Early Warning Systems in the Forest
Animal Communication Networks with Erick Greene
Erick will share fascinating discoveries he and his students at UM have made about how animals communicate about danger. They have found that birds and other animals have remarkably specific alarm calls: for example, “snake on the ground,” “flying hawk,” “perched hawk”, and so forth. It also turns out that animals understand the alarm calls of other species, so many animals in the woods are cooperating to produce a “distant early warning system.” Anyone who has tried to walk quietly or hunt in the woods has likely been the subject of this communication network! Erick will explain how alarm calls work, and demonstrate the amazing infoscape that exists in our woods.
Dr. Erick Greene is a wildlife biologist and professor, and the Director of University of Montana’s Bird Ecology Lab. He has conducted research on wildlife around the world, including in the Blackfoot watershed!
Please contact Education Coordinator Elaine Caton at elaine@blackfootchallenge.org with questions.
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