Vigilance of the Demoiselle Crane Antropoides virgo: The Effects of Group Size, Human Disturbance, and Predation Vulnerability
Vigilance of the Demoiselle Crane Antropoides virgo: The Effects of Group Size, Human Disturbance, and Predation Vulnerability
Feng Xu1,2,3*, Weikang Yang1,2,3*, Ming Ma1,2,3 and David A. Blank4
ABSTRACT
Vigilance was defined as the behavior for increasing probability of detecting and recognizing a predator before being detected themselves. Group size, human disturbance, environment factors, body size of a prey and a predator, season, traits of species and numbers of others factors were thought to have significant impacts on vigilance. Here, in this study we considered only three of them: group size, disturbance, and predation vulnerability and their impact on the vigilance of the Demoiselle crane (Antropoides virgo). Our results showed that group size, human disturbance, and predation vulnerability significantly affect Demoiselle crane’s vigilance. With increasing of group size, the percentage of scanning time by one individual at least in the group increased, while the proportion of vigilant individuals in the group decreased. The group size effect was supported by our study of vigilance in Demoiselle crane and the cranes gained vigilance benefits from increasing their group size. And when the cranes in strong human disturbance area closer to the road, they devoted significantly more time to their vigilance. The significant relationship between crane vigilance and group size might be explained by the high population density and big intraspecific competitions for resources.
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February 2021
Vol. 53, Iss. 1, Pages 1-400
