Linking anti-predator behaviour and habitat quality: group effect in nest defence of a passerine bird |
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Authors: | Tatjana Krama Arnis Bērzi?? Seppo Rytk?nen Markus J Rantala David Wheatcroft Indrikis Krams |
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Institution: | (1) Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia;(2) Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51014, Estonia;(3) Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, 20024, Finland;(4) Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA;(5) Department of Biology, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, Oulu, FI-90014, Finland; |
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Abstract: | In habitats where the density of breeding individuals is higher, breeding success has been shown to increase with the number
of close conspecific and heterospecific neighbours. However, the mechanisms linking habitat quality, group size of prey individuals
and offspring defence are poorly known. In this field study, we examined the relationships between habitat quality and parental
nest defence behaviour in the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). We found that mobbing is more intense in unmanaged forests where birds breed in more dense and diverse communities than
in heavily managed young forests where heterospecific densities are lower. We also found that the mobbing activities of pied
flycatchers breeding in unmanaged mature boreal forests attracted more neighbouring prey individuals than in nearby managed
forests. This study shows that habitat quality-mediated effects might be responsible for the decreased group size of mobbing
birds in managed forests, which may lead to less effective communal defence. |
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