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Dryad

Data from: Reciprocal signaling in honeyguide-human mutualism

Cite this dataset

Spottiswoode, Claire N.; Begg, Keith S.; Begg, Colleen M. (2017). Data from: Reciprocal signaling in honeyguide-human mutualism [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8c65s

Abstract

Greater honeyguides (Indicator indicator) lead human honey-hunters to wild bees’ nests, in a rare example of a mutualistic foraging partnership between humans and free-living wild animals. We show experimentally that a specialized vocal sound made by Mozambican honey-hunters seeking bees’ nests elicits elevated cooperative behavior from honeyguides. The production of this sound increased the probability of being guided by a honeyguide from about 33 to 66% and the overall probability of thus finding a bees’ nest from 17 to 54%, as compared with other animal or human sounds of similar amplitude. These results provide experimental evidence that a wild animal in a natural setting responds adaptively to a human signal of cooperation.

Usage notes

Location

Mozambique
Africa
Niassa National Reserve