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Common myna roosts are not recruitment centres
Manaswini Sarangi1, Payel Ganguly1, Zenia1
1Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India.
Plos One
|August 15, 2014
Summary
Communal roosting in Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) was studied. The recruitment centre hypothesis and predation were not supported; evening aggregations may relate to non-food information transfer.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Communal roosting is a widespread avian behavior.
- The recruitment centre hypothesis suggests roosts facilitate social information transfer for foraging.
- Predation risk is a potential factor influencing roosting behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the recruitment centre hypothesis in Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis).
- To assess the role of predation in communal roosting behavior.
- To understand the drivers of flock aggregation at roosts.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a two-year study of flock sizes and behavior.
- Recorded departing and arriving flocks at focal roosts.
- Observed foraging flock sizes and behavior.
Main Results:
- Flock sizes departing roosts were larger than at feeding sites, refuting roost recruitment.
- Sunset roosting flocks were larger than sunrise departing flocks.
- No correlation found between group size and feeding time; single birds showed lower vigilance.
- Predation near roosts did not influence flock size or arrival/departure duration.
Conclusions:
- The recruitment centre hypothesis was not supported in this Common Myna population.
- Predation is not a significant factor driving communal roosting in this species.
- Evening aggregations may be influenced by information transfer unrelated to food, such as breeding opportunities.
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