1
|
Niśkiewicz M, Szymański P, Zampa L, Budka M, Osiejuk TS. Neighbour-stranger discrimination in an African wood dove inhabiting equatorial rainforest. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4252. [PMID: 38378955 PMCID: PMC10879109 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53867-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
We investigated within- and between-individual song variation and song-based neighbour-stranger discrimination in a non-learning bird species, the blue-headed wood-dove (Turtur brehmeri), which inhabits lowland rainforests of West and Central Africa. We found that songs of this species are individually specific and have a high potential for use in individual recognition based on the time-frequency pattern of note distribution within song phrases. To test whether these differences affect behaviour, we conducted playback experiments with 19 territorial males. Each male was tested twice, once with the songs of a familiar neighbour and once with the songs of an unfamiliar stranger. We observed that males responded more aggressively to playback of a stranger's songs: they quickly approached close to the speaker and spent more time near it. However, no significant differences between treatments were observed in the vocal responses. In addition, we explored whether responses differed based on the song frequency of the focal male and/or that of the simulated intruder (i.e., playback), as this song parameter is inversely related to body size and could potentially affect males' decisions to respond to other birds. Song frequency parameters (of either the focal male or the simulated intruder) had no effect on the approaching response during playback. However, we found that the pattern of response after playback was significantly affected by the song frequency of the focal male: males with lower-frequency songs stayed closer to the simulated intruder for a longer period of time without singing, while males with higher-frequency songs returned more quickly to their initial song posts and resumed singing. Together, these results depict a consistently strong response to strangers during and after playback that is dependent on a male's self-assessment rather than assessment of a rival's strength based on his song frequency. This work provides the first experimental evidence that doves (Columbidae) can use songs for neighbour-stranger discrimination and respond according to a "dear enemy" scheme that keeps the cost of territory defence at a reasonable level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Niśkiewicz
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Paweł Szymański
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Lia Zampa
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Budka
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Tomasz S Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Grieco F. Vocal behaviour reveals asymmetries in neighbour relationships in a semi-colonial raptor, the Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops. BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Territorial animals often reduce aggression towards familiar neighbours compared to unfamiliar conspecifics. However, variation in the response to different neighbours is less known. In this work, I examined the territorial behaviour of male scops owls during countersinging interactions with two familiar neighbours and I asked whether vocal behaviour of the focal male reflected dear-enemy relationships. Analysis revealed that the focal male’s vocal frequency was associated with (1) the degree of instability of the territory boundary shared with a neighbour and (2) the motivation to persist in the dyadic interaction with that neighbour. Patterns of movement directed to specific individuals suggest that scops owls do discriminate between neighbours. A case of partial territory takeover was observed that was accompanied by temporal changes in vocal frequency in one of the opponents, confirming that vocal frequency is a flexible, context-dependent feature of the relationship of neighbouring scops owls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Grieco
- Independent Researcher, Rietveldlaan 64, 6708 SB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Werba JA, Stuckert AM, Edwards M, McCoy MW. Stranger danger: A meta-analysis of the dear enemy hypothesis. Behav Processes 2021; 194:104542. [PMID: 34818561 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The dear enemy hypothesis predicts that territorial individuals will be less aggressive toward known neighbors than to strangers. This hypothesis has been well studied and there is a wealth of data demonstrating its prevalence in some taxa. However, a quantitative synthesis is needed to test the generality of the phenomenon, identify key mechanisms driving the behavior, and guide future research. In this study, we conduct a meta-analysis and, we test the importance of the location of intrusion, the type of experiment conducted (field, laboratory, or neutral arenas), and the sex and breeding status of territory holders, on the occurrence of dear enemy behavior. We also test how various ecological and life history traits, such as territory type, stimulus of intrusion, and taxonomic group, affect the magnitude of dear enemy behavior. We find that this phenomenon is common and that taxonomic class and breeding status are correlated with the expression of dear enemy behaviors. Further, we found that the way authors measure aggression influences the likelihood of identifying dear enemy responses, and thus we discuss potential pitfalls of dear enemy studies. Considering this conclusion, we discuss future lines of inquiry that could more directly examine the mechanisms of the dear enemy phenomenon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jo A Werba
- Department Ecosystem Sciences and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Adam Mm Stuckert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03857, USA
| | - Matthew Edwards
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Michael W McCoy
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville NC 27858, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Song recordings and environmental factors affect the response rate of Tropical Screech-Owls to conspecific playback: the importance of carefully designed protocols. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01491-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
|
5
|
Charlton BD, Newman C, Macdonald DW, Buesching CD. Male European badger churrs: insights into call function and motivational basis. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00033-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
6
|
Sun CH, Liu HY, Min X, Lu CH. Mitogenome of the little owl Athene noctua and phylogenetic analysis of Strigidae. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 151:924-931. [PMID: 32097733 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.02.238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
New advances in molecular approaches for DNA analysis have enhanced our understanding of the phylogenetic relationship of birds. The Little Owl (Athene noctua) is of great significance for the integrated management of forest diseases and control of regional pests. Here, we sequenced and annotated the 17,772 bp complete mitogenome of A. noctua. The mitogenome encoded 37 typical mitochondrial genes: 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA, and one non-coding control region (D-loop). The organization and location of genes in the A. noctua mitogenome were consistent with those reported for other Strigidae birds. Phylogenetic relationships based on Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood methods showed that A. noctua has close relationships with Athene brama and Glaucidium cuculoides, confirming that A. noctua belongs to the Strigidae family. The phylogenetic relationships among seven genera of the Strigidae family used in this study were: Ninox and the other six genera were far apart, Otus and the clade ((Bubo + Strix) + Asio) were clustered into one branch, and Athene and Glaucidium were clustered into one branch. This phylogenetic classification is consistent with prior taxonomic studies on the Strigidae family. Our results provide new mitogenomic data to support further phylogenetic and taxonomic studies of Strigidae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-He Sun
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Hong-Yi Liu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xiao Min
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Chang-Hu Lu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Węgrzyn E, Leniowski K. Middle Spotted Woodpecker territory owners distinguish between stranger and familiar floaters based on their vocal characteristics. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1716088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- E. Węgrzyn
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - K. Leniowski
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lehtonen TK. Aggression towards shared enemies by heterospecific and conspecific cichlid fish neighbours. Oecologia 2019; 191:359-368. [PMID: 31473811 PMCID: PMC6763407 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04483-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Successful territory defence is a prerequisite for reproduction across many taxa, and often highly sensitive to the actions of territorial neighbours. Nevertheless, to date, assessments of the significance of the behaviour of heterospecific neighbours have been infrequent and taxonomically restricted. In this field study, I examined the importance of both heterospecific and conspecific neighbours in a biparental fish, the convict cichlid, Amatitlania siquia. This was done by assessing the colonisation rates of vacant territories, the rates of aggression by the territory holders, and the overall rates of aggression towards intruders, in treatments that controlled the proximity of both neighbour types. Convict cichlid pairs colonised vacant nesting resources (territory locations) at similar rates independent of the proximity of heterospecific (moga, Hypsophrys nicaraguensis) or conspecific neighbours. However, a model of sympatric cichlid intruder was subjected to considerably higher overall levels of aggression when mogas were nearby. In contrast, the proximity of conspecifics did not have a significant effect on the overall aggression towards the intruder. These results suggest that previously demonstrated higher survival of convict cichlid broods in close proximity of mogas may be driven by aggression towards shared enemies. No conclusive evidence was found regarding whether mogas also influence convict cichlids' investment into anti-intruder aggression: the results show a marginally non-significant trend, and a moderately large effect size, to the direction of a lower investment in mogas', but not conspecifics', proximity. More generally, heterospecific neighbours may provide protective benefits in a wider range of ecological settings than commonly considered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Topi K Lehtonen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Post Box 8000, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Monash, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Burgos G, Zuberogoitia I. A telemetry study to discriminate between home range and territory size in Tawny Owls. BIOACOUSTICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2018.1555717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gorka Burgos
- Department of Ornithology, Aranzadi Sciences Society, Donostia-S. Sebastián, Spain
| | - Iñigo Zuberogoitia
- Department of Ornithology, Aranzadi Sciences Society, Donostia-S. Sebastián, Spain
- Estudios Medioambientales Icarus S.L., Bilbao, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Leroux M, Hetem RS, Hausberger M, Lemasson A. Cheetahs discriminate familiar and unfamiliar human voices. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15516. [PMID: 30341369 PMCID: PMC6195546 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33971-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic species can make the distinction between several human sub-groups, especially between familiar and unfamiliar persons. The Domestication hypothesis assumes that such advanced cognitive skills were driven by domestication itself. However, such capacities have been shown in wild species as well, highlighting the potential role of early experience and proximity with humans. Nevertheless, few studies have been focusing on the use of acoustic cues in wild species and more comparative studies are necessary to better understand this ability. Cheetah is a vocal, semi-social species, often hand raised when captive, making it therefore a good candidate for studying the ability to perceive differences in human voices. In this study, we used playback experiments to investigate whether cheetahs are able to distinguish between the voices of their familiar caretakers and visitors. We found that cheetahs showed a higher visual attention, changed activity more often and faster when the voice was familiar than when it was unfamiliar. This study is the first evidence that wild felids are able to discriminate human voices and could support the idea that early experience and proximity to humans are at least as important as domestication when it comes to the ability to recognize humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maël Leroux
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, Paimpont, F-35380, France
| | - Robyn Shelia Hetem
- University of the Witwatersrand, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein, 2000, South Africa
| | - Martine Hausberger
- CNRS, Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, F-35380, Paimpont, France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, Paimpont, F-35380, France.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Parejo D, Avilés JM, Expósito-Granados M. Receivers matter: the meaning of alarm calls and competition for nest sites in a bird community. Oecologia 2018; 187:707-717. [PMID: 29637297 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4139-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Animal communities may constitute information networks where individuals gain information on predation risk by eavesdropping on alarm calls of other species. However, communities include species in different trophic levels, and it is not yet known how the trophic level of the receiver influences the informative value of a call. Furthermore, no empirical study has yet tested how increased competition may influence the value of alarm calls for distinct receivers. Here, we identify the importance of alarm calls emitted by a small owl, the little owl (Athene noctua), on the structure of a cavity-nesting bird community including mesopredators and primary prey under variable levels of competition for nest holes. Competitors sharing top predators with the callers and prey of the callers interpreted alarm and non-alarm calls differently. Competitors chose preferentially alarm and non-alarm patches over control patches to breed, while prey selected alarm patches. In contrast, competition for nest sites affected habitat selection of prey species more than that of competitors of the callers. This study provides support for a changing value of alarm calls and competition for nest sites for distinct receivers related to niche overlapping among callers and eavesdroppers, therefore, calling attention to possible cascading effects by the use of information in natural communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deseada Parejo
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006, Badajoz, Spain. .,Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, EEZA-CSIC, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Jesús M Avilés
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, EEZA-CSIC, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Moskát C, Hauber ME, Bán M, Fülöp A, Geltsch N, Marton A, Elek Z. Are both notes of the common cuckoo's call necessary for familiarity recognition? Behav Processes 2018; 157:685-690. [PMID: 29559339 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) are best known for their simple two-note calls ("cu-coo"), which are uttered only by males during the breeding season. A previous playback study revealed that territorial males were more tolerant toward playbacks of the calls of familiar, neighbouring individuals than toward unfamiliar, stranger simulated intruders, exhibiting the classical "dear-enemy" phenomenon. Here we experimentally assessed whether the acoustic cues for familiarity recognition are encoded in the first and/or second note of these simple calls. To do so, we played mixed sound files to radio-tagged cuckoos, where the first part of the two-note calls was taken from strangers and the second part from neighbours, or vice versa. As controls, we used behavioural data from two-note neighbour and two-note stranger call playbacks. Cuckoos responded consistently to the two types of mixed sound files. When either the first or second note of the call was taken from a stranger and the other note from a neighbour, they responded to these sound files similarly to two-note playbacks of strangers: they approached the speaker of the playbacks more closely and the calling response-latency to playbacks was longer than to familiar controls. These findings point to the importance of both notes in familiarity recognition. We conclude that familiarity recognition in male common cuckoos needs the complete structure of the two-note cuckoo call, which is characteristic for this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Moskát
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a Joint Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Márk E Hauber
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Miklós Bán
- MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Attila Fülöp
- MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Geltsch
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a Joint Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Marton
- MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Elek
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a Joint Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Robertson JG, Boutin S, Humphries MM, Dantzer B, Lane JE, McAdam AG. Individual variation in the dear enemy phenomenon via territorial vocalizations in red squirrels. BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Territoriality arises when the benefits of resources exceed the costs of defending them. The dear enemy phenomenon, where familiar territorial neighbours refrain from intruding on one another and mutually reduce their defensive efforts, allows for reduction of these costs but requires discrimination between conspecifics. We hypothesized that territorial vocalizations in red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are used for this discrimination. We performed a speaker replacement experiment where red squirrels () were temporarily removed from their territories and replaced with a speaker broadcasting their own call, an unfamiliar call, or silence. Contrary to our prediction, there were no differences in overall intrusion risk among our three playbacks, but the identity of intruders did vary. Existing variation in familiarity within territorial neighbourhoods should be considered, rather than the binary classification of familiar or stranger, when studying dear enemy effects. We also discuss the variable importance of silence in acoustic territorial populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jack G. Robertson
- aDepartment of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Stan Boutin
- bDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Murray M. Humphries
- cDepartment of Natural Resource Sciences, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Ben Dantzer
- dDepartment of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- eDepartment of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jeffrey E. Lane
- fDepartment of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Andrew G. McAdam
- aDepartment of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Moser-Purdy C, MacDougall-Shackleton SA, Bonier F, Graham BA, Boyer AC, Mennill DJ. Male song sparrows have elevated testosterone in response to neighbors versus strangers. Horm Behav 2017; 93:47-52. [PMID: 28434901 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Upon hearing a conspecific signal, animals must assess their relationship with the signaller and respond appropriately. Territorial animals usually respond more aggressively to strangers than neighbors in a phenomenon known as the "dear enemy effect". This phenomenon likely evolved because strangers represent a threat to an animal's territory tenure and parentage, whereas neighbors only represent a threat to an animal's parentage because they already possess a territory (providing territory boundaries are established and stable). Although the dear enemy effect has been widely documented using behavioral response variables, little research has been conducted on the physiological responses of animals to neighbors versus strangers. We sought to investigate whether the dear enemy effect is observed physiologically by exposing territorial male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to playback simulating a neighbor or a stranger, and then collecting blood samples to measure plasma testosterone levels. We predicted that song sparrows would exhibit increased testosterone levels after exposure to stranger playback compared to neighbor playback, due to the role testosterone plays in regulating aggression. Contrary to our prediction, we found that song sparrows had higher testosterone levels after exposure to neighbor playback compared to stranger playback. We discuss several explanations for our result, notably that corticosterone may regulate the dear enemy effect in male song sparrows and this may inhibit plasma testosterone. Future studies will benefit from examining corticosterone in addition to testosterone, to better understand the hormonal underpinnings of the dear enemy effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Frances Bonier
- Biology Department, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Brendan A Graham
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Andrea C Boyer
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON N6G 1G9, Canada
| | - Daniel J Mennill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
The assessment of biases in the acoustic discrimination of individuals. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177206. [PMID: 28486488 PMCID: PMC5423633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal vocalizations contain information about individual identity that could potentially be used for the monitoring of individuals. However, the performance of individual discrimination is subjected to many biases depending on factors such as the amount of identity information, or methods used. These factors need to be taken into account when comparing results of different studies or selecting the most cost-effective solution for a particular species. In this study, we evaluate several biases associated with the discrimination of individuals. On a large sample of little owl male individuals, we assess how discrimination performance changes with methods of call description, an increasing number of individuals, and number of calls per male. Also, we test whether the discrimination performance within the whole population can be reliably estimated from a subsample of individuals in a pre-screening study. Assessment of discrimination performance at the level of the individual and at the level of call led to different conclusions. Hence, studies interested in individual discrimination should optimize methods at the level of individuals. The description of calls by their frequency modulation leads to the best discrimination performance. In agreement with our expectations, discrimination performance decreased with population size. Increasing the number of calls per individual linearly increased the discrimination of individuals (but not the discrimination of calls), likely because it allows distinction between individuals with very similar calls. The available pre-screening index does not allow precise estimation of the population size that could be reliably monitored. Overall, projects applying acoustic monitoring at the individual level in population need to consider limitations regarding the population size that can be reliably monitored and fine-tune their methods according to their needs and limitations.
