Long‐range call use in dominance‐structured Crested Tit Parus cristatus winter groups

In this study on free‐ranging Crested Tits Parus cristatus , I examine the relationship between social dominance and the frequency of use of long‐range communication calls. Calling rates of trills were highest among socially dominant individuals and they gave more calls when close to the boundary of their territories. Dominant females uttered fewer calls than their mates. However, they gave significantly more calls than subordinate males and subordinate females, the latter calling least. A removal and playback experiment revealed a relationship between the utterance of trilled calls and the defence of the winter territory in the Crested Tit. Although territorial vocalizations could incur costs, territorial individuals may gain from improved winter survival by decreasing the risk of food stealing by Crested Tits from adjacent territories.