Predator Vocalizations Alter Parental Return Time at Nests of the Hooded Warbler

[摘要] Abstract. A growing body of evidence indicates that vocalizations of predators and perceived risk of predation can significantly alter avian nesting behavior and reproductive performance. However, it is currently unclear whether birds acoustically discriminate among different types of predators and adjust their short-term behavioral responses accordingly. We investigated this issue via playback experiments in which nests of the Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) were exposed to vocalizations of two nest predators, the Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus), and a dangerous predator of adults and nestlings, Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii). We used songs of a common nonpredatory passerine, the Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), as a control. In comparison to responses observed during control trials, adult Hooded Warblers delayed their return to the nest following playback of Cooper's Hawk but returned more quickly after playback of the Eastern Chipmunk, probably because Coop...

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] Blue Jay;Cooper's Hawk;Eastern Chipmunk;Hooded Warbler;playback experiment;predator vocalizations;Setophaga citrina