Abstract
Eavesdropping involves the extraction of information from signalling interactions by individuals not
directly involved. Such behaviour has been conclusively demonstrated by experiments that present
songbirds with simulated singing interactions in which the roles of interactants were varied by changing
the timing of songs. We examined the phenomenon of song type matching by presenting male great
tits, Parus major, with simulated interactions in which one interactant switched song type such that it
matched (or not) that sung by the opponent. Subjects responded to simulated intrusion by previously
heard interactants by singing significantly shorter songs in response to males that switched (i.e. used two
song types), regardless of whether or not matching occurred, compared with those that used one.
Subjects also showed a significantly lower level of approach behaviour to males whose opponents had
switched song types but not matched. Male great tits are therefore capable of extracting different kinds
of information by eavesdropping on interactions between others and using that information when
deciding how to respond to subsequent intrusion. These results confirm and expand our knowledge on
the potential of eavesdropping to provide accurate information on the likely strengths and weaknesses
of potential rivals
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Animal Behaviour |
| Volume | 69 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1063-1068 |
| ISSN | 0003-3472 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2005 |