Factors affecting sleep/vigilance behaviour in incubating mallards

0358876 - ÚBO 2011 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Javůrková, V. - Hořák, D. - Kreisinger, J. - Klvaňa, P. - Albrecht, Tomáš
Factors affecting sleep/vigilance behaviour in incubating mallards.
Ethology. Roč. 117, č. 4 (2011), s. 345-355. ISSN 0179-1613. E-ISSN 1439-0310
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KJB601110803; GA MŠMT LC06073
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519
Keywords : mallard * vigilance * antipredation behaviour * incubation
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 2.008, year: 2011

Vigilance is a behavioural tactic that allows individuals to assess predation risk. In contrast, sleep is behavioural state with energy-saving function, but increasing susceptibility to predation. Sleeping birds resolve this conflict by interrupting sleep with short periods of eye opening (termed 'scans') during vigilant sleep. Here, we investigated the influence of nest vegetation concealment, time of day and sleeping postures on the sleep/vigilance trade-off in incubating Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We found that incubating females increased their vigilance with increasing nest vegetation cover facing the vigilant eye during both the day and the night periods; however, mean nest vegetation concealment did not affect female vigilance. Our data show that the nest vegetation concealment regardless of visual abilities during different light conditions, time of day and sleeping posture play an underlying role in antipredator vigilance during sleep in this cryptic ground-nesting bird.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0196792