Volume 9 Issue 1
Nov.  2019
Turn off MathJax
Article Contents
Article Navigation >  Avian Research  > 2018  >  9: 35.
Laikun Ma, Canchao Yang, Wei Liang. 2018: Hawk mimicry does not reduce attacks of cuckoos by highly aggressive hosts. Avian Research, 9(1): 35. doi: 10.1186/s40657-018-0127-4
Citation: Laikun Ma, Canchao Yang, Wei Liang. 2018: Hawk mimicry does not reduce attacks of cuckoos by highly aggressive hosts. Avian Research, 9(1): 35. doi: 10.1186/s40657-018-0127-4
shu

Hawk mimicry does not reduce attacks of cuckoos by highly aggressive hosts

doi: 10.1186/s40657-018-0127-4

  • Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China

Funds:

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 31672303

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 31472013

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 31772453

More Information
  • Corresponding author: Wei Liang, liangwei@hainnu.edu.cn
  • Received Date: 31 May 2018
  • Accepted Date: 15 Oct 2018
  • Publish Date: 31 Oct 2018
    Abstract
  • Background Resemblance to raptors such as hawks (Accipiter spp.) is considered to be an adaptive strategy of cuckoos (Cuculus spp.), which has evolved to protect cuckoos against host attacks. However, the effectiveness of the mimicry remains controversial, and is not yet fully studied for highly aggressive hosts.
    Methods We evaluated the effectiveness of sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) mimicry by common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) in oriental reed warblers (Acrocephaus orientalis), which are highly aggressive hosts. Using a both the single and the paired dummy experiment, defense behaviors and attack intensities of oriental reed warblers against common cuckoos, sparrowhawks and oriental turtle doves (Streptopelia orientalis) were assessed.
    Results Oriental reed warblers exhibit strong nest defense behaviors, and such behaviors do not change with breeding stage (i.e., egg stage and nestling stage). Furthermore, assistance from conspecific helpers may increase attack intensities. However, they were deterred from mobbing overall by the presence of the hawk.
    Conclusions Oriental reed warblers are able to distinguish cuckoos from harmless doves. However, they may be deterred from mobbing by the presence of the predatory hawk, suggesting hawk mimicry may be ineffective and does not reduce attacks of cuckoos by highly aggressive hosts.

     

