MomFoldingLaundry
Songster
- Oct 16, 2020
- 224
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I’m in a discussion on another board about quail behavior, and I need to understand something...
1. Do male quail go after/attack/warn away predators the way a chicken rooster would?
2. Do male quail crow to scare away predators?
I really thought the crow was just to show off for the girls. In fact, I believe it’s what’s called a “costly signal” of fitness. (As in, it’s costly for a the male to risk getting eaten in order to crow, so crowing exists to “show off” how brave he is.)
I don’t think crowing has anything to do with defense. Particularly as male quail are not exactly scary to any animal besides a worm.
But am I wrong here?
1. Do male quail go after/attack/warn away predators the way a chicken rooster would?
2. Do male quail crow to scare away predators?
I really thought the crow was just to show off for the girls. In fact, I believe it’s what’s called a “costly signal” of fitness. (As in, it’s costly for a the male to risk getting eaten in order to crow, so crowing exists to “show off” how brave he is.)
I don’t think crowing has anything to do with defense. Particularly as male quail are not exactly scary to any animal besides a worm.
But am I wrong here?