Behaviour of American Crows (&lt;em&gt;Corvus brachyrhynchos&lt;/em&gt;) when encountering an oncoming vehicle

Mukherjee, Shomen; Ray‐Mukherjee, Jayanti; Sarabia, Robin

doi:10.22621/cfn.v127i3.1488

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Crows in the same lane as cars often walk to the opposite lane. Therefore, crows can detect directionality of an oncoming car implying that crows understand the behaviour of vehicular traffic [8]. These observations are consistent with behavioural adjustment to traffic in free-living animals.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…This is an exceedingly small mortality that is unlikely to have a significant impact on micro-evolution even if we consider the fact that such mortality is not distributed evenly in space and time. A cognitive study of behaviour in birds in relation to the risk of death caused by traffic has shown adjustment in risk-taking behaviour of individual birds to speed limits [7]; also crows adjust their choice of lane use according to that used by drivers and to the specific behaviour of drivers [8]. Such behavioural adjustment of individual birds to the specifics of traffic is likely to have an underlying neural substrate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Brain size in birds is related to traffic accidents

Møller

Erritzøe²

2017

R. Soc. open sci.

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Estimates suggest that perhaps a quarter of a billion birds are killed by traffic annually across the world. This is surprising because birds have been shown to learn speed limits. Birds have also been shown to adapt to the direction of traffic and lane use, and this apparently results in reduced risks of fatal traffic accidents. Such behavioural differences suggest that individual birds that are not killed in traffic should have larger brains for their body size. We analysed the link between being killed by traffic and relative brain mass in 3521 birds belonging to 251 species brought to a taxidermist. Birds that were killed in traffic indeed had relatively smaller brains, while there was no similar difference for liver mass, heart mass or lung mass. These findings suggest that birds learn the behaviour of car drivers, and that they use their brains to adjust behaviour in an attempt to avoid mortality caused by rapidly and predictably moving objects.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain size in birds is related to traffic accidents

Møller

Erritzøe²

2017

R. Soc. open sci.

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“…Multiple studies across taxa have shown that FID (not necessarily the likelihood of initiating escape) is generally longer when predators (including humans) approach directly versus tangentially (Burger and Gochfeld , ; Stankowich and Blumstein ; Stankowich and Coss ; Møller and Tryjanowski ). Also, there is evidence for bird learning with respect to risk associated with the type of approach by ground‐based vehicles (Legagneux and Ducatez , Mukherjee et al , DeVault et al ). Despite positive effects on FID and the potential for learning, it is intuitive that birds using taxiways and runways will be exposed more frequently to direct aircraft approach, potentially enhancing strike risk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian responses to aircraft in an airport environment

et al. 2019

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Understanding how free-ranging birds react to approaching aircraft can provide the foundation for predicting and mitigating risk of bird strikes. We characterized responses by avian species to aircraft (propeller-driven, jet, rotorcraft) approach (taxi, takeoffs, landings) at Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, from June 2015 through September 2016. Based on opportunistic observations from fixed points on the airfield, we quantified 208 bird-aircraft interactions across 16 species. However, we focused analyses on 5 species with >10 bird-aircraft interactions (n ¼ 176): American kestrel (Falco sparvarious), European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), and redwinged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). We evaluated the common measure of perceived risk, flight-initiation distance (FID), and the likelihood of response (i.e., a measureable FID), each relative to species, flock size, flock altitude, perch height, aircraft approach category, and airframe type. We also assessed effects of light, temperature, and wind speed. None of our predictors contributed to FID. Across the 5 species, birds exposed to direct aircraft approach were !2 times more likely to initiate escape as those approached tangentially. The larger mourning dove was, by a factor !2, more likely to initiate escape response. As flock size increased, birds were more likely to initiate escape response. Birds were >2 times more likely to initiate escape when approaches involved jets relative to propeller-driven airframes. Because smaller species were less likely to initiate escape response, thereby enhancing the possibility of latent responses close to aircraft, we suggest that airport biologists should not disregard management to reduce strike hazards posed by smaller species. Further, bird habitat on airfields and fixtures that concentrate bird use in a direct line of aircraft approach will inherently increase the frequency of bird-aircraft interactions. Finally, our findings on flock size and airframe type underscore the need for continued efforts to develop methods to enhance avian detection of and response to approaching aircraft. Ó

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“…Also, birds have been shown to adjust their FID based on experience with vehicle approach, road section and posted speed, not necessarily realized or actual vehicle speed (Legagneux & Ducatez, 2013). Mukherjee, Ray-Mukherjee & Sarabia (2013) observed that American crows ( Corvus brachyrhynchos ) feeding on carrion in the same road lane as an approaching vehicle would fly or walk to the opposite lane at some point, whereas individuals in the opposite lane chose to remain in place. Finally, Nordell, Wellicome & Bayne (2017) reported that ferruginous hawks ( Buteo regalis ) that experienced vehicle approach on low-traffic volume access roads showed greater FIDs than birds exposed to vehicle approach on highways and other high-traffic volume roads, indicating possible habituation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social information affects Canada goose alert and escape responses to vehicle approach: implications for animal–vehicle collisions

Blackwell

Seamans

DeVault

et al. 2019

PeerJ

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BackgroundAnimal–vehicle collisions represent substantial sources of mortality for a variety of taxa and can pose hazards to property and human health. But there is comparatively little information available on escape responses by free-ranging animals to vehicle approach versus predators/humans.MethodsWe examined responses (alert distance and flight-initiation distance) of focal Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) to vehicle approach (15.6 m·s−1) in a semi-natural setting and given full opportunity to escape. We manipulated the direction of the vehicle approach (direct versus tangential) and availability of social information about the vehicle approach (companion group visually exposed or not to the vehicle).ResultsWe found that both categorical factors interacted to affect alert and escape behaviors. Focal geese used mostly personal information to become alert to the vehicle under high risk scenarios (direct approach), but they combined personal and social information to become alert in low risk scenarios (tangential approach). Additionally, when social information was not available from the companion group, focal birds escaped at greater distances under direct compared to tangential approaches. However, when the companion group could see the vehicle approaching, focal birds escaped at similar distances irrespective of vehicle direction. Finally, geese showed a greater tendency to take flight when the vehicle approached directly, as opposed to a side step or walking away from the vehicle.ConclusionsWe suggest that the perception of risk to vehicle approach (likely versus unlikely collision) is weighted by the availability of social information in the group; a phenomenon not described before in the context of animal–vehicle interactions. Notably, when social information is available, the effects of heightened risk associated with a direct approach might be reduced, leading to the animal delaying the escape, which could ultimately increase the chances of a collision. Also, information on a priori escape distances required for surviving a vehicle approach (based on species behavior and vehicle approach speeds) can inform planning, such as location of designated cover or safe areas. Future studies should assess how information from vehicle approach flows within a flock, including aspects of vehicle speed and size, metrics that affect escape decision-making.

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Behaviour of American Crows (<em>Corvus brachyrhynchos</em>) when encountering an oncoming vehicle

Cited by 15 publications

References 14 publications

Brain size in birds is related to traffic accidents

Brain size in birds is related to traffic accidents

Avian responses to aircraft in an airport environment

Social information affects Canada goose alert and escape responses to vehicle approach: implications for animal–vehicle collisions

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