Syntactically aberrant vocalization in cuckoos disrupts communication but triggers host responses

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41330%2F25%3A101667" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41330/25:101667 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123080" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123080</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123080" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123080</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Syntactically aberrant vocalization in cuckoos disrupts communication but triggers host responses

Original language description

Acoustic signals are primarily used for long-distance communication between conspecifics, but other species may eavesdrop on these signals. Aberrant vocalizations can disrupt information transfer, affecting the responses of both conspecifics and heterospecifics. Individuals with aberrant vocalizations may attempt to compensate, such as by increasing their signal production rate, but compensatory mechanisms remain largely unexplored, especially in species with innate vocalizations. It is also unclear whether such compensation influences the behaviour of eavesdropping heterospecifics. The common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, an obligate brood parasite, produces a distinct innate ‘cu-coo’ call by males. We conducted field playback experiments during the breeding season using synthesized normal and aberrant (with syntax error, ‘cu-cu-coo’) cuckoo calls, as well as control wood pigeon calls. Our findings showed that cuckoos responded most strongly to high-rate normal cuckoo calls, followed by low-rate normal calls, while showing significantly less interest in syntactically aberrant and control calls, regardless of call rate. Noncuckoo (potential host) bird species also responded most strongly to high-rate normal cuckoo calls, but their response to low-rate normal and high-rate syntactically aberrant calls was similar. These results suggest that while cuckoos and other bird species primarily respond to normal cuckoo calls, noncuckoo species may still respond relatively strongly to high-rate syntactically aberrant calls. This study highlights the complexity of interspecific acoustic interactions and suggests that syntactically aberrant vocalizations in cuckoos may disrupt communication between conspecifics while still influencing the responses of eavesdropping heterospecifics.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10614 - Behavioral sciences biology

Project

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Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR

ISSN

0003-3472

e-ISSN

0003-3472

Volume of the periodical

221

Issue of the periodical within the volume

123080neuvedeno

Country of publishing house

CZ - CZECH REPUBLIC

Number of pages

8

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001421885000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85216371321