Wissenschaftliche Einrichtungen. DIE - Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik
Doi
Abstract
1.
Although the ability to detect chemical cues is widespread in many organisms, it is surprising how
little is known about the role of chemical communication in avian life histories. Nowadays, growing
evidence suggests that birds can use olfaction in several contexts. However, we still do not know the
role of bird olfaction in one of the most important determinants of survival, predator detection.
2.
Blue tits,
Cyanistes caeruleus
L., were exposed to chemical cues of: (i) mustelid (predator), (ii) quail
(odorous control); or (iii) water (odourless control) inside the nest-box where they were provisioning
8-day-old nestlings.
3.
We show that blue tits were able to detect the chemical cues and showed antipredatory behaviours
to cope with the risk of predation. Birds delayed their entry to the nest-box, and they perched on the
hole of the nest-box and refused to enter more times when they found predator scent than control
scents inside the nest-box. In addition, birds decreased the time spent inside the predator-scented
nest-box when feeding nestlings.
4.
The discovery of the ability of birds to use chemical cues of predators to accurately assess predation
may help to understand many aspects of bird life histories that have been neglected until now.Peer reviewe