Biology subjects

Schroth, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Schroth, L..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A wildlife behaviour detection model: a case study on the red-legged seriema

Object detection models based on deep learning are increasingly used to reduce the manual workload associated with the processing of video recordings in behavioural research, but reproducible workflows describing how ecologists can build such models themselves remain scarce. Here, we present a step-by-step workflow for constructing a species-specific detection model and apply it as a case study to the red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata), a widely distributed but poorly studied Neotropical bird. Using 60 videos recorded with camera traps as well as non-stop recording cameras at the campus of the Universidade Federal de Vicosa (Florestal, Minas Gerais, Brazil) between 2023 and 2026, we extracted and annotated 480 images to train a YOLO26-nano detection model. On the validation set, the model achieved a precision of 0.934 and a recall of 0.786 (mAP@50 = 0.870), while performance on the independent test set was slightly lower, with a precision of 0.865 and a recall of 0.740 (mAP@50 = 0.740). When applied to unseen footage, the model processed video at roughly 4.6 times real-time speed on a standard CPU and correctly classified all four test videos for the presence or absence of seriemas. Most missed detections involved seriemas that were distant, partially out of frame, or recorded with the lower-quality non-stop cameras. These results showed that a usable detection model can be built from a comparatively small curated dataset, and the accompanying workflow and code are intended to lower the barrier for ecologists seeking to apply object detection to their own study species.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2026

Trade-off between foraging and vigilance in the Red-legged Seriema

As foraging increases exposure to predators, individuals must allocate time to vigilance in addition to food acquisition. Although those behaviors are assumed to be mutually exclusive, this is often hard to disentangle, given that multiple sensory modalities are often applied. However, when foraging, animals often have one sensory modality more impaired (e.g. vision), than others (e.g. auditory); thus, a level of compromise on vigilance capabilities is assumed while foraging. Here, we test the idea that when a food item requires manipulation, thus reducing vigilance capabilities, social foraging should promote shared costs of vigilance. We conducted video recordings to investigate whether there is a trade-off between foraging and vigilance behavior in red-legged seriemas (Cariama cristata) when foraging in pairs. We studied the social foraging behavioral patterns while seriemas were feeding on macauba palm (Acrocomia aculeata) fruit, which requires a series of throwing maneuvers to crack the hard outer shell. Our results showed that within a pair recording one individual was observed to spend more time vigilant than their partner, while the other individual spent more time throwing fruit than their partner. However, we found no evidence for synchronization or coordination of vigilance and foraging between individuals within a feeding bout. These results provide insight into the foraging ecology of red-legged seriemas and the trade-off between foraging and vigilance in social contexts.

animal behavior and cognition↗