Begging and the risk of predation in nestling birds

被引:159
作者
Leech, SM [1 ]
Leonard, ML [1 ]
机构
[1] Dalhousie Univ, Dept Biol, Halifax, NS B3H 4J1, Canada
基金
加拿大自然科学与工程研究理事会;
关键词
begging; costs of begging; nestling birds; predation;
D O I
10.1093/beheco/8.6.644
中图分类号
B84 [心理学]; C [社会科学总论]; Q98 [人类学];
学科分类号
03 ; 0303 ; 030303 ; 04 ; 0402 ;
摘要
Theoretical models of the evolution of begging in nestling passerines assume that begging is costly, either energetically or in terms of predation. However, few empirical measures of these costs exist. We examined whether nestling begging calls could attract predators to nests by comparing predation rates at artificial nests with and without playbacks of tree swallow begging calls. Nests were baited with quail eggs and placed in pairs on time ground or in modified nest-boxes. Nests with playbacks of begging calls were depredated before control nests significantly more often in both the ground and nest-box trials, suggesting that predators may use begging calls to locate nests. These results suggest that the risk of nest predation may be increased because of calling by nestlings and provide further support fur the assumption that conspicuous begging is costly in terms of predation.
引用
收藏
页码:644 / 646
页数:3
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