The role of key features in predator recognition by untrained birds
The role of key features in predator recognition by untrained birds
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DOI：
10.1007/s10071-014-0728-1
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发表时间：
2014-07-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Fuchs, Roman
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Berankova, Jana;Vesely, Petr;Fuchs, Roman
在识别和分类捕食者（以及其他动物）中最重要的作用通常归因于所谓的关键特征。在实验室条件下，我们测试了在野外捕获的未经训练的大山雀（Parus major）识别雀鹰（Accipiter）时，黄眼睛（欧洲猛禽中Accipiter属特有）和钩喙（所有欧洲猛禽都有）的作用。使用木制假人，我们将这些潜在的关键特征或雀鹰（掠食者）和家鸽（无害鸟类）的身体互换。被测试的山雀在假人面前表现出三种行为：恐惧、无所畏惧的兴趣和缺乏兴趣。眼神交流降低了人们对雀鹰的恐惧，但并没有引起人们对鸽子的恐惧。喙的交换并没有降低对雀鹰的恐惧。眼睛交换增加了人们对这两个物种的兴趣。因此，特定的雀鹰特征对于正确识别雀鹰假人是必要的，而一般的猛禽特征则不是必要的。另一方面，鸽子假人的特定雀鹰特征不足以促使雀鹰识别。因此，关键特征在捕食者识别中起着重要但不是唯一的作用。人们对一些修改过的假人越来越感兴趣，这意味着山雀对雀鹰有一个大致的概念。讨论了山雀行为的个体差异。
The most important role in the recognition and categorization of predators (as well as other animals) is usually attributed to so-called key features. Under laboratory conditions, we tested the role of yellow eyes (specific for the genus Accipiter in European raptors) and hooked beak (common for all European birds of prey) in the recognition of the sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) by untrained great tits (Parus major) caught in the wild. Using wooden dummies, we interchanged either one of these potential key features or the body of the sparrowhawk (predator) and domestic pigeon (harmless bird). The tested tits showed three types of behaviour in the presence of the dummies: fear, interest without fear, and lack of interest. Eye interchange lowered fear of the sparrowhawk, but did not cause fear of the pigeon. Beak interchange did not lower fear of the sparrowhawk. Eye interchange caused increased interest in both species. Thus, a specific sparrowhawk feature is necessary for correct sparrowhawk dummy recognition but a general raptor feature is not. On the other hand, a specific sparrowhawk feature on a pigeon dummy is not enough to prompt sparrowhawk recognition. Thus, key features play an important, but not exclusive, role in predator recognition. An increased interest in some of the modified dummies implies that the tits have a general concept of a sparrowhawk. The individual variability in behaviour of tits is discussed.