A new study of fights between birds, including hummingbirds like this sparkling violetear, shows
how smaller birds can evolve the ability to win fights against larger ones. (Photo credit: Queen’s University)
One might think that larger birds invariably win fights with smaller ones, but a new study explains why that is not always the case.
Researchers studied vultures at carcasses, hummingbirds at nectar sources, as well as antbirds and woodcreepers at army ant swarms to discover that some small birds have evolved ways to beat their opponents. These include enhanced maneuverability, new fighting techniques, and more well-developed talons.
The researchers found that the more distantly related the bird species were to each other, the more likely the smaller birds were to win, suggesting that the advantages of large size – at least as far as fighting goes – are more likely to break down over evolutionary time.
Original research paper published in PLOS ONE on September 24, 2014.
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