Fulltext

Predation risk drives the expression of mobbing across bird species

Cunha, Filipe Cristovão Ribeiro da ; Fontenelle, Julio Cesar Rodrigues ; Griesser, Michael

In: Behavioral Ecology, 2017, vol. 28, no. 6, p. 1517-1523

Add to personal list
    Title
    • Predation risk drives the expression of mobbing across bird species
    Author
    • Cunha, Filipe Cristovão Ribeiro da. Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
    • Fontenelle, Julio Cesar Rodrigues. Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Pesquisas Ambientais, Campus Ouro Preto, Rua Pandiá Calógeras, 898 - Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil,35400-000
    • Griesser, Michael. Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • Behavioral Ecology, 2017, vol. 28, no. 6, p. 1517-1523. Oxford University Press
    Other Version
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:331115
    Summary
    Mobbing is a costly behavior in which prey face a potential predator. Ecological and social traits should influence its expression across species, but their influence on mobbing remains unknown. We exposed birds to 2 owl models that pose different risks. In particular, species that have optimal-prey body size, forage in a safer niche, and form flocks engaged in mobbing. Also, birds adjusted their behavior according to the risk posed by the predator.