Abstract
Synchronous fleeing (i.e. “dreads” or “panic flights”) is a frequently observed but rarely quantified behaviour in colonial birds. Here we analyse video recordings to assess synchronous fleeing behaviour in a Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) colony. Our results indicate that intrusions by heterospecific avian species are frequent and create significant daily differences in female nest attendance. Overall, different sizes, masses and species of intruding heterospecifics appear to affect weaver nesting similarly. Our findings suggest that in colonial birds, with the advantage of “many eyes”, a rapid response to a potential threat nevertheless comes at the apparent cost of many “false alarms”.
Zusammenfassung
Fremdartige Eindringlinge, synchrone Flucht und Nestbewachung in einer Kolonie Webervögel
Die synchrone Flucht (auch „Panikflug“) ist eine häufig beobachtete aber selten quantifizierte Verhaltensweise von Koloniebrütern. In dieser Studie analysierten wir Videoaufnahmen, um das synchrone Fluchtverhalten in einer Kolonie Dorfweber (Ploceus cucullatus) zu untersuchen. Es zeigte sich, dass Störungen durch fremdartige Vögel häufig waren und diese signifikante Unterschiede in der täglichen Nestbewachung durch Weibchen zur Folge hatten. Insgesamt schienen alle fremdartigen Eindringlinge einen ähnlichen Effekt auf die Dorfweber zu haben, unabhängig von deren Größe, Masse oder Artzugehörigkeit. Diese Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass eine schnelle Reaktion auf mögliche Gefahren in Koloniebrütern durch den Vorteil der „vielen Augen“dennoch den Nachteil vieler Fehlalarme mit sich bringt.
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Communicated by O. Krüger.
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Habig, B., Lahti, D.C. Heterospecific intrusions, synchronous fleeing, and nest attendance in a weaverbird colony. J Ornithol 156, 551–555 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1144-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1144-7