Age, sex, and temperature shape off-territory feeder use in black-capped chickadees.

ABSTRACT: Spatial ecology tends to focus on average movement patterns within animal groups; however, recent studies highlight the value of considering movement decisions both within and among individuals. We used a marked population of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), to assess the causes and consequences of within- and among-individual differences in chickadee space use. Individuals that used feeders in addition to their most-visited "core feeder" were defined as engaging in off-territory feeder use. We found that females were more likely than males to visit off-territory feeders as ambient temperatures decrease and energetic demands increase. This may be due to sex-related differences in dominance, where males which are the dominant sex in chickadees, have priority access to

SUBMITTER: LaRocque M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11491524 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature