chutter

An alarm call used by vervets to warn of the presence of a snake.

Noun

  1. An alarm call used by vervets to warn of the presence of a snake.
    • Vervet monkeys have several different sorts of call, including "leopard alarm barks," "eagle rraups," and "snake chutters" (Struhsaker, 1967). - 1985, Alison Jolly, The Evolution of Primate Behavior, page 75:
    • The vervet's main claim to fame, however, lies in its alarm calls, in which it distinguishes between different types of predator: a chutter warns of the presence of a snake; a rraup is uttered when an eagle is spotted;...

Origin

Imitative.

Forms

chutters

Verb

  1. To make an alarm call of this kind.

Forms

chutters chuttering chuttered