Rosenberger Joanna, Kowalczyk Artur, Łukaszewicz Ewa, Strzała Tomasz
Institute of Animal Breeding, Division of Poultry Breeding, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland.
Department of Genetics, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Mar 30;10(4):583. doi: 10.3390/ani10040583.
Capercaillie behavior, both in the wild and in captivity, is poorly known due to this species' secretive way of life. Female-male and female-female social organization and interactions are especially poorly documented. The research was conducted in Capercaillie Breeding Center in Wisła Forestry District where a breeding flock is kept throughout the year. Thanks to video monitoring, we were able to observe mate choice, and then later, female-female interactions during laying and incubation period. Male individual variation in tooting latency and duration were recorded. Females' interest in males was related to males' tooting activity, but when males became too insistent and started to chase the females, the females avoided contact with them. There was a significant relationship between calendar date and when tooting starts, and between the tooting duration the female spent with a male. Two incidents of female-male aggression caused by competition for food were observed. Female intruder presence and competition for nesting place was observed in 66.67% nests. Most female-female interactions were limited to threat posturing, but fights and attempts to push out the intruder from the nest occurred as well. Such interactions may lead to nest abandonment and egg destruction, lowering the breeding success.
由于黑琴鸡的生活方式隐秘，其在野外和圈养环境中的行为鲜为人知。雌性与雄性以及雌性与雌性之间的社会组织和互动记录尤其匮乏。该研究在维斯拉林区的黑琴鸡繁殖中心进行，那里常年饲养着一群繁殖用的黑琴鸡。借助视频监控，我们得以观察到配偶选择情况，以及随后在产卵和孵化期的雌性之间的互动。记录了雄性在鸣叫潜伏期和时长方面的个体差异。雌性对雄性的兴趣与雄性的鸣叫活动有关，但当雄性变得过于执着并开始追逐雌性时，雌性会避免与它们接触。日历日期与鸣叫开始时间之间，以及雌性与雄性相处的鸣叫时长之间存在显著关系。观察到两起因争夺食物导致的雌性与雄性之间的攻击事件。在66.67%的巢穴中观察到有雌性入侵者以及对筑巢地点的竞争。大多数雌性之间的互动仅限于威胁姿态，但也发生过打斗以及将入侵者从巢中推出去的尝试。此类互动可能导致弃巢和卵被破坏，从而降低繁殖成功率。
