Predator dummies are usually used to explore the impact of predator features on the anti-predator behavior of birds.Previous studies have shown that the morphology and behavior of aerial predators can signal different...Predator dummies are usually used to explore the impact of predator features on the anti-predator behavior of birds.Previous studies have shown that the morphology and behavior of aerial predators can signal different threat levels to birds.However,whether subtle changes in ground predator dummies cause changes in the nest defense behavior of parent birds is unclear.In this study,we aimed to investigate whether Japanese Tits(Parus minor)exhibit different nest defense behaviors in response to experimentally manipulated variations in the appearance,posture,and size of virtual snake proxies(common nest predators).During the incubation period,we observed the nest defense behaviors of the parent tits against taxidermized Siberian Ratsnakes(Elaphe schrenckii)with varied characteristics and rubber-made model snakes.The tits exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large(body length about 120 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to large coiled model snakes.They exhibited weaker responses to taxidermized small(body length about 20 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes.In addition,they exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes,and more intense responses to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes than to large model snakes.However,there was no difference in the response of tits to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes and taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes,or to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes and model snakes.Thus,the presence of scales,a sinusoidal posture,and a large body size of snake dummies can induce more intense behavioral responses in Japanese Tits.We suggested that Japanese Tits can discriminate subtle differences in ground predator dummies of nests and exhibit different nest defense behaviors.展开更多
Sex-biased mortality can occur in birds during development,for example due to sexual differences in energy requirement and/or environmental sensitivity,or the effects of sex hormones or sex differences in the expressi...Sex-biased mortality can occur in birds during development,for example due to sexual differences in energy requirement and/or environmental sensitivity,or the effects of sex hormones or sex differences in the expression of mutations linked to sex chromosomes.The extent of sex-bias in mortality may also be related to environmental conditions that influence offspring development and survival.Urban areas often provide poorer conditions for nestling development resulting in higher offspring mortality compared to natural areas,which may accelerate sex differences in offspring mortality in cities.To test this hypothesis,we examined the sex ratio of dead offspring in Great Tits(Parus major),using 427 samples of unhatched eggs and dead nestlings collected in two urban and two forest sites between 2013 and 2019.The ratio of males in the whole sample of dead offspring(56.9%)was significantly higher than expected by an 1:1 ratio,and the strongest sex biases were detected in urban areas(57.6%males)and in young nestlings(<14 days old,59.0%males).However,the sex ratios of dead offspring did not differ significantly among study sites and between offspring developmental stages.29.3%of unhatched eggs contained a visible embryo,and the proportion of embryo-containing unhatched eggs did not differ significantly between urban and forest study sites.These results suggest male-biased offspring mortality in Great Tits,and highlight the need of large datasets to detect subtle differences between habitats and developmental stages.展开更多
A study was conducted to determine the influence of forest road on breeding of tits in artificial nest boxes in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests in the Gwanak Arboretum （37° 25′ 05＂ N, 126° 56′ 85...A study was conducted to determine the influence of forest road on breeding of tits in artificial nest boxes in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests in the Gwanak Arboretum （37° 25′ 05＂ N, 126° 56′ 85＂ E） of Seoul National University, Anyang, Korea from November 2002 to June 2003. Three tits species, varied tit （Parus varius）, marsh tit （P. palustris） and great tit （P. major）, breeding in artificial t nest boxes were investigated on number of breeding pairs, cultch size, and egg measurement. Resuls showed that the breeding pairs of varied tit was more in 75-150 m area than in 0-75m area from forest road for all the three study sites, and the clutch size and egg measurements （weight, Major axis and Minor axis） of varied tit was also higher in the area of 75-150 m than in the area of 0-75 m, while no differences in number of breeding pairs and clutch size were found for marsh tit and great tit between the two areas. Egg measurement of great tit was also higher in forest interior area than in forest edge area. It is concluded that varied tit were most significantly influenced by forest road, followed by great tit, whereas marsh tit were not influenced by forest road. Artificial nest box is roved to be good for cavity nester in disturbed areas by human activities. Supply of artificial nest can help population protection and management of bird species.展开更多
Background:Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds.Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity.But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian popu...Background:Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds.Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity.But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian population.Methods:From 2012 to 2019,we explored the extra-pair paternity of Marsh Tits(Poecile palustris)in Xianrendong National Nature Reserve,Liaoning Province,China.During the study,adult Marsh Tits were captured with mist nets and parental birds,with nest-box traps.Blood samples were taken from the brachial vein.Parentage analyses were carried out using nine highly variable microsatellite loci through Cervus 3.0 software and maximum likelihood approach.Results:Forty-nine offspring(15.08%)from 20 nests(45.45%)were the results of extra-pair fertilization out of a total of 325 offspring in 44 nests.The average extra-pair offspring ratio was 33.54%,with a set varying from 11.11 to 71.43%.Nine extra-pair fathers had been successfully identified,four of whom were the close neighbors of the focus nest while the nests of the remaining five were relatively far.No significant difference was found in the genetic similarity between the social and extra-pair mates of the female,nor in the heterozygosis among the maternal half-siblings.Conclusions:In general,our study proved that the extra-pair paternity in Marsh Tits and its extra-pair mating is independent of the genetic compatibility hypothesis.This complements the understudied bird's extra-pair paternity in Asian area and contributes to the comprehensive insight of birds'extra-pair paternity behaviors.展开更多
Hole-nesting tits belonging to the family Paridae produce a hissing display that resembles the exhalatory hiss of a snake.When a predatory animal enters the nest hole of a tit,tits often hiss vigorously,while lunging ...Hole-nesting tits belonging to the family Paridae produce a hissing display that resembles the exhalatory hiss of a snake.When a predatory animal enters the nest hole of a tit,tits often hiss vigorously,while lunging their head forward and shaking their wings and tail,until the intruder retreats.We assessed the acoustic similarity between such hiss calls from 6 species of tits,snake hisses,and tit syllables used in alarm vocalizations,as well as white noise as a control.Tit hiss calls showed a high degree of similarity with snake hisses from 3 different snake families.Tit hisses had lower similarity to syllable alarm calls,suggesting convergence of tit hisses in their spectral structure.Hiss calls would only be effective in protecting nest boxes if nest predators responded to these calls.In order to test this hypothesis,we trained individual Swinhoe’s striped squirrels,Tamiops swinhoei hainanus,a common predator of egg and nestling tits,to feed at feeders in proximity to nest boxes.We compared the aversive response of squirrels to tit’s hiss calls and white noise,presented in random order.Squirrels showed a higher degree of avoidance of feeders when hiss calls were played back than when white noise was presented.In conclusion,our study suggests that hole-nesting birds have evolved convergent snake-like hiss calls,and that predators avoid to prey on the contents of nest boxes from which snake-like hisses emerge.展开更多
Many animals mimic the behavior or the appearance of venomous snakes.When humans or other potential predators place their hand near the nest of tits belonging to the family Paridae(and a few other species),the incubat...Many animals mimic the behavior or the appearance of venomous snakes.When humans or other potential predators place their hand near the nest of tits belonging to the family Paridae(and a few other species),the incubating female performs a hissing display that mimics the inhalation hiss of a viper or another snake.They hiss vigorously while lunging their head forward and shaking their wings and tail,repeating this behavior several times.The structure of the hiss in tits is similar to that of the inhalation hiss of a snake,providing evidence of significant convergence of the mimic toward the model.The behavior of individual females is repeatable among tri als.Individuals that flew away from their nest box only performed the hissing display on 6%of later trials,when present at their box,whereas individuals that did not fly away hissed on 28% of occasions,consistent with great tits Parus major either cautiously flying away or staying put on their nest while actively defending it.Individuals that flew away produced fewer chicks than individuals that stayed and hissed.The hissing display was more common when snakes were more abundant:1)When breeding late during the season;2)when breeding at sites with more snakes;and 3)when breeding in subtropical and tropical China with a higher abundance of snakes than in Denmark with a lower abundance.The frequency of nest predation was higher in sites with no snakes,and the frequency of predation increased with decreasing frequency of hissing display.These findings are consistent with expectations for frequency-dependent selection acting on snake mimicry.展开更多
DEAR EDITOR,Recent studies have shown that the closely related cinereous tit(Parus cinereus)and green-backed tit(P.monticolus)in China display strong egg recognition ability in contrast to tit species in Europe,which ...DEAR EDITOR,Recent studies have shown that the closely related cinereous tit(Parus cinereus)and green-backed tit(P.monticolus)in China display strong egg recognition ability in contrast to tit species in Europe,which lack such ability.However,egg recognition in other populations of cinereous and greenbacked tits and additional Paridae species still requires further research.展开更多
Brooding is a major breeding investment of parental birds during the early nestling stage, and has important effects on the development and survival of nestlings. Investigating brooding behavior can help to understand...Brooding is a major breeding investment of parental birds during the early nestling stage, and has important effects on the development and survival of nestlings. Investigating brooding behavior can help to understand avian breeding investment strategies. From January to June in 2013 and 2014, we studied the brooding behaviors of long-tailed tits （Aegithalos caudatus glaucogularis） in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province, China. We analyzed the relationships between parental diurnal brooding duration and nestling age, brood size, temperature, relative breeding season, time of day and nestling frequencies during brooding duration. Results showed that female and male long-tailed tit parents had different breeding investment strategies during the early nestling stage. Female parents bore most of the brooding investment, while male parents performed most of the nestling feedings. In addition, helpers were not found to brood nestlings at the two cooperative breeding nests. Parental brooding duration was significantly associated with the food delivered to nestlings （F=86.10, dr=l, 193.94, P〈0.001）, and was longer when the nestlings received more food. We found that parental brooding duration declined significantly as nestlings aged （F=5.99, dr=-1, 50.13, P=0.018）. When nestlings were six days old, daytime parental brooding almost ceased, implying that long- tailed tit nestlings might be able to maintain their own body temperature by this age. In addition, brooding duration was affected by both brood size （F=12.74, dr=-1,32.08, P=0.001） and temperature （F=5.83, df=-l, 39.59, P=-0.021）, with it being shorter in larger broods and when ambient temperature was higher.展开更多
The spatial distribution and breeding behavior of neighboring birds(conspecific and heterospecific)may influence reproduction and the effects differ across species.In this study,we investigated intra-and inter-specifi...The spatial distribution and breeding behavior of neighboring birds(conspecific and heterospecific)may influence reproduction and the effects differ across species.In this study,we investigated intra-and inter-specific spatial distribution of breeding via artificial nestboxes and examined whether overlap with neighbors affected reproductive success of the focal breeding pair.Regarding spatial distribution,Varied Tits(Sittiparus varius)and Cinereous Tits(Parus cinereus)showed similar pattern:distances of nestboxes containing conspecific tits were greater than those with heterospecific ones.In terms of breeding behavior,reproductive success was not significantly related to the distance from their neighbor’s nest.The reproductive success of Varied Tits was significantly related to that of their neighbors,while in Cinereous Tits,no strong link was found to any recorded reproductive behavior of the neighbors.These findings explain spatial variation in nest site selection of Varied Tits and Cinereous Tits.Reproductive success rate of Varied Tits is affected by that of the neighbors while that of Cinereous Tits is not.The results highlight that there are differences in reproductive outcome among related species and offer suggestions on the use of artificial nestboxes in experiment and conservation programs.展开更多
Achromatic patches are a common element of plumage patterns in many bird species and there is growing body of evidence that in many avian taxa they can play a signaling role in mate choice.Although the blue tit Cyanis...Achromatic patches are a common element of plumage patterns in many bird species and there is growing body of evidence that in many avian taxa they can play a signaling role in mate choice.Although the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus is a well-established model species in the studies on coloration,its white wing patch has never been examined in the context of sex-specific trait expression.In this exploratory study,we examined sexual size dimorphism and dichromatism of greater covert’s dots creating white wing patch and analyzed its correlations with current body condition and crown coloration—a trait with established role in sexual selection.Further,we qualitatively analyzed microstructural barb morphology underlying covert’s coloration.We found significant sexual dimorphism in the dot size independent of covert size and sexual dichromatism in both white dot and blue outer covert’s vane spectral characteristics.Internal structure of covert barbs within the white dot was similar to the one found in barbs from the blue part that is,with a medullary area consisting of dead keratinocytes containing channel-typeß-keratin spongy nanostructure and centrally located air cavities.However,it lacked melanosomes which was the main observed difference.Importantly,UV chroma of covert’s blue vane was positively correlated with crown UV chroma and current condition(the latter only in males),which should be a premise for further research on the signal function of the wing stripe.展开更多
Providing nest-boxes as surrogate tree cavities can be of great importance to increase the breeding populations of cavity-nesting birds in managed forests.However,the exact placement of nest-boxes should be taken into...Providing nest-boxes as surrogate tree cavities can be of great importance to increase the breeding populations of cavity-nesting birds in managed forests.However,the exact placement of nest-boxes should be taken into consideration to enhance their occupancy according to species-specific preferences.In this study,we investigated which factors can better predict nest-box occupancy by the Great Tit(Parus major)in eucalypt plantations.We used generalised linear mixed-effects models to analyse the influence of topography,nest-box positioning,vegetation cover and landscape variables on three-year occupancy records from 80 newly provided nest-boxes.Non-random patterns of nest-box occupancy were found with respect to all categories except topography.Results suggest that Great Tits prefer to occupy high-placed nest-boxes,close to areas that can provide them with supplementary resources either within or in the vicinity of the stand(i.e.,trees other than eucalypts,riparian vegetation,and large patches of adjacent habitats).Overall,this study provides important recommendations for nest-box placement and spatial distribution in managed forests and enhances the potential of nest-box interventions as a biodiversity offset and management tool.展开更多
Cooperative breeding is a sophisticated altruistic social behavior that helps social animals to adapt to harsh environments.The Tibetan ground tit,Pseudopodoces humilis,is a high-altitude bird endemic to the Tibetan p...Cooperative breeding is a sophisticated altruistic social behavior that helps social animals to adapt to harsh environments.The Tibetan ground tit,Pseudopodoces humilis,is a high-altitude bird endemic to the Tibetan plateau.Recently,it has become an exciting system for studying the evolution of facultative cooperative breeding.To test for molecular adaptations associated with cooperative breeding,we resequenced the whole genome of ground tits from 6 wild populations that display remarkable variation in the frequency of cooperative breeding.Population structure analyses showed that the 6 populations were divided into 4 lineages,which is congruent with the major geographical distribution of the sampling sites.Using genome-wide selective sweep analysis,we identified putative positively selected genes(PSGs)in groups of tits that displayed high and low cooperative breeding rates.The total number of PSGs varied from 146 to 722 in high cooperative breeding rate populations,and from 272 to 752 in low cooperative breeding rate populations.Functional enrichment analysis of these PSGs identified several significantly enriched ontologies related to oxytocin signaling,estrogen signaling,and insulin secretion.PSGs involved in these functional ontologies suggest that molecular adaptations in hormonal regulation may have played important roles in shaping the evolution of cooperative breeding in the ground tit.Taken together,our study provides candidate genes and functional ontologies involved in molecular adaptations associated with cooperative breeding in Tibetan ground tits,and calls for a better understanding of the genetic roles in the evolution of cooperative breeding.展开更多
Individuals may gather information about environmental conditions when deciding where to breed in order to maximize their lifetime fitness.They can obtain social information by observing conspecifics and heterospecifi...Individuals may gather information about environmental conditions when deciding where to breed in order to maximize their lifetime fitness.They can obtain social information by observing conspecifics and heterospecifics with similar ecological needs.Many studies have shown that birds can rely on social information to select their nest sites.The location of active nests and the reproductive success of conspecifics and heterospecifics can provide accurate predictions about the quality of the breeding habitat.Some short-lived species can facultatively reproduce two and/or more times within a breeding season.However,few studies have focused on how multiplebrooding individuals select nest sites for their second breeding attempts.In this study,we use long-term data to test whether the Japanese Tit(Parus minor)can use social information from conspecifics and/or heterospecifics(the Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea,the Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus and the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia)to select a nest site for the second breeding attempt.Our results showed that the nest boxes occupied by tits on their second breeding attempt tended to be surrounded by more breeding conspecific nests,successful first nests of conspecifics,and fewer failed first nests of conspecifics than the nest boxes that remained unoccupied(the control group).However,the numbers of breeding heterospecific nests,successful heterospecific nests,and failed heterospecific nests did not differ between the nest boxes occupied by tits on their second breeding attempt and the unoccupied nest boxes.Furthermore,the tits with local successful breeding experience tended to choose areas with more successful first nests of conspecifics than those without successful breeding experience.Thus,we suggest that conspecifics'but not heterospecifics'social information within the same breeding season is the major factor influencing the nest site selection of Japanese Tits during second breeding attempts.展开更多
基金sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271560 to H.W.,32001094 to J.Y.)Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province,China(No.20230101160JC to L.J.)+1 种基金the Open Project of Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands,Hainan Normal University,China(No.HNSF-OP-202301 to J.Y.)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2412022ZD019 to J.Y.)。
文摘Predator dummies are usually used to explore the impact of predator features on the anti-predator behavior of birds.Previous studies have shown that the morphology and behavior of aerial predators can signal different threat levels to birds.However,whether subtle changes in ground predator dummies cause changes in the nest defense behavior of parent birds is unclear.In this study,we aimed to investigate whether Japanese Tits(Parus minor)exhibit different nest defense behaviors in response to experimentally manipulated variations in the appearance,posture,and size of virtual snake proxies(common nest predators).During the incubation period,we observed the nest defense behaviors of the parent tits against taxidermized Siberian Ratsnakes(Elaphe schrenckii)with varied characteristics and rubber-made model snakes.The tits exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large(body length about 120 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to large coiled model snakes.They exhibited weaker responses to taxidermized small(body length about 20 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes.In addition,they exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes,and more intense responses to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes than to large model snakes.However,there was no difference in the response of tits to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes and taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes,or to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes and model snakes.Thus,the presence of scales,a sinusoidal posture,and a large body size of snake dummies can induce more intense behavioral responses in Japanese Tits.We suggested that Japanese Tits can discriminate subtle differences in ground predator dummies of nests and exhibit different nest defense behaviors.
基金financially supported by the Hungarian National Research,Development and Innovation Office(NKFIH,grant K132490 to AL and grant PD142106 to IP)by the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network(grant 16007 to AL)by the Sustainable Development and Technologies National Programme of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences(NP2022-II-6/2022)。
文摘Sex-biased mortality can occur in birds during development,for example due to sexual differences in energy requirement and/or environmental sensitivity,or the effects of sex hormones or sex differences in the expression of mutations linked to sex chromosomes.The extent of sex-bias in mortality may also be related to environmental conditions that influence offspring development and survival.Urban areas often provide poorer conditions for nestling development resulting in higher offspring mortality compared to natural areas,which may accelerate sex differences in offspring mortality in cities.To test this hypothesis,we examined the sex ratio of dead offspring in Great Tits(Parus major),using 427 samples of unhatched eggs and dead nestlings collected in two urban and two forest sites between 2013 and 2019.The ratio of males in the whole sample of dead offspring(56.9%)was significantly higher than expected by an 1:1 ratio,and the strongest sex biases were detected in urban areas(57.6%males)and in young nestlings(<14 days old,59.0%males).However,the sex ratios of dead offspring did not differ significantly among study sites and between offspring developmental stages.29.3%of unhatched eggs contained a visible embryo,and the proportion of embryo-containing unhatched eggs did not differ significantly between urban and forest study sites.These results suggest male-biased offspring mortality in Great Tits,and highlight the need of large datasets to detect subtle differences between habitats and developmental stages.
文摘A study was conducted to determine the influence of forest road on breeding of tits in artificial nest boxes in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests in the Gwanak Arboretum （37° 25′ 05＂ N, 126° 56′ 85＂ E） of Seoul National University, Anyang, Korea from November 2002 to June 2003. Three tits species, varied tit （Parus varius）, marsh tit （P. palustris） and great tit （P. major）, breeding in artificial t nest boxes were investigated on number of breeding pairs, cultch size, and egg measurement. Resuls showed that the breeding pairs of varied tit was more in 75-150 m area than in 0-75m area from forest road for all the three study sites, and the clutch size and egg measurements （weight, Major axis and Minor axis） of varied tit was also higher in the area of 75-150 m than in the area of 0-75 m, while no differences in number of breeding pairs and clutch size were found for marsh tit and great tit between the two areas. Egg measurement of great tit was also higher in forest interior area than in forest edge area. It is concluded that varied tit were most significantly influenced by forest road, followed by great tit, whereas marsh tit were not influenced by forest road. Artificial nest box is roved to be good for cavity nester in disturbed areas by human activities. Supply of artificial nest can help population protection and management of bird species.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31872231)to DWthe Youth Foundation of Liaoning University(Grant No.A251901012)to JW。
文摘Background:Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds.Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity.But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian population.Methods:From 2012 to 2019,we explored the extra-pair paternity of Marsh Tits(Poecile palustris)in Xianrendong National Nature Reserve,Liaoning Province,China.During the study,adult Marsh Tits were captured with mist nets and parental birds,with nest-box traps.Blood samples were taken from the brachial vein.Parentage analyses were carried out using nine highly variable microsatellite loci through Cervus 3.0 software and maximum likelihood approach.Results:Forty-nine offspring(15.08%)from 20 nests(45.45%)were the results of extra-pair fertilization out of a total of 325 offspring in 44 nests.The average extra-pair offspring ratio was 33.54%,with a set varying from 11.11 to 71.43%.Nine extra-pair fathers had been successfully identified,four of whom were the close neighbors of the focus nest while the nests of the remaining five were relatively far.No significant difference was found in the genetic similarity between the social and extra-pair mates of the female,nor in the heterozygosis among the maternal half-siblings.Conclusions:In general,our study proved that the extra-pair paternity in Marsh Tits and its extra-pair mating is independent of the genetic compatibility hypothesis.This complements the understudied bird's extra-pair paternity in Asian area and contributes to the comprehensive insight of birds'extra-pair paternity behaviors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31472013 and 31772453 to W.L.).
文摘Hole-nesting tits belonging to the family Paridae produce a hissing display that resembles the exhalatory hiss of a snake.When a predatory animal enters the nest hole of a tit,tits often hiss vigorously,while lunging their head forward and shaking their wings and tail,until the intruder retreats.We assessed the acoustic similarity between such hiss calls from 6 species of tits,snake hisses,and tit syllables used in alarm vocalizations,as well as white noise as a control.Tit hiss calls showed a high degree of similarity with snake hisses from 3 different snake families.Tit hisses had lower similarity to syllable alarm calls,suggesting convergence of tit hisses in their spectral structure.Hiss calls would only be effective in protecting nest boxes if nest predators responded to these calls.In order to test this hypothesis,we trained individual Swinhoe’s striped squirrels,Tamiops swinhoei hainanus,a common predator of egg and nestling tits,to feed at feeders in proximity to nest boxes.We compared the aversive response of squirrels to tit’s hiss calls and white noise,presented in random order.Squirrels showed a higher degree of avoidance of feeders when hiss calls were played back than when white noise was presented.In conclusion,our study suggests that hole-nesting birds have evolved convergent snake-like hiss calls,and that predators avoid to prey on the contents of nest boxes from which snake-like hisses emerge.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31772453 and 31970427 to W.L.)。
文摘Many animals mimic the behavior or the appearance of venomous snakes.When humans or other potential predators place their hand near the nest of tits belonging to the family Paridae(and a few other species),the incubating female performs a hissing display that mimics the inhalation hiss of a viper or another snake.They hiss vigorously while lunging their head forward and shaking their wings and tail,repeating this behavior several times.The structure of the hiss in tits is similar to that of the inhalation hiss of a snake,providing evidence of significant convergence of the mimic toward the model.The behavior of individual females is repeatable among tri als.Individuals that flew away from their nest box only performed the hissing display on 6%of later trials,when present at their box,whereas individuals that did not fly away hissed on 28% of occasions,consistent with great tits Parus major either cautiously flying away or staying put on their nest while actively defending it.Individuals that flew away produced fewer chicks than individuals that stayed and hissed.The hissing display was more common when snakes were more abundant:1)When breeding late during the season;2)when breeding at sites with more snakes;and 3)when breeding in subtropical and tropical China with a higher abundance of snakes than in Denmark with a lower abundance.The frequency of nest predation was higher in sites with no snakes,and the frequency of predation increased with decreasing frequency of hissing display.These findings are consistent with expectations for frequency-dependent selection acting on snake mimicry.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31772453 and 31970427 to W.L.,31872231 to D.M.W.,and 31672303 to C.C.Y.)。
文摘DEAR EDITOR,Recent studies have shown that the closely related cinereous tit(Parus cinereus)and green-backed tit(P.monticolus)in China display strong egg recognition ability in contrast to tit species in Europe,which lack such ability.However,egg recognition in other populations of cinereous and greenbacked tits and additional Paridae species still requires further research.
基金Foundation item： This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （31472011）ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to Peng ZHANG, Zheng CHEN, Jia-Hui WANG, and Hui-Jia YUAN of Beijing Normal University for field assistance, and staff from Henan Dongzhai National Nature Reserve for help during field work. We also thank editor for revising the English, and the two reviewers for their constructive comments, which have helped to improve the manuscript.
文摘Brooding is a major breeding investment of parental birds during the early nestling stage, and has important effects on the development and survival of nestlings. Investigating brooding behavior can help to understand avian breeding investment strategies. From January to June in 2013 and 2014, we studied the brooding behaviors of long-tailed tits （Aegithalos caudatus glaucogularis） in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province, China. We analyzed the relationships between parental diurnal brooding duration and nestling age, brood size, temperature, relative breeding season, time of day and nestling frequencies during brooding duration. Results showed that female and male long-tailed tit parents had different breeding investment strategies during the early nestling stage. Female parents bore most of the brooding investment, while male parents performed most of the nestling feedings. In addition, helpers were not found to brood nestlings at the two cooperative breeding nests. Parental brooding duration was significantly associated with the food delivered to nestlings （F=86.10, dr=l, 193.94, P〈0.001）, and was longer when the nestlings received more food. We found that parental brooding duration declined significantly as nestlings aged （F=5.99, dr=-1, 50.13, P=0.018）. When nestlings were six days old, daytime parental brooding almost ceased, implying that long- tailed tit nestlings might be able to maintain their own body temperature by this age. In addition, brooding duration was affected by both brood size （F=12.74, dr=-1,32.08, P=0.001） and temperature （F=5.83, df=-l, 39.59, P=-0.021）, with it being shorter in larger broods and when ambient temperature was higher.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31872231 to DW,No.32000316 to YJ).
文摘The spatial distribution and breeding behavior of neighboring birds(conspecific and heterospecific)may influence reproduction and the effects differ across species.In this study,we investigated intra-and inter-specific spatial distribution of breeding via artificial nestboxes and examined whether overlap with neighbors affected reproductive success of the focal breeding pair.Regarding spatial distribution,Varied Tits(Sittiparus varius)and Cinereous Tits(Parus cinereus)showed similar pattern:distances of nestboxes containing conspecific tits were greater than those with heterospecific ones.In terms of breeding behavior,reproductive success was not significantly related to the distance from their neighbor’s nest.The reproductive success of Varied Tits was significantly related to that of their neighbors,while in Cinereous Tits,no strong link was found to any recorded reproductive behavior of the neighbors.These findings explain spatial variation in nest site selection of Varied Tits and Cinereous Tits.Reproductive success rate of Varied Tits is affected by that of the neighbors while that of Cinereous Tits is not.The results highlight that there are differences in reproductive outcome among related species and offer suggestions on the use of artificial nestboxes in experiment and conservation programs.
基金supported by“the National Science Centre”to K.J.grant no.UMO-2015/19/N/NZ8/00404to S.M.D grant no.UMO-2015/18/E/NZ8/00505.Long-term study of blue tits on Gotl+1 种基金was also supported by‘the Ministry of Science and Higher Education’(NN304061140)‘the National Science Centre’(UMO-2012/07/D/NZ8/01317).
文摘Achromatic patches are a common element of plumage patterns in many bird species and there is growing body of evidence that in many avian taxa they can play a signaling role in mate choice.Although the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus is a well-established model species in the studies on coloration,its white wing patch has never been examined in the context of sex-specific trait expression.In this exploratory study,we examined sexual size dimorphism and dichromatism of greater covert’s dots creating white wing patch and analyzed its correlations with current body condition and crown coloration—a trait with established role in sexual selection.Further,we qualitatively analyzed microstructural barb morphology underlying covert’s coloration.We found significant sexual dimorphism in the dot size independent of covert size and sexual dichromatism in both white dot and blue outer covert’s vane spectral characteristics.Internal structure of covert barbs within the white dot was similar to the one found in barbs from the blue part that is,with a medullary area consisting of dead keratinocytes containing channel-typeß-keratin spongy nanostructure and centrally located air cavities.However,it lacked melanosomes which was the main observed difference.Importantly,UV chroma of covert’s blue vane was positively correlated with crown UV chroma and current condition(the latter only in males),which should be a premise for further research on the signal function of the wing stripe.
