Data from: Crying wolf to a predator: deceptive vocal mimicry by a bird protecting young

dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Akron - Igic, Branislav
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Cambridge - McLachlan, Jessica
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Lehtinen, Inkeri
dc.contributor.affiliationAustralian National University - Magrath, Robert D.
dc.contributor.authorIgic, Branislav
dc.contributor.authorMcLachlan, Jessica
dc.contributor.authorLehtinen, Inkeri
dc.contributor.authorMagrath, Robert D.
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-24T15:18:59Z
dc.date.issued2015-05-14
dc.date.issued2015-05-14
dc.descriptionAnimals often mimic dangerous or toxic species to deter predators; however, mimicry of such species may not always be possible and mimicry of benign species seems unlikely to confer anti-predator benefits. We reveal a system in which a bird mimics the alarm calls of harmless species to fool a predator 40 times its size and protect its offspring against attack. Our experiments revealed that brown thornbills (Acanthiza pusilla) mimic a chorus of other species' aerial alarm calls, a cue of an Accipiter hawk in flight, when predators attack their nest. The absence of any flying predators in this context implies that these alarms convey deceptive information about the type of danger present. Experiments on the primary nest predators of thornbills, pied currawongs (Strepera graculina), revealed that the predators treat these alarms as if they themselves are threatened by flying hawks, either by scanning the sky for danger or fleeing, confirming a deceptive function. In turn, these distractions delay attack and provide thornbill nestlings with an opportunity to escape. This sophisticated defence strategy exploits the complex web of interactions among multiple species across several trophic levels, and in particular exploits a predator's ability to eavesdrop on and respond appropriately to heterospecific alarm calls. Our findings demonstrate that prey can fool predators by deceptively mimicking alarm calls of harmless species, suggesting that defensive mimicry could be more widespread because of indirect effects on predators within a web of eavesdropping.
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fh40b
dc.identifier.urihttps://hydatakatalogi-test-24.it.helsinki.fi/handle/123456789/10319
dc.rightsOpen
dc.rights.licensecc-zero
dc.subjectalarm call
dc.subjectnest defence
dc.subjectdeception
dc.subjectStrepera graculina
dc.subjectdiversion display
dc.subjectanti-predator
dc.subjectmimicry
dc.subjectAcanthiza pusilla
dc.titleData from: Crying wolf to a predator: deceptive vocal mimicry by a bird protecting young
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