Evidence for the effect of learning on timing of reproduction in blue tits

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence for the effect of learning on timing of reproduction in blue tits

AU - Grieco, F.

AU - Van Noordwijk, A.J.

AU - Visser, M.E.

N1 - Reporting year: 2002 Metis note: 2975; CTE; PVD ; NPCC ; AnE; file:///L:/Endnotedatabases/NIOOPUB/pdfs/Pdfs2002/Grieco_ea_2975.pdf

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - We experimentally show that in blue tits (Parus caeruleus) egg-laying date is causally linked to experience in the previous year. Females that received additional food in the nestling period in one year laid eggs later in the next year compared with the control birds, whatever the degree of synchronization with the natural food abundance in the previous year. As a result, they raised their brood much later than the peak period of nestling food availability in the next year. The response to experience is adaptive for blue tits, which live in heterogeneous habitats where the peak period of food varies, but once settled will breed at the same location for life. [KEYWORDS: BIRDS]

AB - We experimentally show that in blue tits (Parus caeruleus) egg-laying date is causally linked to experience in the previous year. Females that received additional food in the nestling period in one year laid eggs later in the next year compared with the control birds, whatever the degree of synchronization with the natural food abundance in the previous year. As a result, they raised their brood much later than the peak period of nestling food availability in the next year. The response to experience is adaptive for blue tits, which live in heterogeneous habitats where the peak period of food varies, but once settled will breed at the same location for life. [KEYWORDS: BIRDS]

KW - NIOO/PG/NPCC

U2 - 10.1126/science.1068287

DO - 10.1126/science.1068287

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 296

SP - 136

EP - 138

JO - Science Magazine

JF - Science Magazine

IS - 5565

ER -