基金co-financed by Funda?ao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia(FCT)the European Regional Development Fund(FEDER)through Portugal 2020 Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Programme(POCI),reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030250 and PTDC/ASP-SIL/30250/2017-TOPDEVIL+1 种基金the R&D Unit Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People and the Planet(CFE),with reference UIDB/04004/2020,financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds(PIDDAC)FCT/MCTES also funded L.P.S.with contract CEECIND/02064/2017。
文摘Providing nest-boxes as surrogate tree cavities can be of great importance to increase the breeding populations of cavity-nesting birds in managed forests.However,the exact placement of nest-boxes should be taken into consideration to enhance their occupancy according to species-specific preferences.In this study,we investigated which factors can better predict nest-box occupancy by the Great Tit(Parus major)in eucalypt plantations.We used generalised linear mixed-effects models to analyse the influence of topography,nest-box positioning,vegetation cover and landscape variables on three-year occupancy records from 80 newly provided nest-boxes.Non-random patterns of nest-box occupancy were found with respect to all categories except topography.Results suggest that Great Tits prefer to occupy high-placed nest-boxes,close to areas that can provide them with supplementary resources either within or in the vicinity of the stand(i.e.,trees other than eucalypts,riparian vegetation,and large patches of adjacent habitats).Overall,this study provides important recommendations for nest-box placement and spatial distribution in managed forests and enhances the potential of nest-box interventions as a biodiversity offset and management tool.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31672272,31722051)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2042021kf0217)+3 种基金Natural Science Foundation of the Hubei Province(2019CFA075)Plateau Ecology Youth Innovative Fund of Wuhan University(to H.Z.)X.L.was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31830085)Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research program(2019QZKK0501).
文摘Cooperative breeding is a sophisticated altruistic social behavior that helps social animals to adapt to harsh environments.The Tibetan ground tit,Pseudopodoces humilis,is a high-altitude bird endemic to the Tibetan plateau.Recently,it has become an exciting system for studying the evolution of facultative cooperative breeding.To test for molecular adaptations associated with cooperative breeding,we resequenced the whole genome of ground tits from 6 wild populations that display remarkable variation in the frequency of cooperative breeding.Population structure analyses showed that the 6 populations were divided into 4 lineages,which is congruent with the major geographical distribution of the sampling sites.Using genome-wide selective sweep analysis,we identified putative positively selected genes(PSGs)in groups of tits that displayed high and low cooperative breeding rates.The total number of PSGs varied from 146 to 722 in high cooperative breeding rate populations,and from 272 to 752 in low cooperative breeding rate populations.Functional enrichment analysis of these PSGs identified several significantly enriched ontologies related to oxytocin signaling,estrogen signaling,and insulin secretion.PSGs involved in these functional ontologies suggest that molecular adaptations in hormonal regulation may have played important roles in shaping the evolution of cooperative breeding in the ground tit.Taken together,our study provides candidate genes and functional ontologies involved in molecular adaptations associated with cooperative breeding in Tibetan ground tits,and calls for a better understanding of the genetic roles in the evolution of cooperative breeding.
基金financed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31971402 to H.Wang,32001094 to J.Yu,31870368 to K.Zhang)the High-level Startup Talents Introduced Scientific Research Fund Project of Baotou Teacher's College,China(No.BTTCRCQD2024-C34)。
文摘Individuals may gather information about environmental conditions when deciding where to breed in order to maximize their lifetime fitness.They can obtain social information by observing conspecifics and heterospecifics with similar ecological needs.Many studies have shown that birds can rely on social information to select their nest sites.The location of active nests and the reproductive success of conspecifics and heterospecifics can provide accurate predictions about the quality of the breeding habitat.Some short-lived species can facultatively reproduce two and/or more times within a breeding season.However,few studies have focused on how multiplebrooding individuals select nest sites for their second breeding attempts.In this study,we use long-term data to test whether the Japanese Tit(Parus minor)can use social information from conspecifics and/or heterospecifics(the Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea,the Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus and the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia)to select a nest site for the second breeding attempt.Our results showed that the nest boxes occupied by tits on their second breeding attempt tended to be surrounded by more breeding conspecific nests,successful first nests of conspecifics,and fewer failed first nests of conspecifics than the nest boxes that remained unoccupied(the control group).However,the numbers of breeding heterospecific nests,successful heterospecific nests,and failed heterospecific nests did not differ between the nest boxes occupied by tits on their second breeding attempt and the unoccupied nest boxes.Furthermore,the tits with local successful breeding experience tended to choose areas with more successful first nests of conspecifics than those without successful breeding experience.Thus,we suggest that conspecifics'but not heterospecifics'social information within the same breeding season is the major factor influencing the nest site selection of Japanese Tits during second breeding attempts.
