Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities
Abstract Mounting evidence indicates the non‐consumptive effects of predators significantly impact prey physiology, ecology and behaviour. Passerine birds experience adverse effects on nesting and reproductive success when in proximity to predators. Fear of predators is context‐dependent and influen...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11098 |
| _version_ | 1797244893433692160 |
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| author | Danilo Russo Anne Mäenurm Adriano Martinoli Luca Cistrone |
| author_facet | Danilo Russo Anne Mäenurm Adriano Martinoli Luca Cistrone |
| author_sort | Danilo Russo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Mounting evidence indicates the non‐consumptive effects of predators significantly impact prey physiology, ecology and behaviour. Passerine birds experience adverse effects on nesting and reproductive success when in proximity to predators. Fear of predators is context‐dependent and influenced by hunting habitats and foraging strategies. While some bat species prey on birds, the greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) stands out by specialising in avian prey, especially during peak bird migration. N. lasiopterus is thought to seize avian prey in flight, but direct evidence is lacking. If birds were taken from nests, they would likely avoid nesting near these bats. However, no observations support this view. This study documents the successful reproduction of Eurasian blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) nesting alongside a colony of approximately 25 greater noctules. This bird species is a prey species for greater noctules in Italy. Over about 1 month (April–May 2023), we observed parent birds provisioning food to chicks, with at least two chicks alive and fed outside the tree cavity by the end of the period. While acknowledging the limitations of a single observation, we propose that this previously unknown behaviour indirectly supports the idea that greater noctules only capture avian prey in flight, not within confined spaces. This observation challenges the perception that these bats pose a threat when sharing roosting spaces in trees, as evidenced in our observed case. We hope this novel observation inspires future research on variations in bird nesting behaviour and reproductive success in the presence of bird‐eating bats, as well as an assessment of the long‐term impact on population dynamics and reproductive success of nesting birds sharing such roosting spaces. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:18:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1f9b222607a94f73a420d59fbd969c53 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:18:15Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-1f9b222607a94f73a420d59fbd969c532024-03-26T04:26:57ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-03-01143n/an/a10.1002/ece3.11098Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavitiesDanilo Russo0Anne Mäenurm1Adriano Martinoli2Luca Cistrone3Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Portici Napoli ItalyAFNI Friuli‐Venezia Giulia Cordenons Pordenone ItalyUnità di Analisi e Gestione delle Risorse Ambientali, Guido Tosi Research Group, Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche ed Applicate Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Varese ItalyLaboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Portici Napoli ItalyAbstract Mounting evidence indicates the non‐consumptive effects of predators significantly impact prey physiology, ecology and behaviour. Passerine birds experience adverse effects on nesting and reproductive success when in proximity to predators. Fear of predators is context‐dependent and influenced by hunting habitats and foraging strategies. While some bat species prey on birds, the greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) stands out by specialising in avian prey, especially during peak bird migration. N. lasiopterus is thought to seize avian prey in flight, but direct evidence is lacking. If birds were taken from nests, they would likely avoid nesting near these bats. However, no observations support this view. This study documents the successful reproduction of Eurasian blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) nesting alongside a colony of approximately 25 greater noctules. This bird species is a prey species for greater noctules in Italy. Over about 1 month (April–May 2023), we observed parent birds provisioning food to chicks, with at least two chicks alive and fed outside the tree cavity by the end of the period. While acknowledging the limitations of a single observation, we propose that this previously unknown behaviour indirectly supports the idea that greater noctules only capture avian prey in flight, not within confined spaces. This observation challenges the perception that these bats pose a threat when sharing roosting spaces in trees, as evidenced in our observed case. We hope this novel observation inspires future research on variations in bird nesting behaviour and reproductive success in the presence of bird‐eating bats, as well as an assessment of the long‐term impact on population dynamics and reproductive success of nesting birds sharing such roosting spaces.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11098avian preybatsfear ecologynoctulepredation |
| spellingShingle | Danilo Russo Anne Mäenurm Adriano Martinoli Luca Cistrone Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities Ecology and Evolution avian prey bats fear ecology noctule predation |
| title | Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities |
| title_full | Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities |
| title_fullStr | Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities |
| title_short | Dangerous neighbours: Birds and bird‐eating bats sharing tree cavities |
| title_sort | dangerous neighbours birds and bird eating bats sharing tree cavities |
| topic | avian prey bats fear ecology noctule predation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11098 |
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