Diurnal variation in the production of vocal information about food supports a model of social adjustment in wild songbirds.

ABSTRACT: Wintering songbirds have been widely shown to make economic foraging decisions to manage the changing balance of risks from predation and starvation over the course of the day. In this study, we ask whether the communication and use of information about food availability differ throughout the day. First, we assessed temporal variation in food-related vocal information produced in foraging flocks of tits ( Paridae) using audio recordings at radio-frequency identification-equipped feeding stations. Vocal activity was highest in the morning and decreased into the afternoon. This pattern was not explained by there being fewer birds present, as we found that group sizes increased over the course of the day. Next, we experimentally tested the underlying causes for this diurnal calling pattern. W

SUBMITTER: Hillemann F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6408885 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature