Learned kin recognition cues in a social bird

Stuart P. Sharp (), Andrew McGowan, Matthew J. Wood and Ben J. Hatchwell
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Stuart P. Sharp: University of Sheffield, Western Bank
Andrew McGowan: University of Exeter in Cornwall
Matthew J. Wood: University of Oxford
Ben J. Hatchwell: University of Sheffield, Western Bank

Nature, 2005, vol. 434, issue 7037, 1127-1130

Abstract: Call of the wild The ability to discriminate relatives from non-relatives is important to many social animals. But how is reliable recognition of kin achieved? A study of a social bird, the long-tailed tit, shows that simple calls are used as vocal labels for recognition of close relatives. These calls, notably the whirring sound known as a ‘churr’ call, are effective indicators of relatedness because nestling birds learn them from their parents when still in the nest.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature03522

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