Abstract

GOMEZ ROSAS, Leticia; ORTIZ-PULIDO, Raúl  and  LARA, Carlos. Risk sensitivity during foraging in Hylocharis leucotis and Selasphorus platycercus hummingbirds. Huitzil [online]. 2013, vol.14, n.1, pp.7-16. ISSN 1870-7459.

The risk sensitivity is the ability of a species to respond behaviourally to the variability of the rewards in a given environment. An organism can be aversive, prone or indifferent to risk. Risk sensitivity and previous experience has not been tested in the hummingbirds Hylocharis leucotis and Selasphorus platycercus. Since both species have similar residence status, territoriality and they feed on the same plant species, we hypothesized the same response in both factors. In this study we determine the type of risk sensitivity that show the hummingbirds H. leucotis and S. platycercus when exposed to a 10 min experience visiting artificial flowers with reward quality variation. Hylocharis leucotis showed no preference for any rewards (constant or variable), so it behaved as indifferent to risk, while S. platycercus showed preference for a constant reward, behaving as a risk aversion species. We detected that a 10 min experience did not modify significantly the risk sensitivity behaviour of these species. Our results indicated that the tested species have different risk sensitivity and that a 10 min experience did no modify their reward preference.

Keywords : aversive; risk prone; indifference.

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