DOI: 10.5061/dryad.18v4b
title: Data from: Functional traits, flocking propensity and perceived predation risk in an Amazonian understory bird community

description: Within a community, different species might share similar predation risks,
 and thus the ability of species to signal and interpret heterospecific
 threat information may determine species' associations. We combined
 observational, experimental and phylogenetic approaches to determine the
 extent to which evolutionary history and functional traits determined
 flocking propensity and perceived predation risk (response to
 heterospecific alarm calls) in a lowland Amazonian bird community. We
 predicted that small birds that feed myopically and out in the open would
 have higher flocking propensities and account for a higher proportion of
 positive responses to alarms. Using generalized linear models and the
 incorporation of phylogeny on data from 56 species, our results suggest
 that phylogenetic relationships alongside body size, foraging height,
 vegetation density and response to alarm calls influence flocking
 propensity. Conversely, phylogenetic relationships did not influence
 response to heterospecific alarm calls. Among functional traits, however,
 foraging strategy, foraging density and flocking propensity partially
 explained responses to alarm calls. Our results suggest that flocking
 propensity and perceived predation risk are positively related and that
 functional ecological traits and evolutionary history may explain certain
 species' associations.
description: Behavioral and
 morphological data and responses to alarm callsThis file combines data
 from Jullien and Thiollay 1998 with our data for estimations of flocking
 propensity (field data collected in 2011). Data on morphological and
 behavioral traits were either derived from the literature (foraging
 strategy, body mass) or collected from our observations in 2011 (Foraging
 height, Density, Distance to Alarm Calls). The columns in the data set are
 the following: Species=Name of species Fyes=Number of times seen with a
 flock Fno=Number of times not seen with a flock Ntrials=Total number of
 trials Propensity=Flocking propensity of each species based on proportion
 of observations in which species was observed flocking Mass=Body Mass in
 grams Height= Mean Height derived from observations across all individuals
 of species from alarm trials (data from 2011 only). Density=Mean Density
 derived from observations across all individuals of species from alarm
 trials (data from 2011 only). Fstrategy= Foraging strategies of each
 species Distance=Mean distance across all individuals of a species from
 alarm playback trials (data from 2011 only). Ayes=Number of positive
 responses of a species to alarm playback trials (data from 2011 only).
 Ano=Number of negative responses of a species to alarm playback trials
 (data from 2011 only). AlarmTrials=Total number of alarm playback trials
 per species (data from 2011 only). ProbAlarm=Proportion of positive
 responses to alarms (data from 2011 only). A.response= Characterizes a
 binomial response for each species where a species is classified as
 responding to alarm calls if it responds at least once irrespective of the
 number of trials.phylo_data2.txtphy_dryadThe phylogenetic tree used in the analysis derived from Jetz et al. (2012).