Collapse
|
16
|
Moser-Purdy C, MacDougall-Shackleton EA, Mennill DJ. Enemies are not always dear: male song sparrows adjust dear enemy effect expression in response to female fertility. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
17
|
Moskát C, Elek Z, Bán M, Geltsch N, Hauber ME. Can common cuckoos discriminate between neighbours and strangers by their calls? Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
18
|
Lehtonen TK, Wong BB. Males are quicker to adjust aggression towards heterospecific intruders in a cichlid fish. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
19
|
Nichols MR, Yorzinski JL. Peahens can differentiate between the antipredator calls of individual conspecifics. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
20
|
Briseño-Jaramillo M, Estrada A, Lemasson A. Individual voice recognition and an auditory map of neighbours in free-ranging black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1813-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
21
|
Hale JA, Nelson DA, Augustine JK. Are vocal signals used to recognize individuals during male–male competition in greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido)? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1751-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
22
|
Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Malavasi
- a Department of Basic Sciences and Foundations , University of Urbino , Urbino , Italy
| | - Almo Farina
- a Department of Basic Sciences and Foundations , University of Urbino , Urbino , Italy
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Parejo D, Avilés JM, Rodríguez J. Alarm calls modulate the spatial structure of a breeding owl community. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2135-41. [PMID: 22279165 PMCID: PMC3321719 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.2601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 01/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals should continuously assess the threat of predation. Alarm calls inform on predation risk and are often used as cues to shape behavioural responses in birds and mammals. Hitherto, however, the ecological consequences of alarm calls in terms of organization of animal communities have been neglected. Here, we show experimentally that calls of a resident nocturnal raptor, the little owl Athene noctua, triggered a response in terms of breeding habitat selection and investment in current reproduction in conspecifics and heterospecifics. Little owls preferred to settle in territories where calls of conspecifics, irrespective of their type (i.e. alarm versus contact calls), were broadcasted, indicating that either conspecific attraction exists or calls are interpreted as foreign calls, eliciting settlement as a mode of defence against competitors. Also, we found that little owls seemed to invest more in current reproduction in safe territories as revealed by conspecific calls. Innovatively, we reported that a second owl species, the migratory scops owl Otus scops, preferred to breed in safe territories as indicated by little owls' calls. These results evidence that the emission of alarm calls may have, apart from well-known behavioural effects, ecological consequences in natural communities by inducing species-specific biases in breeding habitat selection. This study demonstrates a previously unsuspected informative role of avian alarm calls which may modulate the spatial structure of species within communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deseada Parejo
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Balsby TJ, Adams DM. Vocal similarity and familiarity determine response to potential flockmates in orange-fronted conures (Psittacidae). Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
25
|
Bragina EV, Beme IR. Siberian crane duet as an individual signature of a pair: comparison of visual and statistical classification techniques. Acta Ethol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-010-0073-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
26
|
Investigating the ‘dear enemy’ phenomenon in the territory defence of the fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi. Anim Behav 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
27
|
Shapiro AD. Recognition of individuals within the social group: signature vocalizations. HANDBOOK OF BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-374593-4.00045-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
|
28
|
Trefry SA, Hik DS. Eavesdropping on the Neighbourhood: Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris) Responses to Playback Calls of Conspecifics and Heterospecifics. Ethology 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2009.01675.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
29
|
A dusk chorus effect in a nocturnal bird: support for mate and rival assessment functions. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-008-0621-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
30
|
Brunton DH, Evans B, Cope T, Ji W. A test of the dear enemy hypothesis in female New Zealand bellbirds (Anthornis melanura): female neighbors as threats. Behav Ecol 2008. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arn027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
31
|
Briefer E, Aubin T, Lehongre K, Rybak F. How to identify dear enemies: the group signature in the complex song of the skylark Alauda arvensis. J Exp Biol 2008; 211:317-26. [PMID: 18203986 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.013359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Song geographic variation and Neighbour–Stranger (N–S)discrimination have been intensively but separately studied in bird species,especially in those with small- to medium-sized repertoires. Here, we establish a link between the two phenomena by showing that dialect features are used for N–S recognition in a territorial species with a large repertoire, the skylark Alauda arvensis. In this species, during the breeding season, many pairs settle in stable and adjoining territories gathered in locations spaced by a few kilometres. In a first step, songs produced by males established in different locations were recorded, analyzed and compared to identify possible microgeographic variation at the syntax level. Particular common sequences of syllables (phrases) were found in the songs of all males established in the same location (neighbours), whereas males of different locations (strangers) shared only few syllables and no sequences. In a second step, playback experiments were conducted and provided evidence for N–S discrimination consistent with the dear-enemy effect,i.e. reduced aggression from territorial birds towards neighbours than towards strangers. In addition, a similar response was observed when a `chimeric'signal (shared phrases of the location artificially inserted in the song of a stranger) and a neighbour song were broadcast, indicating that shared sequences were recognized and identified as markers of the group identity. We thus show experimentally that the shared phrases found in the songs of neighbouring birds constitute a group signature used by birds for N–S discrimination, and serve as a basis for the dear-enemy effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry Aubin
- University Paris 11, NAMC, CNRS-UMR8620, Orsay, France
| | | | - Fanny Rybak
- University Paris 11, NAMC, CNRS-UMR8620, Orsay, France
| |
Collapse
|