Red-winged blackbird nestlings go silent when predators are near
Thursday, December 19, 2019 - 09:30
in Biology & Nature
If you're a predator that eats baby birds -- say, an American crow -- eavesdropping on the begging calls of nestlings can be an easy way to find your next meal. Few studies have investigated whether nestlings react to the sounds of predators, but new research shows that when their parents are away, baby red-winged blackbirds beg less often and stop begging sooner if they hear recordings of predators' calls.