NDLI: Experimental evidence for an antipredatory function of egg rejection behaviour in a common host of the brood-parasitic shiny cowbird

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	De Mársico, María C. Ursi, Cynthia A. Reboreda, Juan C.
Copyright Year	2016
Abstract	The rejection of foreign eggs is the most effective adaptation against brood parasitism in birds. Many hosts, however, show suboptimal responses towards parasitic eggs, which could reflect a compromise between the benefits and costs of egg rejection. Some large-sized hosts of the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) accept any spotted parasite egg but reject a rarer pure white egg morph that occurs only in some parts of the parasite’s distribution. This behaviour is intriguing because it is not an effective defence against parasitism and recent evidences suggest that large-sized hosts could benefit from accepting cowbird eggs as this may dilute the risk of host egg losses at multiply parasitized nests. We studied whether rejection of pure white cowbird eggs can be driven by the increased predation risk of host nests parasitized with this conspicuous egg morph. We conducted a nest predation experiment using artificial clutches placed in natural, inactive nests of a large-sized host, the chalk-browed mockingbird (Mimus saturninus). Clutches consisted of two eggs resembling either one host plus one pure white cowbird egg, one host plus one spotted cowbird egg or two host eggs. Clutches with pure white eggs were more likely to be predated than those having either two host eggs or one host and one spotted cowbird egg, supporting an antipredatory function of egg rejection behaviour in mockingbirds. These results suggest that nest predation could operate as part of larger fitness trade-offs shaping host responses towards foreign eggs. Considering the role of nest predation in the studies of host rejection decisions would help to better understand the evolution and expression of antiparasite defences, especially when the hosts seem to behave suboptimally against costly brood parasitism.One major goal in avian brood parasitism research is to explain the evolution of host defences against parasite eggs and young. Some large-sized hosts of the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) show an intriguing behaviour: they accept spotted cowbird eggs but reject a rare pure white egg morph that occurs only in some parts of the parasite’s distribution. Such behaviour provides little protection against parasitism, but it may serve as an antipredatory defence if conspicuous pure white eggs facilitate the detection of host nests to potential predators. Our study supports this idea by showing that pure white eggs increase the risk of nest predation compared to spotted host and cowbird eggs in a common large-sized host, the chalk-browed mockingbird (Mimus saturninus). These findings highlight the importance of considering the role of nest predation in the expression of hosts’ strategies against parasitism.
Starting Page	1689
Ending Page	1697
Page Count	9
File Format	PDF
ISSN	03405443
Journal	Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Volume Number	70
Issue Number	10
e-ISSN	14320762
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Publisher Date	2016-06-28
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Brood parasitism Cowbird Egg rejection Molothrus Nest predation Behavioral Sciences Zoology Animal Ecology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Eggshell spotting in brood parasitic shiny cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) is not linked to the female sex chromosome

Cues used by shiny cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) to locate and parasitise chalk-browed mockingbird (Mimus saturninus) nests

Data from: Host provisioning behavior favors mimetic begging calls in a brood-parasitic cowbird (Dataset)

Planning host exploitation through prospecting visits by parasitic cowbirds

Data from: Thick eggshells of brood parasitic cowbirds protect their eggs and damage host eggs during laying (Dataset)

A novel method of rejection of brood parasitic eggs reduces parasitism intensity in a cowbird host

No evidence of conspecific brood parasitism provoking egg rejection in thrushes

Utilization of a new host in the screaming cowbird Molothrus rufoaxillaris, a host specialist brood parasite: host switch or host acquisition?

Do common cuckoo chicks suffer nest predation more than host nestlings?

Experimental evidence for an antipredatory function of egg rejection behaviour in a common host of the brood-parasitic shiny cowbird

Similar Documents

Eggshell spotting in brood parasitic shiny cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) is not linked to the female sex chromosome

Cues used by shiny cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) to locate and parasitise chalk-browed mockingbird (Mimus saturninus) nests

Data from: Host provisioning behavior favors mimetic begging calls in a brood-parasitic cowbird (Dataset)

Planning host exploitation through prospecting visits by parasitic cowbirds

Data from: Thick eggshells of brood parasitic cowbirds protect their eggs and damage host eggs during laying (Dataset)

A novel method of rejection of brood parasitic eggs reduces parasitism intensity in a cowbird host

No evidence of conspecific brood parasitism provoking egg rejection in thrushes

Utilization of a new host in the screaming cowbird Molothrus rufoaxillaris, a host specialist brood parasite: host switch or host acquisition?

Do common cuckoo chicks suffer nest predation more than host nestlings?

Experimental evidence for an antipredatory function of egg rejection behaviour in a common host of the brood-parasitic shiny cowbird