Acoustic playback is commonly used to study wild birds, with applications as diverse as
investigating behaviours, ascertaining the presence of rare and elusive species, and …

Prey are sensitive to even subtle cues of predation risk, which provides the evolutionary
potential for parasites to exploit host risk perception. Brood parasitic common cuckoos …

Mimicry is a widespread phenomenon whereby predatory or parasitic individuals can
access unsuspecting prey or hosts for the former's benefit. For example, brood parasitic …

The two-note call of the male common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), the so-called “cu-coo”, is
well known to people as a natural and cultural signal. However, the so-called “bubbling” call …

Acoustic signals play a key role in shaping the relationships in birds. Common cuckoos
Cuculus canorus are known to produce various call types, but the function of these calls has …

Obligate brood parasitic birds have evolved a rare avian strategy for reproduction by laying
eggs in the nests of other species. In doing so, their breeding ranges, but not necessarily …

Investigations on bird vocalizations have largely focused on males. Female vocalizations
are widespread in birds but few studies have investigated female vocal characteristics …

Highlights•We tested neighbour–stranger discrimination in a Neotropical montane
songbird.•Male grey-browed brushfinches exhibited the nasty neighbour effect.•Males …

It is well known that avian brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species,
called hosts. It remains less clear, however, just how parasites are able to recognize their …

To avoid mobbing attacks by their hosts during egg laying, some avian brood parasites have
evolved traits to visually and/or acoustically resemble predator (s) of their hosts. Prior work …