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Defensive aggression in terns: Effect of species, density, and isolation
Author(s) -
Burger Joanna,
Gochfeld Michael
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2337(1988)14:3<169::aid-ab2480140303>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - aggression , nest (protein structural motif) , zoology , ecology , biology , hatching , demography , psychology , developmental psychology , biochemistry , sociology
Defensive aggression was examined in seven species of terns during the hatching period when young are most vulnerable and adults most responsive. Aggression toward an unfamiliar person varied with respect to species, flush distance, approach distance, number of birds overhead and diving, and number of dives per 2 min for all birds and the nest owner. Defensive aggression involved birds circling over and diving at the experimenter. Generally, flush distance was negatively correlated with nest density, while the number of birds diving was positively correlated with the nest density. The number of birds diving was positively related to the number of dives, dives by the owner, and the number overhead.