    • FullText(HTML)
  • loading
    • References(62)
  • Briskie JV. Direct observations of shining cuckoos (Chrysococcyx lucidus) parasitising and depredating grey warbler (Gerygone igata) nests. Notornis. 2007;54:15–9.
    Brooke MdL, Davies NB. Egg mimicry by cuckoos Cuculus canorus in relation to discrimination by hosts. Nature. 1988;335:630–2. doi: 10.1038/335630a0
    Campobello D, Sealy SG. Enemy recognition of reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus): threats and reproductive value act independently in nest defence modulation. Ethology. 2010;116:498–508. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01764.x
    Chance EP. The truth about the cuckoo. London: Country Life; 1940.
    Davies NB. Cuckoos, cowbirds and other cheats. London: T & AD Poyser; 2000.
    Davies NB. Cuckoo adaptations: trickery and tuning. J Zool. 2011;284:1–14. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00810.x
    Davies NB, Brooke MdL. Cuckoos versus reed warblers: adaptations and counteradaptations. Anim Behav. 1988;36:262–84. doi: 10.1016/S0003-3472(88)80269-0
    Davies NB, Brooke MdL. An experimental study of co-evolution between the cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, and its hosts I: host egg discrimination. J Anim Ecol. 1989;58:207–24. doi: 10.2307/4995
    Davies NB, Welbergen JA. Cuckoo–hawk mimicry? An experimental test. Proc R Soc Lond B. 2008;275:1817–22. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2008.0331
    Davies NB, Welbergen JA. Social transmission of a host defense against cuckoo parasitism. Science. 2009;324:1318–20. doi: 10.1126/science.1172227
    Duckworth JW. Responses of breeding reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus to mounts of sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, cuckoo Cuculus canorus and jay Garrulus glandarius. IBIS. 1991;133:68–74. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223450365_Does_the_cuckoo_benefit_from_laying_unusually_strong_eggs
    Feeney WE, Langmore NE. Social learning of a brood parasite by its host. Biol Lett. 2013;9:20130443. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0443
    Feeney WE, Welbergen JA, Langmore NE. The frontline of avian brood parasite–host coevolution. Anim Behav. 2012;84:3–12. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.04.011
    Feeney WE, Troscianko J, Langmore NE, Spottiswoode CN. Evidence for aggressive mimicry in an adult brood parasitic bird, and generalized defences in its host. Proc R Soc Lond B. 2015;282:20150795. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0795
    Gill SA, Neudorf DLH, Sealy SG. Do hosts discriminate between sexually dichromatic male and female brown-headed cowbirds? Ethology. 2008;114:548–56. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2008.01501.x
    Götmark F, Post P. Prey selection by sparrowhawks, Accipiter nisus: relative predation risk for breeding passerine birds in relation to their size, ecology and behaviour. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B. 1996;351:1559–77. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1996.0141
    Grim T. Host recognition of brood parasites: implications for methodology in studies of enemy recognition. Auk. 2005;122:530–43. doi: 10.1093/auk/122.2.530
    Grim T. Experimental evidence for chick discrimination without recognition in a brood parasite host. Proc R Soc Lond B. 2007;2007(274):373–81. http://d.old.wanfangdata.com.cn/OAPaper/oai_pubmedcentral.nih.gov_1702381
    Honza M, Taborsky B, Taborsky M, Teuschl Y, Vogl W, Moksnes A, Røskaft E. Behaviour of female common cuckoos, Cuculus canorus, in the vicinity of host nests before and during egg laying: a radio telemetry study. Anim Behav. 2002;64:861–8. doi: 10.1006/anbe.2002.1969
    Huo J, Yang C, Su T, Liang W, Møller AP. Russet sparrows spot alien chicks from their nests. Avian Res. 2018;9:12. doi: 10.1186/s40657-018-0104-y
    Krams I, Bērziņš A, Krama T. Group effect in nest defence behaviour of breeding pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca. Anim Behav. 2009;77:513–7. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.11.007
    Krama T, Bērziņš A, Rytkönen S, Rantala MJ, Wheatcroft D, Krams I. Linking anti-predator behaviour and habitat quality: group effect in nest defence of a passerine bird. Acta Ethol. 2012;15:127–34 doi: 10.1007/s10211-011-0117-6
    Langmore NE, Kilner RM. The coevolutionary arms race between horsfield's bronze-cuckoos and superb fairy-wrens. Emu. 2010;110:32–8. doi: 10.1071/MU09032
    Langmore NE, Hunt S, Kilner RM. Escalation of a coevolutionary arms race through host rejection of brood parasitic young. Nature. 2003;422:157–60. doi: 10.1038/nature01460
    Langmore NE, Cockburn A, Russell AF, Kilner RM. Flexible cuckoo chick-rejection rules in the superb fairy-wren. Behav Ecol. 2009;20:978–84. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arp086
    Li D, Wei H, Zhang Z, Liang W, Stokke BG. Oriental reed warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis) nest defence behaviour towards brood parasites and nest predators. Behaviour. 2015;152:1601–21. doi: 10.1163/1568539X-00003295
    Li D, Zhang Z, Grim T, Liang W, Stokke BG. Explaining variation in brood parasitism rates between potential host species with similar habitat requirements. Evol Ecol. 2016;30:905–23. doi: 10.1007/s10682-016-9850-7
    Liang W. Crafty cuckoo calls. Nat Ecol Evol. 2017;1:1427–8. doi: 10.1038/s41559-017-0321-5
    Liang W, Møller AP. Hawk mimicry in cuckoos and anti-parasitic aggressive behavior of barn swallows in Denmark and China. J Avian Biol. 2015;46:216–23. doi: 10.1111/jav.00515
    Lindholm AK, Thomas RJ. Differences between populations of reed warblers in defences against brood parasitism. Behaviour. 2000;137:25–42. doi: 10.1163/156853900501854
    Ma L, Yang C, Liu J, Zhang J, Liang W, Møller AP. Costs of breeding far away from neighbors: isolated host nests are more vulnerable to cuckoo parasitism. Behav Proc. 2018. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2018.07.017.
    Moksnes A, Røskaft E, Hagen LG, Honza M, Mørk C, Olsen PH. Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus and host behaviour at reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus nests. IBIS. 2000;142:247–58. http://d.old.wanfangdata.com.cn/NSTLQK/NSTL_QKJJ024589607/
