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Nest defence and predator recognition by Arctic tern \kur{(Sterna paradisaea)}
ŠPIČKA, Jan
In the presented work, I describe the behaviour of Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) toward predator species that differ in the threat they represent to them and to their nests. I presented textile dummies of great black-backed gull (Larus marinus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), common raven (Corvus corax) and common eider (Somateria mollissima), piece of wood as a harmless stimulus, and human intruder in sitting position near the tern nests. Experiments were conducted on the Varanger peninsula in Norway. The tern behaviour was recorded and analysed to see any dummy species related differences.
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Rozpoznávání predátorů strakou obecnou (Pica pica)
ŠPIČKA, Jan
In the presented work, I describe the ability of Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) to recognize predator species differing in the threat they represent. I presented stuffed dummies of northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis, juvenile and adult female), common buzzard (Buteo buteo), common raven (Corvus corax) and common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) to magpie pairs within the area of České Budějovice. The magpie behaviour was recorded and analysed, to see any dummy species related differences.
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Antipredatory behaviour of Red-backed Shrike: the role of sign stimuli in a predator recognition
Součková, Tereza ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Hořák, David (referee)
This thesis summarizes findings on a recognition and categorization of different sorts of stimuli at birds, it deals with predator recognition in the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) in its practical part. The aim of my study was to examine if Red-backed Shrikes follow by sign stimuli or colour of stimulus during the predator recognition. I performed my research by means of experiments with dummies, I have observed antipredatory reactions of Red-backed Shrikes on various types of dummies which differ in the presence or absence of features of raptor or in the different coloration. I concluded according to Shrikes' reactions that during the predator recognition the information on sign stimuli playes the principal role, but only this information alone is not fully sufficient. Antipredatory behaviour of the Red-backed Shrike was also influenced by sex of bird apart from type of dummy, males were more active during the nest defence than females.
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The effect of a predator occurrence on vigilance of tits visiting the winter feeder
Tichá, Irena ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Sedláček, Ondřej (referee)
This thesis evaluates the vigilance parameters of two species of tits affected by the presence of a predator in wintertime. During preferential experiments, tits have had a choice of two feeders in the vicinity of the installed dummy predator. For that purpose was used a dummy sparrowhawk, incomplete or occluded sparrowhawk torsos, and harmless pigeon. It is known that the tits are able to recognize dangerousness presented by the dummy, and according to expected risk dare to visit one of the feeders. It leads to a question whether the tits are somehow influenced by the presence of the dummies, and if so, how specifically are they influenced. It turned out, that the tits in presence of a dangerous dummy significantly increased their vigilance. Both observed species at the feeders behave oppositely. Behaviour of all the birds at the feeder is also affected by their total count at the precise moment and by the presence of a dummy at the other feeder.
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Reaction of Palearctic and Nearctic chickadees to sympatric and allopatric predators using feeder experiments: do regional differences in recognition of predators and determination of threat they are posing exist?
Lončík, Lukáš ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Špinka, Marek (referee)
We have examined wild palearctic and nearctic parids in their ability to recognize and assess a threat level of sympatric and allopatric predators. The study was conducted in Prague, Czech republic, on great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Parus caeruleus) during the winter of 2013, and the following year in the city of Calgary, Canada, on black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Three species of falcons (merlin (Falco columbarius), common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and american kestrel (Falco sparverius)), were chosen, two of which were sympatric and one was allopatric to the studied parid species in each area. We have also tested their reaction to nest predators magpies (eurasian magpie (Pica pica), black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia)). Using two ground feeders in the winter time, we gave parids a choice between a feeder with either one of the three dummies of falcons, or a magpie, and a feeder with a dummy of either a hawk (the most dangerous predator of small birds) or a dove (a harmless bird of the same size as falcons). As a control we have only used sympatric species: eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Cooper's hawk (Acipiter cooperii), eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura). Results from the city of Calgary did not produce any...
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The role of the face and the body size in predators' recognition by untrained birds
Fišer, Ondřej ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Petrusková, Tereza (referee)
The face plays an extremely important role in human communication. It enables individual recognition and provides other information about the person, such as social or emotional information. Human psychology has shown that face recognition uses a specific cognitive process called holistic processing. In recent decades, it has been shown to play an important role in animal communication as well. In the first part of my thesis, I tested whether changing the uniform configuration of a bird's face would affect the ability of the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) to recognize a potential predator. Due to unfavourable conditions in both breeding seasons when the experiments were conducted, no firm conclusions can be drawn from the results. They only suggest that the shrike perceives the configuration changes. An essential characteristic of all predators is their size, which affects the ability of prey to defend themselves. Several studies have already found that birds discriminate between different predators of different sizes. In the second part of my thesis, I evaluated experiments in which shrikes were exposed to dummies of two predator species with modified size. The shrikes responded with less aggression to the enlarged jays, whereas aggression increased only slightly to the shrunken crows. Thus,...
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Research on cognitive abilities in untrained birds
NÁCAROVÁ, Jana
This study investigates the cues used for predator recognition by wild-living untrained birds great tits (Parus major). The experimental approach is used to test the reaction to the variously modified dummies of sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) and pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) under laboratory conditions. The role of key features (yellow eye, hooked beak and talons), colour and size is tested. The results imply that the presence of raptor-specific features is mostly necessary but not sufficient to recognize predator in the presented dummies. Following research revealed that the part of the variability in response of great tits can be taken on the account of personality.
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Reaction of Palearctic and Nearctic chickadees to sympatric and allopatric predators using feeder experiments: do regional differences in recognition of predators and determination of threat they are posing exist?
Lončík, Lukáš ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Špinka, Marek (referee)
We have examined wild palearctic and nearctic parids in their ability to recognize and assess a threat level of sympatric and allopatric predators. The study was conducted in Prague, Czech republic, on great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Parus caeruleus) during the winter of 2013, and the following year in the city of Calgary, Canada, on black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Three species of falcons (merlin (Falco columbarius), common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and american kestrel (Falco sparverius)), were chosen, two of which were sympatric and one was allopatric to the studied parid species in each area. We have also tested their reaction to nest predators magpies (eurasian magpie (Pica pica), black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia)). Using two ground feeders in the winter time, we gave parids a choice between a feeder with either one of the three dummies of falcons, or a magpie, and a feeder with a dummy of either a hawk (the most dangerous predator of small birds) or a dove (a harmless bird of the same size as falcons). As a control we have only used sympatric species: eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Cooper's hawk (Acipiter cooperii), eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura). Results from the city of Calgary did not produce any...
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Antipredatory behaviour of Red-backed Shrike: the role of sign stimuli in a predator recognition
Součková, Tereza ; Fuchs, Roman (advisor) ; Hořák, David (referee)
This thesis summarizes findings on a recognition and categorization of different sorts of stimuli at birds, it deals with predator recognition in the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) in its practical part. The aim of my study was to examine if Red-backed Shrikes follow by sign stimuli or colour of stimulus during the predator recognition. I performed my research by means of experiments with dummies, I have observed antipredatory reactions of Red-backed Shrikes on various types of dummies which differ in the presence or absence of features of raptor or in the different coloration. I concluded according to Shrikes' reactions that during the predator recognition the information on sign stimuli playes the principal role, but only this information alone is not fully sufficient. Antipredatory behaviour of the Red-backed Shrike was also influenced by sex of bird apart from type of dummy, males were more active during the nest defence than females.
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