Publication
Title
Family movements before independence influence natal dispersal in a territorial songbird
Author
Abstract
Dispersal behaviour in territorial species is typically assumed to be independent of parental behaviour except for the possible role of parental eviction from the natal territory. Great tits defend exclusive territories at the onset of breeding but after fledging undertake substantial excursions with dependent offspring, sometimes covering distances equivalent to ten or more breeding territories and even moving across open spaces into neighbouring woodlots. We show that postfledging family movements are significantly associated with subsequent dispersal directions of recruits by comparing observed angles of movement with a simulated distribution taking into account the patchy nature of the landscape. However, the extent of family movements did not predict dispersal distances. Our findings provide an explanation for previously observed similarities in dispersal direction between siblings in the same study population, as well as for effects of nest site location on dispersal. More generally we show the existence of a novel mechanism for parents to influence dispersal and fine-scale kinship structure among their offspring.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Oecologia. - Berlin, 1968, currens
Publication
Berlin : 2010
ISSN
0029-8549 [print]
1432-1939 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S00442-009-1483-X
Volume/pages
162 :3 (2010) , p. 591-597
ISI
000274518000006
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 03.02.2010
Last edited 23.08.2022
To cite this reference