In life, we have all done strange things like eavesdropping. However, for animals living in the wild, it is an important skill based on survival tactics. It is a vital skill for saving their lives from dangers of the wild. On the other hand, what about eavesdropping skills for the captive-reared wildlife? Can we teach them this skill so that they stay safe among wild animals?
Regarding eavesdropping, human beings are the only specialists or experts. A number of animals have the capability of gaining critical information on their surroundings, for instance, listening in on predators and approach of some potential animals that can hunt them down. It is important to mention birds like vireos, nuthatches, and warblers. These birds are able to listen to the scolding of chickadees. This skill makes them able to avoid cats, hawk, and owls, and other animals lurking nearby. These birds hang around to understand chickadee sentinels, which allow them to stay alert on the surrounding threats.
A bird has the ability to hear the threats, vulnerabilities, and perils in the surrounding environment in many ways. According to experts from Canadian Wildlife Preservation, birds can learn from their own experiences, for example, the suitable and non-suitable habitat or environment. Moreover, asocial learning is an important phenomenon for birds. In the case of nuthatch, it is significant to comprehend that it can tell the story of its encounter with some kind of predator.
In contrast, these birds can learn other skills such as observation and interactions with other species. These skills fall under the category called social learning. In this regard, it is important to note that birds may take advantages of some hard-won experiences without going through the trials or error themselves. It is quite understandable that a young nuthatch does not have any direct experiences with cat or owl itself. Therefore, a young nuthatch can watch and listen to other experienced nuthatches that can help him recognize the danger and avoid the threat by taking corrective actions.
There have been many scientific studies on Birds Eavesdropping and in what way birds can learn this skill. A recent scientific publication states that fairy-wrens, which are small birds, can be trained well to recognize novel threats and danger of other animals. The Canadian Wildlife Preservation conducted a comprehensive observatory study on these birds. The organization in its recently published study put forward that these birds are naturally capable of recognizing alarm calls, understand them and make a strategy to avoid them, for example, ducking for cover. The researchers of the study claimed that these birds are also capable of responding to unfamiliar threats.
Moreover, researchers concluded that it is important to train conservation-bred species in order to learn threat calls from their local neighboring areas. In this way, these birds will be able to stay alive in the harsh wild habitat. In conclusion, Eavesdropping is actually a good skill for survival. Scientists are working to understand this mechanism deeply because it will help the wildlife organizations to help and facilitate the conservation of species that are in danger of extinction.