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Jackdaw chicks listen to adults to learn about predators
Nestling jackdaws learned to recognize predator calls by pairing them with adult alarm calls, doubling vigilance to threats in a Cornwall field study, researchers found.
- On March 3, University of Exeter researchers reported nestling jackdaws in Cornwall, UK learn predator calls before fledging in a study at 39 jackdaw nests published in Biology Letters.
- Amid shifting species ranges, researchers note predation becomes a real danger after fledging, making trial-and-error learning hazardous for jackdaw chicks.
- Scientists played Eurasian goshawk and American golden plover calls paired with adult alarm or contact calls, then retested chicks, finding those trained with goshawk calls and alarm calls showed twice the vigilance measured by head-raising above shoulders.
- Learning from adults can help young jackdaws avoid risky mistakes, boosting juvenile survival after fledging, while evolutionary learning biases ensure focus on biologically meaningful threats.
- With goshawks recently expanding their range, Cornwall jackdaws could soon encounter Eurasian goshawk predators despite rare regional sightings so far.
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Jackdaw chicks listen to adults to learn about predators
Jackdaw chicks learn about predators by listening to adults, new research shows. Scientists played recordings of predator calls to chicks in their nests—and paired the sounds with either adult jackdaw "alarm" calls or "contact" calls that indicate no danger.
·United Kingdom
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Before young birds fledge, the world outside the nest is one big mystery. This can be life-threatening, but the jackdaw has found an evolutionary trick for that. Research shows that these clever birds teach their chicks exactly who to fear through sound. Learning by trial and error is a common practice in […] Want to know more about science? Read the latest articles on Scientias.nl .
·Middelharnis, Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
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Total News Sources14
Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left, 43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left, 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 43%
C 43%
14%
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