Behavioural changes in aposematic Heliconius melpomene butterflies in response to their predatory bird calls

Prey-predator interactions have resulted in the evolution of many anti-predatory traits. One of them is the ability of prey to listen to predators and avoid them. Although prey anti-predatory behavioural responses to predator auditory cues are well described in a wide range of taxa, studies on whether butterflies change their behaviours in response to their predatory calls are lacking. Heliconius butterflies are unpalatable and form Müllerian mimicry rings as morphological defence strategies against their avian predators. Like many other butterflies in the Nymphalidae family, some Heliconius butterflies possess auditory organs, which are hypothesized to assist with predator detection. Here we test whether Heliconius melpomene changes their behaviour in response to their predatory bird calls by observing the behaviour of male and female H. m. plessini exposed to calls of Heliconius avian predators: rufous-tailed jacamar, migratory Eastern kingbird, and resident tropical kingbird. We also..., , , # Behavioural changes in aposematic *Heliconius melpomene* butterflies in response to their predatory bird calls

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x3ffbg7rp](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x3ffbg7rp)

This includes two datasets: Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 datasets. Within each, there are 5 sheets:

1. Binary change in behaviour at 3 critical time points (when the call starts, ends, and before the start and after the end of calls)
2. 3-minute data for males (a minute before, during, and after the call)
3. 3-minute data for females (a minute before, during, and after the call)
4. 28-minute data for males (14 minutes before, and after the call)
5. 28-minute data for females (14 minutes before, and after the call)

In the Experiment 1 datasheet, each sheet contains the details of each variable in that particular sheet at the far right of the data. Please refer to the methods section of the manuscript for more details. The same variables are repeated in the experiment 2 datasheet.