Attacks on cuckoos

paddy · #1 (**permalink**) 02-05-2011, 07:25 PM

Having visited a very good cuckoo site (wooded rides, running up from the River Waveney in Suffolk) i watched as two male cuckoos (separated by about 100 metres of trees) were repeatedly not allowed to settle by what turned out to be whitethroats. I suppose this indicates that whitethroats have been parasitized in this area and have learned their lesson....
Still quite an amazing sight, given the size difference. The cuckoos were driven off on nearly every occasion.
Anyone seen other warblers and similar possible victims do this?
(This is an area that also has sizeable populations of sedge warbler and to a lesser extent, reed warbler)

htcdude · #2 (**permalink**) 02-05-2011, 07:37 PM

Not seen this behaviour myself, but have seen it in documentaries where the bird 'victim' recognise the Cuckoo and put up a fight

Nige

Meta menardi · #3 (**permalink**) 02-05-2011, 08:59 PM

Given the cuckoos' similarity to some birds of prey, are you seeing the fairly common mobbing of raptors, or real recognition of the cuckoo as a parasite? I wouldn't know how to differentiate between the two.

paddy · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2011, 05:04 PM

I noticed the cuckoos giving their first call as they landed at the branch. The attacks happened fairly soon after, but while the bird was calling, not while it was at it's most 'raptor-like' in flight. I suspect the little chaps knew who they were dealing with.
I did a bit of late night research on parasitism and how a particular species becomes a victim - there's some evidence of young returning to the area and species that their parents parasitized. This may build up a passed-on recognition through generations.