Do Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) use predator eyes in risk assessment?

• Published in: Animal cognition 2021-05, Vol.24 (3), p.533-540
• Main Author: Kyle, Steven C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Animal cognition; Behavioral Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Birds; Calling behavior; Eye movements; Life Sciences; Orientation; Original Paper; Predation; Predators; Psychology Research; Risk assessment; Seeds; Zoology
• ISSN: 1435-9448; 1435-9456
• DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01449-1

Previous studies have found that Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice use a predator’s head orientation to determine risk, taking fewer seeds from a feeder if an avian predator model’s head is facing the feeder while ignoring the head orientation. In addition to head orientation, eyes are a cue of predator risk. In the current study, I examined whether or not chickadees and titmice used the presence of eyes of a predator model to determine when to forage for food. Plastic owl models, with their eyes covered or uncovered, were presented to wild flocks of chickadees and titmice. To test whether or not chickadees and titmice would respond to the presence of eyes, the number of seeds taken and the calling behavior of birds were compared between the two types of predator presentations (eyes covered or uncovered). Chickadees and titmice took fewer seeds when the eyes were uncovered than when they were covered. Chickadees also gave significantly more introductory notes, often used in association with the presence of predators or risk, in their calls when the eyes were visible than when the eyes of the predator model were covered. The results indicate that chickadees and titmice can use the presence of eyes on predators to determine predation risk and possibly use eye gaze to determine where a predator is looking.