Occurrence and variability of tactile interactions between wild American crows and dead conspecifics

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
Kaeli Swift, John M Marzluff

Abstract

Observations of some mammals and birds touching their dead provoke questions about the motivation and adaptive value of this potentially risky behaviour. Here, we use controlled experiments to determine if tactile interactions are characteristic of wild American crow responses to dead crows, and what the prevalence and nature of tactile interactions suggests about their motivations. In Experiment 1, we test if food or information acquisition motivates contact by presenting crows with taxidermy-prepared dead crows, and two species crows are known to scavenge: dead pigeons and dead squirrels. In Experiment 2, we test if territoriality motivates tactile interactions by presenting crows with taxidermy crows prepared to look either dead or upright and life-like. In Experiment 1, we find that crows are significantly less likely to make contact but more likely to alarm call and recruit other birds in response to dead crows than to dead pigeons and squirrels. In addition, we find that aggressive and sexual encounters with dead crows are seasonally biased. These findings are inconsistent with feeding or information acquisition-based motivation. In Experiment 2, we find that crows rarely dive-bomb and more often alarm call and recruit ot...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1981·Physiology & Behavior·J P PinelF Ladak
Jan 3, 2004·Nature Neuroscience·Sonia BishopAndrew D Lawrence
Dec 14, 2004·Science·Nathan J Emery, Nicola S Clayton
Sep 8, 2005·Brain Research Bulletin·András Csillag, Catherine M Montagnese
Aug 24, 2007·Current Biology : CB·Nicola S Clayton, Nathan J Emery
Oct 14, 2008·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Michael P Alpers
May 7, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Dong-Hwan ChoeMichael K Rust
Feb 2, 2010·Current Biology : CB·Jürgen Heinze, Bartosz Walter
Mar 25, 2011·American Journal of Primatology·James R Anderson
Apr 27, 2010·Current Biology : CB·Dora BiroTetsuro Matsuzawa
Nov 1, 2011·American Journal of Primatology·Fiona Anne StewartRobert C O'Malley
Mar 6, 2013·International Journal of Primatology·Jacqueline S BuhlLauren J N Brent
Apr 10, 2013·International Journal of Biological Sciences·Qian Sun, Xuguo Zhou
Oct 5, 2013·Journal of Bioethical Inquiry·Jessica Pierce
Jul 13, 2016·Current Biology : CB·James R Anderson
May 1, 1991·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Susan K SkagenGordon H Orians
Jan 12, 2017·Primates; Journal of Primatology·Marie PeléCédric Sueur

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 13, 2019·Primates; Journal of Primatology·Shifra Z Goldenberg, George Wittemyer
Jul 18, 2018·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·James R AndersonPaul Pettitt
Jul 18, 2018·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·André Gonçalves, Dora Biro
Nov 20, 2019·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Julia D MonkCaitlin E McDonough
Jan 7, 2020·Primates; Journal of Primatology·James R Anderson
Aug 21, 2019·Primates; Journal of Primatology·Nachiketha SharmaRaman Sukumar
Aug 21, 2020·Nature Communications·Souvik BhattacharyyaRasika M Harshey
Sep 3, 2020·Royal Society Open Science·Elizabeth V LonsdorfAnne E Pusey
Aug 25, 2020·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Jonathan BirchNicola S Clayton

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
Nicholas Humphrey
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
Qian SunXuguo Zhou
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
James R Anderson
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
Melissa A L V ReggenteChiara Giulia Bertulli
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
John M MarzluffDonna J Cross
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved