Abstract
At least 44 different song types were recorded in a population of Coal Tits at Klaebu in central Norway. Each male sang up to 14 different types. In testing the Beau Geste hypothesis the following predictions were made: (1) Territorial males tend to change song type when moving from one song post to another. (2) The tendency to change song type when moving from one song post to another increases with the distance between the song posts. (3) Territory holders prefer inconspicuous song posts that reduce the chances of being instantly detected by possible intruders and prospectors. However, none of these predictions were confirmed by the data analyses. The singing behaviour of the Coal Tit does therefore not support the Beau Geste hypothesis.
Zusammenfassung
In einer Population der Tannenmeise bei Klaebu, Mittelnorwegen, wurden mindestens 44 unterschiedliche Gesangstypen registriert. Einzelne Männchen sangen bis zu 14 Typen. Um die Beau-Geste-Hypothese (ein Sänger täuscht durch verschiedenen Gesangstypen die Anwesenheit mehrerer Individuen vor) zu testen, wurden folgende Annahmen geprüft: (1) Territoriale Männchen neigen dazu, ihren Gesangstyp zu ändern, wenn sie die Singwarte wechseln. (2) Die Tendenz, zwischen Gesangstypen zu wechseln, ist bei Männchen am größten, die während einer Gesangsphase mehr als eine Singwarte benutzen. (3) Territoriale Männchen benützen unauffällige Singwarten, um nicht so schnell von möglichen Eindringlingen oder reviersuchenden Artgenossen entdeckt zu werden. Die Analyse der Daten ergab jedoch für keine dieser Annahmen eine Bestätigung. Somit unterstützt das Verhalten singender Tannenmeisen die Hypothese nicht.
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Haftorn, S. Coal TitParus ater song repertoires and the Beau Geste hypothesis. J Ornithol 136, 279–283 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651295
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651295