Avoidance of aposematic prey in European tits (Paridae): learned or innate?

Abstract

The origin of avoidance was different in closely related species of tits; blue tits and coal tits showed unlearned avoidance; great tits and crested tits learned to avoid aposematic prey.

Keywords

• aposematism
• European Paridae
• innate avoidance
• learning
• neophobia
• Pyrrhocoris apterus
• warning coloration
• previous experience
• naive birds
• pyrrhocoris-apterus