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Breeding southern house wrens exhibit a threat-sensitive response when exposed to different predator models

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Abstract

We assessed the ability of southern house wrens (Troglodytes aedon musculus) to recognize and discriminate different birds of prey. We exposed nesting birds to stuffed specimens of two sympatric predator species, the chimango caracara (Milvago chimango, a nest predator) and the roadside hawk (Buteo magnirostris, a predator of adults and nests), and to a dummy of a non-sympatric predator, the double-toothed kite (Harpagus bidentatus, a predator of adults). Nesting wrens avoided going into their nest or took a longer time to resume their parental duties when exposed to the predators than when they were exposed to a control dummy (Chrysomus ruficapillus, a sympatric blackbird). Nest avoidance was higher when birds were exposed to the roadside hawk but no differences were detected when exposed to the chimango caracara or the double-toothed kite. The results indicate that southern house wrens are able to recognize a predator, responding in a graded manner. Our findings support the hypothesis that southern house wrens exhibit a threat-sensitive response during breeding. Also, individuals were able to recognize the unknown predator but failed to correctly assess the threat level represented by it. We propose that correct assessment of threat level by house wrens requires direct experience with the predator, which might mediate in the modulation of the response.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mariana E. Carro, Paulo E. Llambías, and Myriam E. Mermoz for help in the field, the Whisky-Michellis family and Luis García for allowing us to work on their ranches in Buenos Aires, and Mario Beade for logistical support. We thank V. Ferretti and two anonymous reviewers for their comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. Also, we thank V. Ferretti for checking the English grammar. This manuscript has been proofread by the Proof-Reading-Service.com, Devonshire (UK). This work was supported by grants to G.J.F. provided by the University of Buenos Aires (UBACyT 20020090200117) and CONICET (PIP112-200901-00011).

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  1. Laboratorio de Ecología y Comportamiento Animal, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución-IEGEBA CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Natalia M. Duré Ruiz & Gustavo J. Fernández

  2. Laboratorio Ecotono, CRUB-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Quintral 1250, 8400, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Mariana Fasanella

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  1. Natalia M. Duré Ruiz
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  2. Mariana Fasanella
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  3. Gustavo J. Fernández
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Correspondence to Gustavo J. Fernández.

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Duré Ruiz, N.M., Fasanella, M. & Fernández, G.J. Breeding southern house wrens exhibit a threat-sensitive response when exposed to different predator models. J Ethol 36, 43–53 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-017-0528-6

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