Personality and morphological traits affect pigeon survival from raptor attacks.
Personality traits have recently been shown to impact fitness in different animal species, potentially making them similarly relevant drivers as morphological and life history traits along the evolutionary pathways of organisms. Predation is a major force of natural selection through its deterministic effects on individual survival, but how predation pressure has helped to shape personality trait selection, especially in free-ranging animals, remains poorly understood. We used high-precision GPS tracking to follow whole flocks of homing pigeons (Columba livia) with known personalities and morphology during homing flights where they were severely predated by raptors. This allowed us to determine how the personality and morphology traits of pigeons may affect their risk of being predated by raptors. Our survival model showed that individual pigeons, which were more tolerant to human approach, slower to escape from a confined environment, more resistant to human handling, with larger tarsi, and with lighter plumage, were more likely to be predated by raptors. We provide rare empirical evidence that the personality of prey influences their risk of being predated under free-ranging circumstances.
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.|Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus do Bacanga, 65080-040, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Carlos D
CD
Santos
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.|Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Julia F
JF
Cramer
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.|Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Liviu G
LG
Pârâu
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.|Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus do Bacanga, 65080-040, São Luís, MA, Brazil.|Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Ana C
AC
Miranda
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.|Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Martin
M
Wikelski
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.|Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Dina K N
DK
Dechmann
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D010856:Columbidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D020304:Raptors / Q000502:physiology