Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Does host-absent vocalisation of common cuckoo chicks increase hosts’ food provisioning behaviour?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Parent-absent vocalisation is produced by nestlings of several bird families when the parents are away from the nest. An analogous behaviour, host-absent vocalisation, has been found in some species of avian brood parasites and there are several explanations why this behaviour could have evolved. Using playback experiments, we examined whether polygynous great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) adjust their food provisioning behaviour in response to host-absent begging vocalisation uttered by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) chicks. We found that both on monogamous and polygynous nests, host pair members responded to the broadcasted parasite begging signals by increasing their feeding rates; yet, they did not deliver larger volumes of food as a consequence of somewhat smaller prey brought per visit. Nevertheless, we propose that host-absent vocalisation of the common cuckoo chick may still represent a signal of hunger that may compensate for other, deficient components of parasite begging display. However, the efficiency of this signal may be limited by the foster parents’ provisioning abilities and local prey availability.

Significance statement

Bird chicks beg loudly for food when their parents are at the nest, as well as when the parents search for food elsewhere. The same applies to young parasites raised by their hosts. Experimental playback of host-absent begging calls of cuckoo chicks increased great reed warbler feeding frequency but had no effect on the volume of food delivered. Host-absent vocalisation may represent signal of hunger; however, its effectiveness may be limited by provisioning abilities of the hosts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abraham MM, Pozgayova M, Prochazka P, Pialkova R, Honza M (2015) Is there a sex-specific difference between parasitic chicks in begging behaviour? J Ethol 33:151–158

  • Bartsch C, Weiss M, Kipper S (2012) The return of the intruder: immediate and later effects of different approach distances in a territorial songbird. Ethology 118:876–884

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bates D, Maechler M, Bolker B, Walker S (2015) Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4. J Stat Softw 67:1–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bensch S (1996) Female mating status and reproductive success in the great reed warbler: is there a potential cost of polygyny that requires compensation. J Anim Ecol 65:283–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briskie JV, Naugler CT, Leech SM (1994) Begging intensity of nestling birds varies with sibling relatedness. Proc R Soc Lond B 258:73–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Budden AF, Wright J (2001) Falling on deaf ears: the adaptive significance of begging in the absence of a parent. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 49:474–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulmer E, Celis P, Gil D (2008) Parent-absent begging: evidence for sibling honesty and cooperation in the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor). Behav Ecol 19:279–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campobello D, Sealy SG (2009) Avian brood parasitism in a Mediterranean region: hosts and habitat preferences of common cuckoos Cuculus canorus. Bird Study 56:389–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cotton PA, Kacelnik A, Wright J (1996) Chick begging as a signal: are nestlings honest? Behav Ecol 7:178–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies NB (2000) Cuckoos, cowbirds and other cheats. Poyser, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies NB, Kilner RM, Noble DG (1998) Nestling cuckoos, Cuculus canorus, exploit hosts with begging calls that mimic a brood. Proc R Soc Lond B 265:673–678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dearborn DC (1998) Begging behavior and food acquisition by brown-headed cowbird nestlings. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 43:259–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geltsch N, Hauber ME, Anderson MG, Bán M, Moskát C (2012) Competition with a host nestling for parental provisioning imposes recoverable costs on parasitic cuckoo chick’s growth. Behav Process 90:378–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glassey B, Forbes S (2003) Why brown-headed cowbirds do not influence red-winged blackbird parent behaviour. Anim Behav 65:1235–1246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glutz von Blotzheim UN, Bauer KM (1980) Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas, vol. 9. AULA-Verlag, Wiesbaden

    Google Scholar 

  • Godfray HCJ (1991) Signaling of need by offspring to their parents. Nature 352:328–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grim T, Honza M (2001) Does supernormal stimulus influence parental behaviour of the cuckoo’s host? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 49:322–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haff TM, Magrath RD (2011) Calling at a cost: elevated nestling calling attracts predators to active nests. Biol Lett 7:493–495

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hamer KC, Quillfeldt P, Masello JF, Fletcher KL (2006) Sex differences in provisioning rules: responses of Manx shearwaters to supplementary chick feeding. Behav Ecol 17:132–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hauber ME (2003) Lower begging responsiveness of host versus parasitic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings is related to species identity but not to early social experience. J Comp Psychol 117:24–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hauber ME, Moskát C (2008) Shared parental care is costly for nestlings of common cuckoos and their great reed warbler hosts. Behav Ecol 19:79–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hauber ME, Ramsay CK (2003) Honesty in host-parasite communication signals: the case for begging by fledgling brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater. J Avian Biol 34:339–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinde CA, Kilner RM (2007) Negotiations within the family over the supply of parental care. Proc R Soc Lond B 274:53–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jelínek V, Procházka P, Požgayová M, Honza M (2014) Common cuckoos Cuculus canorus change their nest-searching strategy according to the number of available host nests. Ibis 156:189–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jelínek V, Karasová T, Weidinger K, Procházka P, Honza M (2016) Do common cuckoo chicks suffer nest predation more than host nestlings? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 70:1975–1987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jimeno B, Gil D (2015) Parent-absent calls are related to nestling reaction time and parental food allocation in the spotless starling. Behaviour 152:1413–1431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jimeno B, Muriel J, Pérez-Rodríguez L, Gil D (2014) Sexual differences in parental investment in response to parent-absent calls. Ethology 120:258–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone RA (1999) Signaling of need, sibling competition, and the cost of honesty. P Natl Acad Sci USA 96(22):12644–12649

