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Title
Do differences in the availability of anthropogenic food resources influence the observed levels of agonistic behaviour in Noisy Miners (Manorina melanocephala)?
Author(s)
Publication Date
2022-03-14
Abstract
<p>The Noisy Miner (<i>Manorina melanocephala</i>) is a cooperative honeyeater living in social groups throughout south-east Australia that displays high levels of interspecific aggression and reduces avifaunal biodiversity in areas it occupies. Human-induced habitat changes have also potentially increased the availability of high-quality habitat and food resources available for Noisy Miners, which may in turn affect activity budgets and the duration or intensity of aggression displayed by Miners towards other species. To quantify the impact of differences in the potential availability of anthropogenic food resources on Noisy Miner aggression levels, we presented taxidermy models from three different categories of bird species (food competitors, non-food competitors and potential predators) and quantified observed aggression in three separate habitats: natural areas with very limited additional anthropogenic food resources, gardens that provided supplementary resources such as nectar-rich ornamental plants, and cafes that provided access to human food items. As predicted, Noisy Miners exhibited agonistic behaviours for a significantly longer period in the habitats with anthropogenic food resources, namely gardens and cafes in comparison to natural areas. The type of model presented also impacted Miner response, with: (1) greater numbers of Miners mobbing predator rather than competitor models, (2) Miners mobbing predator models for longer periods than competitors, and (3) a greater probability of Miners physically contacting competitor models. These findings demonstrate that additional resources have the ability to impact time budgets of species and, for hyperaggressive birds such as Noisy Miners, can impact biodiversity in more nuanced ways than previously quantified.</p>
Publication Type
Journal Article
Source of Publication
Emu - Austral Ornithology, 122(1), p. 61-70
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Australasia
Place of Publication
Australia
ISSN
1448-5540
0158-4197
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020
Peer Reviewed
Yes
HERDC Category Description
Peer Reviewed
Yes
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