Jill Denning described an aggressive stance taken by a single Noisy
Friarbird against a group of resident Noisy Miners, but the same bird
allowed the usual Rainbow Lorikeets, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and the odd
King Parrot to feed in the same tree with impunity.
Which raised in my mind several questions on the specificity of aggression
and related behaviours.
I mean, the lorikeets etc are obviously competing for nectar but the Noisy
Friarbird (NF) reserves its aggression for the Noisy Miners (NM). Clearly
presence in the tree or nectar-feeding are not the triggers in this
instance. The NF must recognise the NM as a competing 'species' even in the
absence of active feeding - so is this a learned or an innate recognition?
And how far does this recognition go if it is innate?, which other
honeyeaters or even non-honeyeaters are perceived as a threat?
Recognition of raptors by a wide range of birds is another situation where
questions on recognition of a threat come into play; many birds exhibiting
a generalised response to raptors, even ones which would have no interest
in them as food.
Anyone out there have any info or ideas or comment on species/threat
recognition?
Harvey
.........................................................................
Dr Harvey D. Perkins :: Editor, :
Divn Biochemistry & Molecular Biology :: Canberra Bird Notes, :
Faculty of Science :: Journal of the Canberra :
Australian National University :: Ornithologists Group (COG) :
Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia :: 42 Summerland Circuit, :
ph: (02) 6249 2693; fax:(02) 6249 0313 :: Kambah, ACT 2902 :
email: :: Ph: (02) 6231 8209 :
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