The ontogeny of social skills: experimental increases in social complexity enhance reproductive success in adult cowbirds

White, David J.; Gersick, Andrew S.; Freed-Brown, Grace; Snyder‐Mackler, Noah

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.11.014

Cited by 46 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Analyses of tournament behaviour and within-manipulation behaviour are published elsewhere [35,38]. Thus here we compare breeding season performance where all birds are held in identical conditions; the only difference among birds was their history of experiences in static or dynamic conditions in the months leading up to the breeding season.…”

Section: (D) Conditions and Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 15 min time blocks, we occasionsampled males for vocalizations, noting each male that vocalized along with information on the social context surrounding the vocalization. Song was scored as 'undirected' (if the singing male was not oriented towards a male or female receiver), 'femaledirected' or 'male-directed' (if the singer was oriented at a 0-458 angle to a female or a male, respectively, no farther than approximately 60 cm away-a distance beyond which notes of the song attenuate dramatically) For more detail on data collection procedures, see previously published work [33,35,39]. We used male singing interactions as a proxy measure for male dominance.…”

Section: (C) Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The manipulation schedule was the same for both years and is described in detail elsewhere [35,38]. Briefly, in spring of year 1, we randomly assigned four equal-sized flocks to two conditions (two DC and two SC flocks).…”

Section: (D) Conditions and Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specifically, we removed and introduced small subgroups of females and then males from both DC flocks every Social complexity and development D. J. White et al 1895 3 -8 days (see White et al [35] for a list of all manipulations). The DC flocks were maintained at the same overall numbers throughout the manipulations.…”

Section: (D) Conditions and Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The next step was to test this 'developmental social complexity hypothesis'. We conducted a 2-year experiment to determine whether social challenges produced cognitive and behavioural changes in adult male cowbirds [35]. In the first year, we randomly assigned adult males to two conditions of flocks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social networks and the development of social skills in cowbirds

White

Gersick

Snyder‐Mackler

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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The complex interrelationships among individuals within social environments can exert selection pressures on social skills: those behaviours and cognitive processes that allow animals to manipulate and out-reproduce others. Social complexity can also have a developmental effect on social skills by providing individuals with opportunities to hone their skills by dealing with the challenges posed in within-group interactions. We examined how social skills develop in captive, adult male brownheaded cowbirds (Molothrus ater) that were exposed to differing levels of 'social complexity' across a 2-year experiment. After each year, subjects housed in groups with dynamic social structure (where many individuals entered and exited the groups during the year) outcompeted birds who had been housed in static groups. Exposure to dynamic structure subsequently led to substantial changes to the social networks of the home conditions during the breeding season. Static groups were characterized by a predictable relationship between singing and reproductive success that was stable across years. In dynamic conditions, however, males showed significant variability in their dominance status, their courting and even in their mating success. Reproductive success of males varied dramatically across years and was responsive to social learning in adulthood, and socially dynamic environments 'trained' individuals to be better competitors, even at an age when the development of many traits important for breeding (like song quality) had ended.

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Section: (D) Conditions and Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (C) Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (D) Conditions and Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (D) Conditions and Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social networks and the development of social skills in cowbirds

White

Gersick

Snyder‐Mackler

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Effects of social conditions during adolescence on courtship and aggressive behavior are not abolished by adult social experience

Ruploh

Henning

Bischof

et al. 2014

Developmental Psychobiology

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Social experience during adolescence has long-lasting consequences for adult social behavior in many species. In zebra finches, individuals reared in pairs during adolescence start to court females faster, sing more courtship motifs to females and are more aggressive compared with group-reared males. We investigated whether such differences are stable during adulthood or can be abolished by novel social experience after adolescence by giving all birds extensive experience with group life during adulthood. Courtship and aggressiveness increased in all males, but pair-reared males still had a higher motif rate and were more aggressive than group-reared males. Males no longer differed in courtship latency. In addition to the stable treatment differences, individual differences in behavior remained stable over time. Our results show that differences in behavior acquired during adolescence are preserved into adulthood, although adults still change their social behavior. Adolescence can thus be seen as a sensitive period during which social conditions have a lasting effect on adult behavior.

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Patterns of aggression among captive american flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber)

Hinton

Bendelow

Lantz

et al. 2013

ZOO

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Many species of flamingo are endangered in the wild but common in zoos, where successful captive breeding programs are a management priority. Unlike their counterparts in the wild, captive flamingo individuals are easy to mark and follow, facilitating longitudinal data collection on social dynamics that may affect reproduction. We studied a captive group of American Flamingos at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, LA to document patterns of aggression between individuals during the onset of breeding. We used a social network approach to test whether overall aggression would be higher during courtship or following establishment of pair bonds. Aggression was higher following pair bond establishment than during courtship, suggesting that individuals in our study population may compete more intensely for resources such as nesting sites than for mates. We also found that males were more aggressive than females during all stages of the study period and that there was a positive relationship between age and aggression in males during the pair-bond stage. We discuss these findings in light of management practices for captive populations of flamingos and general patterns of aggression in social animals.

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The ontogeny of social skills: experimental increases in social complexity enhance reproductive success in adult cowbirds

Cited by 46 publications

References 25 publications

Social networks and the development of social skills in cowbirds

Social networks and the development of social skills in cowbirds

Effects of social conditions during adolescence on courtship and aggressive behavior are not abolished by adult social experience

Patterns of aggression among captive american flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber)

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