    Molnár B. The cuckoo in the Hungarian plain. Aquila. 1944;51:100–12. http://actazool.nhmus.hu/49/2/bartol.pdf
    Montgomerie RD, Weatherhead PJ. Risks and rewards of nest defence by parent birds. Q Rev Biol. 1988;63:167–87. doi: 10.1086/415838
    Moskát C. Common cuckoo parasitism in Europe: behavioural adaptations, arms race and the role of metapopulations. Ornithol Sci. 2005;4:3–15. doi: 10.2326/osj.4.3
    Moskát C, Honza M. European cuckoo Cuculus canorus parasitism and host's rejection behaviour in a heavily parasitized great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus population. IBIS. 2002;144:614–22. doi: 10.1046/j.1474-919X.2002.00085.x
    Smith S, Hosking E. Birds fighting: experimental studies of the aggressive displays of some birds. London: Faber and Faber; 1955.
    Sato NJ, Tokue K, Noske RA, Mikami OK, Ueda K. Evicting cuckoo nestlings from the nest: a new anti-parasitism behaviour. Biol Lett. 2010;6:67–9. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0540
    Soler M. Long-term coevolution between avian brood parasites and their hosts. Biol Rev. 2014;89:688–704. doi: 10.1111/brv.12075
    Spottiswoode CN, Stevens M. Visual modeling shows that avian host parents use multiple visual cues in rejecting parasitic eggs. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2010;107:8672–6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0910486107
    Spottiswoode CN, Stevens M. How to evade a coevolving brood parasite: egg discrimination versus egg variability as host defences. Proc R Soc Lond B. 2011;278:3566–73. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0401
    Stokke BG, Moksnes A, Røskaft E. Obligate brood parasites as selective agents for evolution of egg appearance in passerine birds. Evolution. 2002;56:199–205. doi: 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb00861.x
    Su T, Shao L, Huo J, Yang C, Liang W. Himalayan cuckoo fed on eggs of Bianchi's warbler. Chin J Ecol. 2017;36:89–93 (in Chinese). http://d.old.wanfangdata.com.cn/Periodical/stxzz201701012
    Thorogood R, Davies NB. Cuckoos combat socially transmitted defenses of reed warbler hosts with a plumage polymorphism. Science. 2012;337:578–80. doi: 10.1126/science.1220759
    Thorogood R, Davies NB. Reed warbler hosts fine-tune their defenses to track three decades of cuckoo decline. Evolution. 2013a;67:3545–55. doi: 10.1111/evo.12213
    Thorogood R, Davies NB. Hawk mimicry and the evolution of polymorphic cuckoos. Chin Birds. 2013b;4:39–50. doi: 10.5122/cbirds.2013.0002
    Thorogood R, Davies NB. Combining personal with social information facilitates host defences and explains why cuckoos should be secretive. Sci Rep. 2016;6:19872. doi: 10.1038/srep19872
    Trnka A, Prokop P. Polygynous great reed warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus suffer more cuckoo Cuculus canorus parasitism than monogamous pairs. J Avian Biol. 2011;42:192–5. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-048X.2010.05193.x
    Trnka A, Prokop P. The effectiveness of hawk mimicry in protecting cuckoos from aggressive hosts. Anim Behav. 2012;83:263–8. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.10.036
    Trnka A, Prokop P, Grim T. Uncovering dangerous cheats: how do avian hosts recognize adult brood parasites? PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e37445. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037445
    Welbergen JA, Davies NB. Reed warblers discriminate cuckoos from sparrowhawks with graded alarm signals that attract mates and neighbours. Anim Behav. 2008;76:811–22. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.03.020
    Welbergen JA, Davies NB. Strategic variation in mobbing as a front line of defense against brood parasitism. Curr Biol. 2009;19:235–40. http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/details/detail.do?_type=perio&id=f2812aa77ffa4eb61bbe8a4d2f991e8e
    Welbergen JA, Davies NB. A parasite in wolf's clothing: hawk mimicry reduces mobbing of cuckoos by hosts. Behav Ecol. 2011;22:574–9. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arr008
    Wyllie I. The cuckoo. London: Batsford; 1981
    Yang C, Li D, Wang L, Liang G, Zhang Z, Liang W. Geographic variation in parasitism rates of two sympatric cuckoo hosts in China. Zool Res. 2014;35:67–71. http://d.old.wanfangdata.com.cn/Periodical/dwxyj201401008
    Yang C, Wang L, Chen M, Liang W, Møller AP. Nestling recognition in red-rumped and barn swallows. Behav Ecol Sociobiol. 2015;69:1–6. doi: 10.1007/s00265-014-1812-x
    Yang C, Wang L, Liang W, Møller AP. Egg recognition as antiparasitism defence in hosts does not select for laying of matching eggs in parasitic cuckoos. Anim Behav. 2016;122:177–81. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.10.018
    Yang C, Wang L, Liang W, Møller AP. How cuckoos find and choose host nests for parasitism. Behav Ecol. 2017;28:859–65. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arx049
    York JE, Davies NB. Female cuckoo calls misdirect host defences towards the wrong enemy. Nat Ecol Evol. 2017;1:1520–5. doi: 10.1038/s41559-017-0279-3
    Yu J, Wang L, Xing X, Yang C, Ma J, Møller AP, Wang H, Liang W. Barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) differentiate between common cuckoo and sparrowhawk in China: alarm calls convey information on threat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol. 2016;70:171–8. doi: 10.1007/s00265-015-2036-4
    Yu J, Xing X, Jiang Y, Liang W, Wang H, Møller AP. Alarm call-based discrimination between common cuckoo and Eurasian sparrowhawk in a Chinese population of great tits. Ethology. 2017;123:542–50. doi: 10.1111/eth.12624
    Zheng G. A checklist on the classification and distribution of the birds of China. 3rd ed. Beijing: Science Press; 2017.
    • Relative Articles
    • Supplements(0)
    • Cited By
  • 加载中

Catalog

    通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
    • 1. 

      沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

    1. 本站搜索
    2. 百度学术搜索
    3. 万方数据库搜索
    4. CNKI搜索

    Figures(2)

    Get Citation
    PDF
    XML

    Article Metrics

    Article views (201) PDF downloads(0) Cited by()
    Proportional views
    Supported by: Beijing Renhe Information Technology Co. Ltd   Technical support: info@rhhz.net

    /

    DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
    Return
    Return