Copulation patterns of African marsh harriers: Evaluating the paternity assurance hypothesis

Simmons, Robert E.

doi:10.1016/s0003-3472(05)80181-2

Cited by 44 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Frequent copulations may also increase the certainty of paternity for males through sperm competition, as reported for other raptors (Simmons 1990, Negro et al 1992, Arroyo 1999. Indeed, Swainson's Hawks in our study population sometimes copulated multiple times per hour (C. Briggs, pers.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Extra-pair paternity in Swainson's Hawks

Briggs

Collopy

2012

Journal of Field Ornithology

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Although passerines have been relatively well studied and many species found to exhibit relatively high rates of extra‐pair paternity (EPP), less is known about the frequency of EPP in other avian taxa, including raptors. From 2008 to 2010, we examined the frequency of EPP in a population of Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in Butte Valley, California. We examined paternity of 56 nestlings from 19 pairs and 27 broods and found that only three nestlings (5%) in two (7%) broods were the result of extrapair fertilizations. This relatively low frequency of EPP may be the result of mechanisms that reduce the likelihood of extra‐pair fertilization (e.g., mate guarding and frequent copulation), or could result from females limiting EPP to assure paternity of the social male and ensure paternal investment in offspring.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Extra-pair paternity in Swainson's Hawks

Briggs

Collopy

2012

Journal of Field Ornithology

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“…The potential for females to increase energy intake via courtship feeding would presumably be enhanced in an urban setting where a high nesting density may increase the likelihood of extra‐pair males encountering female Cooper's Hawks, or for females to encounter extra‐pair males with prey and trade copulations for food. However, researchers have reported little or no association between courtship feeding and copulations in other raptors, e.g., Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus , Birkhead and Lessels ), Merlins (Sodhi ), Montagu's Harriers ( Circus pygargus , Arroyo ), African Marsh‐Harriers ( C. ranivorus , Simmons ), and American Kestrels (Villarroel et al ), and thus a strategy of trading copulations for food, and the possible influence of such trades on EPP, seems less likely to occur in other raptors ( sensu Birkhead and Lessells 1988).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High frequency of extra-pair paternity in an urban population of Cooper's Hawks

et al. 2015

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Raptors exhibit some of the highest rates of intra‐pair copulations among birds, perhaps in an attempt by males to reduce the risk of being cuckolded. Indeed, the frequency of extra‐pair fertilizations reported in studies of raptors to date is relatively low (0–11.2%). Socially monogamous Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) exhibit one of the highest copulation rates among birds, yet there are no published accounts of extra‐pair copulations (or paternity). We studied a population of Cooper's Hawks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during three breeding seasons (2003, 2004, and 2007), examining the possible effects of age (1 yr old vs. ≥ 2 yr old), adult mass, and brood size on the frequency of extra‐pair paternity (EPP). We found that 19.3% of nestlings (N = 27/140) were extra‐pair young (EPY), and 34% of all broods (N = 15/44) had at least one EPY. The sires of the EPY in our study were identified for only two broods, suggesting that floater males may have engaged in extra‐pair copulations with territorial females. We found that brood size was a good predictor of the occurrence of EPP (EPP) in nests, but adult mass and female age were not. To our knowledge, these possible correlates of the occurrence of EPP in raptors had not previously been investigated. Male Cooper's Hawks provide food for females during the pre‐nesting period, and delivery of food is, in contrast to other raptor species, typically followed by copulation. Thus, one possible explanation of the relatively high rates of EPP in our study is that females might accept or even solicit extra‐pair copulations from males other than their mates as a means of maximizing energy intake for egg production. Such behavior might be particularly likely in our study area, i.e., a food‐rich urban setting with a high breeding density of Cooper's Hawks.

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“…Observations made both in Italy and central Europe showed that nearly all wintering Marsh Harriers were adult females and juveniles (Chiavetta 1981, Clarke 1995, Agostini and Logozzo 2000. Female harriers, being larger than males both among adults and juveniles (Cramp and Simmons 1980), are able to capture larger prey and, probably, tolerate colder temperatures and fast longer (Newton 1979, Kerlinger 1989, Clarke 1995, Simmons 2000. For this reason, males, too small to compete with females for carrions and less able to kill waterfowls (Clarke 1995), could have a stronger tendency to migrate over a long distance after leaving their breeding areas (Agostini and Logozzo 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Autumn migration of Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) across the Central Mediterranean in 2002

Agostini

Charles

Panuccio

2003

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Observations on the autumn migration of the Marsh Harrier were made at two sites of the central Mediterranean: the Circeo promontory (central Italy) and the island of Malta. The aim was to investigate the passage of birds belonging to different sex and age classes. At the Circeo promontory a total of 787 individuals was counted, 37.5% of which were juveniles. Over the island of Malta the passage of 1535 Marsh Harriers was recorded with an evident peak comprising 906 birds on 13 September. At both sites males outnumbered females, mostly within the first half of September. Because, at least among adults, an imbalance towards females has been reported in the population wintering in central Europe, our results suggest that adult males could have a stronger tendency to migrate over a long distance, crossing the central Mediterranean area in large numbers. Whereas females, being larger than males, are able to tolerate colder temperatures and fast longer. Finally, our counts confirm the increase of the European population of the Marsh Harrier, which has occurred for the last three decades.

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Copulation patterns of African marsh harriers: Evaluating the paternity assurance hypothesis

Cited by 44 publications

References 22 publications

Extra-pair paternity in Swainson's Hawks

Extra-pair paternity in Swainson's Hawks

High frequency of extra-pair paternity in an urban population of Cooper's Hawks

Autumn migration of Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) across the Central Mediterranean in 2002

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