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilner RM (2002) Sex differences in canary (Serinus canaria) provisioning rules. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 52:400–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilner RM, Davies NB (1999) How selfish is a cuckoo chick? Anim Behav 58:797–808

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilner R, Johnstone RA (1997) Begging the question: are offspring solicitation behaviours signals of needs? Trends Ecol Evol 12:11–15

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilner RM, Noble DG, Davies NB (1999) Signals of need in parent–offspring communication and their exploitation by the common cuckoo. Nature 397:667–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleven O, Moksnes A, Røskaft E, Honza M (1999) Host species affects the growth rate of cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) chicks. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 47:41–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kölliker M, Richner H, Werner I, Heeb P (1998) Begging signals and biparental care: nestling choice between parental feeding locations. Anim Behav 55:215–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kölliker M, Brinkhof MWG, Heeb P, Fitze PS, Richner H (2000) The quantitative genetic basis of offspring solicitation and parental response in a passerine bird with biparental care. Proc R Soc Lond B 267:2127–2132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leech SM, Leonard ML (1996) Is there an energetic cost to begging in nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor)? Proc R Soc Lond B 263:983–987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leech SM, Leonard ML (1997) Begging and the risk of predation in nestling birds. Behav Ecol 8:644–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leisler B (1991) Acrocephalus arundinaceus (Linnaeus 1758) – Drosselrohrsänger. In: Glutz von Blotzheim UN, Bauer KM (eds) Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas, vol 12. AULA-Verlag, Wiesbaden, pp 486–539

    Google Scholar 

  • Leonard ML, Horn AG (2001) Begging in the absence of parents by nestling tree swallows. Behav Ecol 12:501–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonard ML, Horn AG, Mukhida A (2005) False alarms and begging in nestling birds. Anim Behav 69:701–708

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein G (2001a) Low success of shiny cowbird chicks parasitizing rufous-bellied thrushes: a chick–chick competition or parental discrimination? Anim Behav 61:401–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein G (2001b) Selfish begging by screaming cowbirds, a mimetic brood parasite of the bay-winged cowbird. Anim Behav 61:1151–1158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzana JC, Sealy SG (1996) Are begging calls of generalist parasitic cowbirds adapted for brood parasitism? UFS (Delta Marsh). Annu Rep 31:85–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Magrath RD, Haff TM, Horn AG, Leonard ML (2010) Calling in the face of danger: predation risk and acoustic communication by parent birds and their offspring. Adv Stud Behav 41:187–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarty JP (1996) The energetic cost of begging in nestling passerines. Auk 113:178–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Molnár B (1944) The cuckoo in the Hungarian plain. Aquila 51:100–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Moskát C, Honza M (2002) European cuckoo Cuculus canorus parasitism and hostʼs rejection behaviour in a heavily parasitized great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus population. Ibis 144:614–622

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orians GH, Pearson NE (1979) On the theory of central place foraging. In: Horn DJ, Mitchell RD, Stairs GR (eds) Analysis of ecological systems. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, pp 154–177

  • Požgayová M, Procházka P, Honza M (2013) Is shared male assistance with antiparasitic nest defence costly in the polygynous great reed warbler? Anim Behav 85:615–621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Požgayová M, Beňo R, Procházka P, Honza M (2015) Lazy males and hardworking females? Sexual conflict over parental care in a brood parasite host and its consequences for chick growth. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 69:1053–1061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quillfeldt P, Maselo JF, Hamer KC (2004) Sex differences in provisioning rules and honest signalling of need in Manx sheawaters, Puffinus puffinus. Anim Behav 68:613–620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quillfeldt P, Strange IJ, Segelbacher G, Maselo JF (2007) Male and female contributions to provisioning rates of thin-billed prions, Pachyptila belcheri, in the South Atlantic. J Ornithol 148:367–372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2016) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. In: R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria https://www.R-project.org/

