Interspecific information on predation risk affects nest site choice in a passerine bird.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Breeding site choice constitutes an important part of the species niche. Nest predation affects breeding site choice, and has been suggested to drive niche segregation and local coexistence of species. Interspecific social information use may, in turn, result in copying or rejection of heterospecific niche characteristics and thus affect realized niche overlap between species. We tested experimentally whether a migratory bird, the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, collects information about nest predation risk from indirect cues of predators visiting nests of heterospecific birds. Furthermore, we investigated whether the migratory birds can associate such information with a specific nest site characteristic and generalize the information to their own nest site choice.<

SUBMITTER: Tolvanen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6280475 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature