Antipredator function of vigilance re-examined: vigilant birds delay escape

Tätte, Kunter; Ibáñez‐Álamo, Juan Diego; Markó, Gábor; Mänd, Raivo; Møller, Anders Pape

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.010

Cited by 25 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 72 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Møller et al 2014), although a comparative analysis of tropical east African birds recently revealed a slightly negative (though non-significant) effect of body mass on FID (Weston et al 2021). Sri Lankan birds in groups had longer FIDs than when they were alone, which aligns with general patterns observed (Morelli et al 2019) and is predicted from the benefits of anti-predator vigilance associated with occurring in groups (but see Tätte et al 2019). We sampled birds in single-species flocks, and note that the prominence of mixed species flocks among Sri Lankan forest birds warrants further investigation of their FID (Mammides et al 2018;Linley et al 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Ecological and environmental predictors of escape among birds on a large tropical island

Ekanayake

Gnanapragasam

Ranawana

et al. 2022

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ecological and environmental traits can influence avian escape behaviour but most data underpinning our current understanding relates to continental and temperate areas and species. We conducted a phylogenetically controlled comparative analysis of flight-initiation distance (FID) against a variety of environmental, behavioural and life history attributes for Sri Lankan birds (202 species; n = 2540). As with other studies, body mass was positively associated with FID, and longer FIDs occurred in areas where human population density was lower. We also found that the effect of human population density was more pronounced in larger birds. Birds that were in groups when approached tended to have longer FIDs. Unlike the findings of other comparative analyses, based mostly on continental, temperate populations, most other ecological variables did not feature in the best models predicting FID (time of year, breeding system, clutch size, habitat, migratory behaviour, development [altricial/precocial], elevation and diet). Thus, some associations (body mass and exposure to humans) may be universal, while others may not manifest themselves among tropical avifaunas. Further tropical datasets are required to confirm truly universal associations of environmental and ecological attributes and escape distances among birds. Significance statement Escape responses in birds are influenced by the environment in which they live, the conditions under which they face a threat and their own biological characteristics. The vast majority of our knowledge of avian escape behaviour is derived from continental, temperate species. We examined the environmental and ecological factors that shape flight-initiation distance (FID), the distance at which a bird reacts to an approaching threat (a walking human) by escaping, using 2540 observations of 202 bird species on a large tropical island—Sri Lanka. Several predictors of FIDs in birds are clearly influential for Sri Lankan birds: body mass, human population density and whether the bird is alone or in as group. However, many other putative predictors are not, suggesting that tropical island avifaunas may have different responses to approaching threats compared to their temperate continental counterparts.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Ecological and environmental predictors of escape among birds on a large tropical island

Ekanayake

Gnanapragasam

Ranawana

et al. 2022

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Increased wind speed has been shown in 17 of 18 studies to decrease an animal's ability to detect an approaching predator by masking sounds, smells, and visual cues (Cherry & Barton, 2017). Wind may also be a source of distraction (Chan et al, 2010; Tätte et al, 2019), leading to delayed detection of approaching predators. It has been suggested that the magnitude of FID responses should decrease under harsh weather conditions, as the energy cost of fleeing increases (Collop et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rather, researchers have considered vigilance behavior when aiming to understand how animals respond to threats. More vigilant individuals are expected to detect predators earlier and thus become alert at longer distances (Fernández‐Juricic & Schroeder, 2003; Beauchamp, 2015; Uchida et al, 2019; but see Tätte et al, 2019). Studies that measured repeatability in vigilance behaviors also reported low, but significant, repeatability: eastern gray kangaroos Macropus giganteus ( r = 0.07–0.14; Edwards et al, 2013); redshanks Tringa totanus ( r = 0.21; Couchoux & Cresswell, 2012); house sparrows Passer domesticus ( r = 0.13–0.22; Boujja‐Miljour et al, 2018); and cliff swallows Petrocheldion pyrrhonota ( r = 0.089; Roche & Brown, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AD and FID can be defined as the distances at which a focal animal interrupts its normal behavior to become alert (AD) or begin to flee (FID) from an approaching predator. AD provides us with a surrogate of the amount of time, and possibly energy, invested by the focal individual into surveying its surrounding, that is, its degree of vigilance (Fernández‐Juricic & Schroeder, 2003; Beauchamp, 2015; Uchida et al, 2019; but see Tätte et al, 2019). Meanwhile, variation in FID informs us on the perceived predation risk of the focal individual (Blumstein, 2006, 2019; Møller et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Repeatability of alert and flight initiation distances in king penguins: Effects of colony, approach speed, and weather

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Alert distance (AD) and flight initiation distance (FID) are popular measures used to explore the reaction of prey to approaching predators, and thus the economics underlying optimal escape strategies. AD likely mirrors the effort invested into vigilance, while FID provides an estimate of the perceived risk of an approaching threat. Although individual variation in AD and FID is influenced by environmental factors such as variation in predation pressure and human disturbance, the repeatabilities of these traits (especially AD), and therefore their designation as personality traits, remain under‐investigated. Here, we studied the repeatability of AD, FID, and the decision to flee in a flightless, ground‐breeding seabird, the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus). A single experimenter approached three times over three consecutive days 47 incubating king penguins from two different colonies with varying human disturbance levels. We explored the effects of weather, time of day, and approach speed of the experimenter on these behaviors. Weather had an effect on all three behaviors. In warm, sunny weather AD increased. In rainy, windy weather birds were more likely to flee, but waited longer before initiating flight. Faster approach speeds between AD and FID increased FID. Weather conditions and speed of approach affected repeatability estimates, highlighting the need to consider external sources of variation when refining such estimates. FID and the decision to flee were significantly and moderately repeatable (r = 0.26 and 0.57, respectively), while AD was not. There was no evidence of behavioral habituation or sensitization in either colony.

show abstract

“…A study by Tätte et al (2019), however, suggested that vigilance and FID do not reflect fear equally; vigilant individuals escape at shorter distances, with urban birds being more vigilant and less fearful, thus having shorter FIDs. As such, greater vigilance may be associated with a less sensitive response to risk.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Life in the city: the influence of the urban environment on behaviour and spatial distributions in North Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis)

Armstrong¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Urban environments are increasing in size and influence across the landscape of the world. As cities increase in number, size, and population, the influence that these modified anthropogenic spaces and the humans dwelling within them have on wildlife is becoming increasingly intense. More frequent interactions between humans and wildlife have driven species to either adapt, tolerate, or avoid urban spaces entirely. While the impacts of urban life on avifauna have been well studied globally, little is known about the response of the endemic forest-dwelling birds of New Zealand to the novel challenges presented by cities. Furthermore, the majority of existing studies have focused on northern hemisphere passerine species. The naive endemic avifauna of New Zealand, including the many threatened psittacine (parrot) species, have been subject to limited study regarding habituation and response to urban landscapes. Understanding how wildlife responds to urban environments, and the factors that drive differences in behaviour and space use, is essential to managing urban populations and planning future reintroductions of wildlife into cities. North Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis) were reintroduced to Wellington City in 2002, with the release of six individuals into Zealandia ecosanctuary. Kākā are a deeply endemic, threatened forest-dwelling parrot species The population has since grown and expanded across many suburbs of the city, increasing the frequency of interaction between kākā and both the urban environment, and people. This thesis investigates the influence of the urban environment and human presence on the spatial distribution, behaviour, and risk perception of kākā in the Wellington and the Kāpiti Coast Regions of New Zealand. The findings of this thesis show that human presence and the urban environment did not directly influence the distribution or behaviour of kākā. Time of day strongly influenced investment in vigilance and foraging behaviour, and land cover type strongly affected investment in foraging and preening behaviour. Urban land cover was not significant in explaining differences in behaviour. Time of day was the most significant explanatory factor for the relative abundances of kākā observed. The distribution of kākā throughout the landscape was also strongly influenced by the presence of Zealandia, with far greater densities and relative abundances of kākā within the sanctuary compared to the urban reserves of Wellington city. Overall, findings in this study suggest that kākā behaviour and distributions are much more strongly influenced by resource availability than by human presence and the urban environment directly. Further research should be conducted to investigate the risk perception and behavioural flexibility of urban kākā. This is especially important for the ongoing management of Wellington’s kākā population, and to better inform future urban reintroduction efforts.

show abstract

Antipredator function of vigilance re-examined: vigilant birds delay escape

Cited by 25 publications

References 72 publications

Ecological and environmental predictors of escape among birds on a large tropical island

Ecological and environmental predictors of escape among birds on a large tropical island

Repeatability of alert and flight initiation distances in king penguins: Effects of colony, approach speed, and weather

Life in the city: the influence of the urban environment on behaviour and spatial distributions in North Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About