As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday 21 May 2018

Angry birds: Size of jackdaw mobs depends on who calls warning



Date: May 10, 2018
Source:University of Exeter

Summary:Jackdaws recognize each other's voices and respond in greater numbers to warnings from familiar birds than strangers, new research shows.

The birds produce a harsh "scolding call" when they spot a predator, calling fellow jackdaws to mob the intruder and drive it away.

University of Exeter researchers have discovered that each bird has a unique call, and the size of the mob depends on which bird calls the warning.

The scientists played recordings of individual calls and found that the largest mobs assembled when birds heard the cry of a member of their own colony.

"Joining a mobbing event can be dangerous, as it involves approaching a predator, so it makes sense for individuals to be selective in whom they join. Our results show that jackdaws use the ability to discriminate between each other's voices when deciding whether to join in potentially risky collective activities," said Dr Alex Thornton, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

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