playbacks of killer whale calls resulted in significant changes in tagged animal heading. The strong responses observed in both species occurred only following exposure to a subset of killer whale calls, all of which contained multiple non-linear properties. This finding suggests that these structural features of killer whale calls convey information about predatory risk to pilot whales and Risso's dolphins. The observed responses differed between the two species; pilot whales approached the sound source while Risso's dolphins fled following playbacks. These divergent responses likely reflect differences in anti-predator response mediated by the social structure of the two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Bowers
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USA
- Institute for Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Vincent M Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Douglas P Nowacek
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nicola J Quick
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Brandon L Southall
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USA
| | - Andrew J Read
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
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