Gouldian Finches (<i>Chloebia gouldiae</i>) Increase the Frequency of Head Movements with Increasing Risk at Water-holes but Prolong Interscan Intervals While Drinking: Two Different Strategies?

ABSTRACT: Animals scan their environment to detect threats. Such vigilance behaviour is costly, and animals adjust their vigilance to prevailing threats. Waterholes are dangerous places that attract predators, and require heightened vigilance. We investigated how Gouldian finches adjust their vigilance at waterholes by measuring the frequency of head movements and interscan interval while drinking. The frequency of head movements increased with increasing risk perception (a) from perching in the tree to being on the ground and (b) while drinking, with a higher frequency of movements recorded at small waterholes compared to medium and large ones. The latter adds to recent findings that small waterholes are perceived as more dangerous and require further investigation. With a predicted increase in dro

SUBMITTER: Hofmann G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12785087 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature