Interactions between cleaner-birds and ungulates are personality dependent

Area of Science:

• Behavioral ecology
• Animal personality
• Interspecific interactions

Background:

• Growing research on individual variation in wildlife behavior.
• Limited studies on personality's role in interspecific interactions and biodiversity.
• Cleaner-bird interactions offer a model for studying mutualistic behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate how individual personality affects mutualistic behavior between species.
• Examine the reciprocal influence of personality in black-billed magpie and Rocky Mountain elk interactions.
• Determine if personality gradients predict the exhibition of cleaner-bird behavior.

Main Methods:

• Recorded behavioral suites in elk (Cervus canadensis) and black-billed magpies (Pica pica) to establish 'shy' to 'bold' personality gradients.
• Observed and analyzed interspecific interactions, specifically magpie landings on elk for grooming.
• Separately measured personality traits and interaction behaviors for each species.

Main Results:

• Bold elk were more likely to aggressively reject magpie landings.
• Shy elk permitted magpies to land and groom them.
• Bold magpies were more willing to attempt landings on elk, while shy magpies rarely did.

Conclusions:

• Mutualistic behavior, like cleaner-bird interactions, is significantly influenced by individual personality.
• Personality-driven interactions can contribute to the selection and maintenance of personality variation within populations.
• Understanding personality in interspecific contexts is crucial for comprehending ecological dynamics and biodiversity.