Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 33() 1990
Experimental investigations on the behavioural differences between urban and forest Blackbirds
Abstract:
A series of ethological experiments have been carried out on forest and urban Blackbirds reared in identical laboratory conditions. During the first year of their life migratory restlessness was studied on the forest and urban population. The tests: open-field, tonic immobility, handling and predator presentation have been conducted. Urban Blackbirds did not differ from the forest ones in exhibited migratory restlessness. The results of the remaining experiments show that urban Blackbirds adapt more rapidly to experimental situations. The birds of both populations congenitively recognize the function of mobbing calls, but these constitute for them a signal to different behaviour. Urban Blackbirds respond with mobbing while forest ones exhibit the tendency to hide. This difference is connected with the existence of different selective pressures in the two environments.
