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Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird

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Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird. / Sharp, Stuart P.; McGowan, Andrew; Wood, Matthew J. et al.
In: Nature, Vol. 434, No. 7037, 28.04.2005, p. 1127-1130.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Sharp, SP, McGowan, A, Wood, MJ & Hatchwell, BJ 2005, 'Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird', Nature, vol. 434, no. 7037, pp. 1127-1130. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03522

APA

Sharp, S. P., McGowan, A., Wood, M. J., & Hatchwell, B. J. (2005). Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird. Nature, 434(7037), 1127-1130. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03522

Vancouver

Sharp SP, McGowan A, Wood MJ, Hatchwell BJ. Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird. Nature. 2005 Apr 28;434(7037):1127-1130. doi: 10.1038/nature03522

Author

Sharp, Stuart P. ; McGowan, Andrew ; Wood, Matthew J. et al. / Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird. In: Nature. 2005 ; Vol. 434, No. 7037. pp. 1127-1130.

Bibtex

@article{54163f82b7c7438888f1dc665c640ff6,
title = "Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird",
abstract = "In many cooperatively breeding birds, kin selection has an important role in the evolution and maintenance of social behaviour, and 'helpers' can maximize indirect fitness gains by preferentially allocating care to close relatives. Although there is evidence for kin-biased helping behaviour in several species, the mechanism of kin recognition underlying this behaviour is poorly understood. Vocalizations are the most commonly used cues in avian recognition systems, but the effectiveness of vocal signals as reliable recognition cues must depend on how they are acquired. However, there have been no experimental studies of the development of vocal recognition cues in cooperative birds; indeed, the ontogeny of all bird vocalizations other than song is poorly known in any species. Here, we show that cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus) can discriminate between kin and non-kin according to the individual-specific characteristics of contact calls, and show experimentally that individuals learn these calls from provisioning adults during the nestling period. Finally, we show that the pattern of cooperative behaviour in this species is consistent with the use of recognition cues learned through association.",
keywords = "SEYCHELLES WARBLER, FITNESS, KINSHIP, HELPERS, DISCRIMINATION, LONG-TAILED TITS, CALLS, BEHAVIOR, AEGITHALOS-CAUDATUS",
author = "Sharp, {Stuart P.} and Andrew McGowan and Wood, {Matthew J.} and Hatchwell, {Ben J.}",
year = "2005",
month = apr,
day = "28",
doi = "10.1038/nature03522",
language = "English",
volume = "434",
pages = "1127--1130",
journal = "Nature",
issn = "0028-0836",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "7037",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird

AU - Sharp, Stuart P.

AU - McGowan, Andrew

AU - Wood, Matthew J.

AU - Hatchwell, Ben J.

PY - 2005/4/28

Y1 - 2005/4/28

N2 - In many cooperatively breeding birds, kin selection has an important role in the evolution and maintenance of social behaviour, and 'helpers' can maximize indirect fitness gains by preferentially allocating care to close relatives. Although there is evidence for kin-biased helping behaviour in several species, the mechanism of kin recognition underlying this behaviour is poorly understood. Vocalizations are the most commonly used cues in avian recognition systems, but the effectiveness of vocal signals as reliable recognition cues must depend on how they are acquired. However, there have been no experimental studies of the development of vocal recognition cues in cooperative birds; indeed, the ontogeny of all bird vocalizations other than song is poorly known in any species. Here, we show that cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus) can discriminate between kin and non-kin according to the individual-specific characteristics of contact calls, and show experimentally that individuals learn these calls from provisioning adults during the nestling period. Finally, we show that the pattern of cooperative behaviour in this species is consistent with the use of recognition cues learned through association.

AB - In many cooperatively breeding birds, kin selection has an important role in the evolution and maintenance of social behaviour, and 'helpers' can maximize indirect fitness gains by preferentially allocating care to close relatives. Although there is evidence for kin-biased helping behaviour in several species, the mechanism of kin recognition underlying this behaviour is poorly understood. Vocalizations are the most commonly used cues in avian recognition systems, but the effectiveness of vocal signals as reliable recognition cues must depend on how they are acquired. However, there have been no experimental studies of the development of vocal recognition cues in cooperative birds; indeed, the ontogeny of all bird vocalizations other than song is poorly known in any species. Here, we show that cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus) can discriminate between kin and non-kin according to the individual-specific characteristics of contact calls, and show experimentally that individuals learn these calls from provisioning adults during the nestling period. Finally, we show that the pattern of cooperative behaviour in this species is consistent with the use of recognition cues learned through association.

KW - SEYCHELLES WARBLER

KW - FITNESS

KW - KINSHIP

KW - HELPERS

KW - DISCRIMINATION

KW - LONG-TAILED TITS

KW - CALLS

KW - BEHAVIOR

KW - AEGITHALOS-CAUDATUS

U2 - 10.1038/nature03522

DO - 10.1038/nature03522

M3 - Journal article

VL - 434

SP - 1127

EP - 1130

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

SN - 0028-0836

IS - 7037

ER -