chickadee warning calls are risk-based

[piranha]

finds a new study at the university of washington, seattle.

the team found that the number of "dees" in the birds' call corresponds to the size of the predator. smaller hunters –- which pose the greater risk -- receive the more vociferous response.

i have noticed that the resident chickadees get much more excited about the cats than about me. interesting.

Comments

[lizw.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall a similar observation about certain species of monkey in David Attenborough's Life of Mammals. Pretty neat, huh?

[pameladean]

Oo, thanks for the link! I'd noticed the same thing -- if I'm out by myself, I get a brief remark, but if I'm out with the cat, there's a great deal more conversation. Luckily, nobody has mobbed him yet.

P.