    Google Scholar 

  • Redondo T, Castro F (1992) Signalling of nutritional need by magpie nestlings. Ethology 92:193–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivers JW (2007) Nest mate size, but not short-term need, influences begging behavior of a generalist brood parasite. Behav Ecol 18:222–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivers JW (2009) Parent-absent begging in the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater): the role of short-term need and nestmate size. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 63:707–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivers JW, Peer BD (2016) Relatedness constrains virulence in an obligate avian brood parasite. Ornithol Sci 15:191–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romano A, Boncoraglio G, Rubolini D, Saino N (2013) Parent-absent signalling of need and its consequences for sibling competition in the barn swallow. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 67:851–859

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roulin A (2001) Food supply differentially affects sibling negotiation and competition in the barn owl (Tyto alba). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 49:514–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roulin A, Colliard C, Russier F, Fleury M, Grandjean V (2008) Sib–sib communication and the risk of prey theft in the barn owl Tyto alba. J Avian Biol 39:593–598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Royle NJ, Hartley IR, Parker GA (2002) Begging for control: when are offspring solicitation behaviours honest? Trends Ecol Evol 17:434–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Royle NJ, Pike TW, Heeb P, Richner H, Kölliker M (2012) Offspring social network structure predicts fitness in families. Proc R Soc Lond B 279:4914–4922

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saino N, Ninni P, Calza S, Martinelli R, De Bernard F, Møller AP (2000) Better red than dead: carotenoid-based mouth coloration reveals infection in barn swallow nestlings. Proc R Soc Lond B 267:57–61

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Samaš P, Rutila J, Grim T (2016) The common redstart as a suitable model to study cuckoo–host coevolution in a unique ecological context. BMC Evol Biol 16:255

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sejberg D, Bensch S, Hasselquist D (2000) Nestling provisioning in polygynous great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus): do males bring larger prey to compensate for fewer nest visits? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 47:213–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Šicha V, Procházka P, Honza M (2007) Hopeless solicitation? Host-absent vocalization in the common cuckoo has no effect on feeding rate of reed warblers. J Ethol 25:147–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soler M, Soler JJ (1999) The cuckoo chick tricks their reed warbler foster parents, but what about other host species? Trends Ecol Evol 14:296–297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka KD, Ueda K (2005) Horsfield’s hawk-cuckoo nestlings simulate multiple gapes for begging. Science 308:653

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weygoldt P (1980) Complex brood care and reproductive behaviour in captive poison-arrow frogs, Dendrobates pumilio O. Schmidt. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 7:329–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wyllie I (1981) The cuckoo. Batsford, London

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank M. M. Abraham, R. Beňo, V. Brlík, M. Čapek, V. Jelínek, T. Karasová, J. Koleček, L. Kulísek, R. Piálková, R. Poláková, B. Prudík, K. Sosnovcová, P. Steidlová, M. Šulc and K. Žabková for their assistance in the field. We are grateful to the management of the Hodonín Fish Farm for permission to conduct the fieldwork on their grounds. Comments of M. Leonard and two anonymous referees improved the previous version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (grant number 17-12262S).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic

    Marcel Honza, Milica Požgayová, Adéla Petrželková & Petr Procházka

Authors
  1. Marcel Honza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Milica Požgayová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Adéla Petrželková
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Petr Procházka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcel Honza.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

To assess possible ethical impact of our experimental manipulation, we compared several aspects of bird behaviour related to food intake or conspicuousness to potential predators on the video recordings with and without the HAV and control playback, respectively. Cuckoo chicks received similar volumes of food per hour both before and after the playback (mean ± SD; cuckoo HAV, before: 15.10 ± 7.46, after: 15.18 ± 7.66, paired t test t = − 0.05, df = 28, P = 0.963; control background noise, before: 13.53 ± 6.19, after: 13.52 ± 7.78, paired t test t = 0.01, df = 14, P = 0.994). Hence, a short-term increase in food volume or provisioning rate in response to the HAV playback should not have had negative effects either on the cuckoo chicks or great reed warbler hosts. Predation rates of cuckoo chicks did not significantly differ among the groups of nests subjected to the playback of cuckoo HAV (10%, N = 26), control playback (27%, N = 15) or no playback (17%, N = 24; 2 × 3 Fisher exact probability test: P = 0.491). None of the nests were deserted due to the experimental or control treatment or any other reasons.

This study was carried out with the permission of the regional nature conservation authorities (permit numbers JMK: 115874/2013 and 38506/2016; MUHOCJ: 41433/2012/OŽP, 34437/2014/OŽP, and 14306/2016/OŽP). The fieldwork adhered to the animal care protocol (experimental project numbers 039/2011 AV ČR and 3030/ENV/17-169/630/17) and to the Czech Law on the Protection of Animals against Mistreatment (licence numbers CZ 01272 and CZ 01284).

Additional information

Communicated by M. Leonard

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Honza, M., Požgayová, M., Petrželková, A. et al. Does host-absent vocalisation of common cuckoo chicks increase hosts’ food provisioning behaviour?. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 72, 121 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-018-2532-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-018-2532-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation