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Home ยป Social Recognition and Response to Song in Cooperative Red-Winged Fairy-Wrens
Social Recognition and Response to Song in Cooperative Red-Winged Fairy-Wrens
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 1991 |
| Authors: | Payne, RB, Payne, LL, Rowley, I, Russell, EM |
| Journal: | The Auk |
| Volume: | 108 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| Date Published: | 1991 |
| ISBN Number: | 00048038 |
| Keywords: | Australia, Maluridae, Malurus, Malurus elegans, Troglodytes, Troglodytes troglodytes, Troglodytidae, Turdidae, Turdus, Turdus iliacus |
| Abstract: | We presented cooperatively breeding Red-winged Fairy-wrens (Malurus elegans) in Western Australia with recorded songs of nonbreeding helpers in their own social group and of unfamiliar helpers from other groups. Breeding females responded more often and more intensely to song of unfamiliar birds than to song of familiar birds. They responded more strongly when they had only one or two helpers than when they had more helpers in their group. They responded to song of their own helpers regardless of matrilineal kinship. We conclude that recognition is based on location and familiarity, and responsiveness is conditional upon the size and composition of the breeding group. The stronger response to song of strangers than to familiar individuals, matched for sex, age, and status, suggests that strangers are perceived by breeding females as threats in competition for helpers or other resources. |
| URL: | http://www.jstor.org/stable/4088310 |
| Short Title: | The Auk |
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Ed Baker,
Katherine Bouton
Alice Heaton
Dimitris Koureas,
Laurence Livermore,
Dave Roberts,
Simon Rycroft,
Ben Scott,
Vince Smith