![]() ![]() We found that the propensity for animals to produce false alarms varies depending on three main factors: In a recent article, we reviewed research on predator misidentification and found that false alarms are common throughout the animal kingdom. But what causes these false alarms and how can animals avoid them? These mistakes can be costly in terms of lost foraging and resting time and wasted energy. And more than three quarters of the responses of semipalmated sandpipers and willow tits arise due to the misidentification of harmless stimuli as predators. The false alarm rate for South America's Guianan cock-of-the-rock birds exceeds 70%. Over half of the anti-predator responses of greylag geese flocks occur when no predator is nearby. The group as whole can then respond by fleeing, hiding or adopting a defensive position.īut this information is not always reliable. When an animal detects a predator, they share this information with other group members directly, by producing a warning, or inadvertently, by preparing to flee. Members of a school of fish, flock of birds or herd of antelope can share the task of watching out for predators. ![]() ![]() This can be made easier by working as a group. But predator identification is made more challenging by the fact that prey animals often juggle multiple activities like foraging, keeping an eye on competitors and courting mates, all at the same time. From the perspective of a songbird, a harmless crow flying overhead may look similar to a raptor. Identifying stealthy predators is already a difficult task. Animals are primed to be wary through natural selection rather than scary television shows, but like humans, they often make mistakes when watching out for threats. ![]()
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