Threat recognition and response in an avian brood-parasite host from New Caledonia

Abstract

Abstract Nest predation and avian brood parasitism are the main sources of nest failure in many passerine birds. Large predators threaten both brood and parents, whereas brood parasites pose only a danger to eggs or nestlings. The fan-tailed gerygone Gerygone flavolateralis from New Caledonia is subjected to high rates of nest predation by the New Caledonian crow Corvus moneduloides (responsible for about 20–40% of predation) and moderate rates of brood parasitism by the shining bronze-cuckoo Chalcites lucidus (parasitizing about 18% of nests), which also depredates nests that are too advanced for parasitism (13% of nests). To test if fan-tailed gerygones are able to discriminate predators from brood parasites, we presented 3 bird models at active gerygone nests: a brood parasite/small nest predator (shining bronze-cuckoo), a large nest predator (crow), and a small non-native bird (common chaffinch Fringilla coelebs), which is unknown to the gerygone, as a control. We assessed the response of adult gerygones to the presentation of each model by measuring the minimum approach distance, number of alarm calls, number of attacks, and time to first nest visit after the presentation (latency). Adult gerygones often attacked the cuckoo, approached but never attacked the chaffinch and always avoided the crow. Latency was shorter after an attack response and during brooding, but similar among models. We did not find any link between the cuckoo model presentation and later ejection of cuckoo nestlings. We conclude that adult fan-tailed gerygones discriminate between different models and respond accordingly to the level of threat, but do not show awareness of parasitism risk and increase of nestling ejection rates following exposure to the cuckoo model.