RT Journal Article
T1 Can a solitary avian species use collective detection? An assay in semi-natural conditions
A1 Fernández Juricic, Esteban
A1 Delgado Sáez, Juan Antonio
A1 Remacha Sebastián, Carolina
A1 Jiménez Escobar, María Dolores
A1 Garcia, Vanessa
A1 Hori, Keiko
AB Collective detection (e.g., enhanced predator detection through the vigilance of conspecifics) is expected to have evolved particularly in social species. However, we assessed the degree to which an avian territorial species (California towhee Pipilo crissalis) would use social cues about predation in a semi-natural assay. We also exposed a social species (house finch Carpodacus mexicanus) to similar conditions. California towhees increased scanning rates when foraging with conspecifics, whereas house finches increased scanning rates when foraging solitarily, suggesting that vigilance in these species is regulated mostly through interference competition and through predation risk, respectively. California towhees did not show early detection, and actually the last detector in the group delayed detection in relation to solitary individuals. House finches benefited from early detection, but the second and last detectors maintained detection at the level of solitary individuals. California towhees increased the chances of fleeing when in groups in relation to solitary conditions, but this effect was less pronounced in the last detector. House finches always fled across conditions. Overall, an asocial avian species may use collective detection, but limited to certain types of cues: responses were more pronounced to overt (conspecifics walking or fleeing) rather than subtle (conspecifics becoming alert or crouching) social cues.
PB Elsevier
SN 0376-6357
YR 2009
FD 2009-09
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/123046
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/123046
LA eng
NO Fernández-Juricic, E., Delgado, J. A., Remacha, C., Jiménez, M. D., Garcia, V., & Hori, K. (2009). Can a solitary avian species use collective detection? An assay in semi-natural conditions. Behavioural Processes, 82(1), 67-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2009.05.002
NO This project was supported by Grant Number S06GM063119 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences or the National Institutes of Health. JAD was supported by Complutense del Amo Fellowship to visit California State University Long Beach.
NO National Institute of General Medical Sciences
NO Universidad Complutense de Madrid
DS Docta Complutense
RD 26 dic 2025