These findings show that redstart chicks can learn to recognize novel alarm calls by associating them with familiar alarm calls. This demonstrates that nestling birds eavesdrop on the alarm calls of other species through acoustic association.

When we first played back the novel calls, the nestlings showed no response. We then played the unfamiliar call six times together with redstart alarm calls. After this training phase, nestlings responded to the novel call in the same way as to alarm calls of their own species.

However, parents are not always around to warn them. Alarm calls from other species may then provide an additional valuable source of information. We tested whether nestling redstarts can learn to recognize unfamiliar calls by associating them with known alarm calls from their own species.

Predators pose a major threat to nestling birds, so it is important that nestlings recognize and respond to signals that indicate danger. When their parents make alarm calls, for instance, chicks typically stop begging and crouch down to avoid being detected.

However, parents are not always around to warn them. Alarm calls from other species may then provide an additional valuable source of information. We tested whether nestling redstarts can learn to recognize unfamiliar calls by associating them with known alarm calls from their own species.

Predators pose a major threat to nestling birds, so it is important that nestlings recognize and respond to signals that indicate danger. When their parents make alarm calls, for instance, chicks typically stop begging and crouch down to avoid being detected.

Spectacular!

We conclude that breeding site fidelity may be a beneficial strategy for individuals that are successful in a certain location, even in species that are generally nomadic. Big thanks to the co-authors and the many people that contributed to data collection! 6/6

Males that returned to the study area also had higher siring success and stayed longer in the study area than males that had not been in the study area the previous year 5/6

Males that had higher siring success and had stayed in the study area for longer were more likely to return 4/6

However, a very small proportion of ~900 colour banded pectoral sandpipers did return to their former breeding site in the subsequent breeding season, with males returning more often (2.4%) than females (0.5%) 3/6

Satellite tagging showed that pectoral sandpipers typically do not return anywhere near their former breeding site, with a median dispersal distance between years of >800 km for both males and females 2/6

We conclude that breeding site fidelity may be a beneficial strategy for individuals that are successful in a certain location, even in species that are generally nomadic. Big thanks to the co-authors and the many people that contributed to data collection! 6/6

Males that returned to the study area also had higher siring success and stayed longer in the study area than males that had not been in the study area the previous year 5/6

Males that had higher siring success and had stayed in the study area for longer were more likely to return 4/6

However, a very small proportion of ~900 colour banded pectoral sandpipers did return to their former breeding site in the subsequent breeding season, with males returning more often (2.4%) than females (0.5%) 3/6

Satellite tagging showed that pectoral sandpipers typically do not return anywhere near their former breeding site, with a median dispersal distance between years of >800 km for both males and females 2/6

Did you get it? Glad the book received a good home! 😅