PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
In predator-prey interactions, the prey faces extreme challenges from predation, which drives the evolution of defense or anti-predator mechanisms. Compared with adult birds, nestlings are more vulnerable but not helpless. However, data on whether nestlings eavesdrop on the danger signals transmitted by other prey nestlings and the mechanisms of eavesdropping remain limited. In brood parasitism, common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) nestlings, raised by host adults who are not closely related, offer an instructive system for studying the transmission and recognition of danger signals among nestlings of different species that share special relationships. We played back the distress calls of common cuckoo nestlings to nestlings of three sympatric host species (the oriental reed warbler Acrocephalus orientalis, which is a primary host of the common cuckoo, the reed parrotbill Paradoxornis heudei, an occasional host, and the vinous-throated parrotbill Sinosuthora webbiana, which is not parasitized in the study area) to investigate whether the host nestlings reduced their begging behavior. We also quantified the degree of inhibition toward begging behavior for these nestlings. The results revealed that, in response to the distress calls, the three sympatric host species markedly suppressed their begging behavior. This response can likely be attributed to the innate response of host nestlings caused by the general characteristics of distress calls, rather than the acoustic similarity and phylogenetic relationship between host nestlings and cuckoo nestlings. Furthermore, we observed that upon hearing the distress calls of cuckoo nestlings, the oriental reed warbler nestlings exhibited the greatest reduction in the total number of calls compared to the other two host species, potentially owing to stronger predation and parasitic pressures. This study suggests that host nestlings can detect danger signals emitted by parasitic nestlings; however, further investigation is needed to determine whether they can respond to distress calls from unfamiliar nestlings in different regions.
摘要：
在捕食者-猎物的相互作用中，猎物面临着来自捕食的极端挑战，推动防御或反捕食者机制的进化。与成年鸟类相比，雏鸟更脆弱，但并不无助。然而,关于雏鸟是否窃听其他猎物雏鸟传递的危险信号以及窃听机制的数据仍然有限。在鸡寄生中，普通杜鹃（Cuculuscanorus）雏鸟，由不密切相关的宿主成年人抚养，为研究共享特殊关系的不同物种的雏鸟之间的危险信号的传输和识别提供了一个指导性的系统。我们播放了普通杜鹃雏鸟对三种同胞寄主物种（东方芦苇莺Acrocephalusorientalis，它是普通布谷鸟的主要宿主，芦苇鹦鹉Paradoxornisheudei，偶尔的主人，和有葡萄酒喉咙的鹦鹉鸟，在研究区域中未被寄生），以调查寄主雏鸟是否减少了乞讨行为。我们还量化了这些雏鸟对乞讨行为的抑制程度。结果显示,为了响应求救电话，这三个同胞寄主物种明显抑制了他们的乞讨行为。这种反应可能归因于遇险呼救的一般特征引起的寄主雏鸟的先天反应，而不是寄主雏鸟和布谷鸟之间的声学相似性和系统发育关系。此外，我们观察到，当听到杜鹃雏鸟的求救信号时，与其他两个寄主物种相比，东方芦苇莺雏鸟的总数减少最大，可能是由于更强的捕食和寄生压力。这项研究表明，寄主雏鸟可以检测到寄生雏鸟发出的危险信号；然而，需要进一步调查，以确定他们是否可以响应来自不同地区不熟悉的雏鸟的求救信号。
