Males feed their mates more and take more risks for nestlings with larger female-built nests: an experimental study in the Nuthatch Sitta europaea

Cantarero, Alejandro; López‐Arrabé, Jimena; Plaza, Mireia; Saavedra, Irene; Moreno, Juan C.

doi:10.1007/s00265-016-2122-2

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Nests were randomly assigned to either control or experimental treatments on the first day of construction [39]. On that day, females were captured by using a conventional nest-box trap [40]. The trap was active for a maximum of 1 h to minimize disturbance.…”

Section: Materials and Methods (A) Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimentally flight-impaired females show higher levels of extra-pair paternity in the pied flycatcherFicedula hypoleuca

et al. 2019

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There is no consensus yet on the reasons why females engage in extra-pair copulations (EPCs). In some species, females have been shown to accrue some indirect benefits, but these effects are not consistent across species and studies. The sexual conflict hypothesis posits that extra-pair paternity (EPP) is the result of strong selection for male pursuit of EPC without real benefits for females. In order to test this hypothesis, we experimentally reduced wing area (reversibly tying together some primary feathers), in a group of pied flycatcher females ( Ficedula hypoleuca ). The manipulation increases wing loading (body mass/wing area), which is negatively associated with flying ability, and thus with the capacity to escape from unwanted copulations. We compared the levels of EPP in this experimental group with those of a group of un-manipulated females. Experimental females almost doubled the proportion of extra-pair young (EPY) with respect to control females. In addition, more males sired EPY in experimental than in control broods containing EPY. These results suggest that in our study population, EPP could be partially a product of female capacity to avoid EPCs. We also discuss the alternative hypothesis that results might be due to an eventual reduction of female attractiveness.

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Section: Materials and Methods (A) Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimentally flight-impaired females show higher levels of extra-pair paternity in the pied flycatcherFicedula hypoleuca

et al. 2019

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“…On the other hand, recent studies have found that nest size constitutes a signal of female quality, with males allocating more energy to reproduction when females build larger nests (Cantarero et al . ; Jelínek et al . ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevation has contrasting effects on avian and mammalian nest traits in the Andean temperate mountains

et al. 2019

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Nest building is a widespread breeding strategy across taxa. Nest composition and structure can play a critical role in the breeding success and/or adult survival of nest-building vertebrates. Although nest traits are expected to vary adaptively across elevational gradients, few studies address this relationship. We studied the variation in nest traits (composition and structure) across elevation for two taxa with two different functions in the Andean temperate forests of southern Chile: a bird (Aphrastura spinicauda, Furnariidae, 170 breeding nests) and a marsupial mammal (Dromiciops gliroides, Microbiotheriidae, 91 winter torpor nests). For A. spinicauda, we further assessed how nest traits influenced clutch size and hatching success. Both species used fewer types of nest materials (items) with increasing elevation, and a greater proportion of leaves were used in highland compared to lowland forests. Aphrastura spinicauda used feathers and hair, and D. gliroides used bryophytes more frequently in lowland forests. The mass and volume of nests decreased with increasing elevation for A. spinicauda and increased for D. gliroides. Nest traits had subsequent fitness consequences for A. spinicauda, such that: (i) greater cup volume and depth were associated with larger clutch sizes, (ii) more items used during nest building were linked to improved clutch size at high elevation only, and (iii) nest wall thickness was negatively associated with hatching success. Thus, in temperate mountain ecosystems, elevation may be an important factor influencing nest-building behaviour for cavity-using vertebrates. However, the direction of the elevational effects may vary among taxa and nest functions in these ecosystems.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

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“…The value of the brood could depend on various nest-or parent-specific variables (e.g. number and age of the nestlings: Amat et al (1996); health condition of the parents: Cantarero et al, 2016). We intended to characterise the value of the brood by using the number and age of the nestlings, but these variables did not affect the risk-taking behaviour of the parents.…”

Section: Contextsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-dependent risk-taking behaviour towards different predatory stimuli in the collared flycatcher

Krenhardt

Markó

Jablonszky

et al. 2021

Behavioural Processes

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Males feed their mates more and take more risks for nestlings with larger female-built nests: an experimental study in the Nuthatch Sitta europaea

Cited by 15 publications

References 59 publications

Experimentally flight-impaired females show higher levels of extra-pair paternity in the pied flycatcherFicedula hypoleuca

Experimentally flight-impaired females show higher levels of extra-pair paternity in the pied flycatcherFicedula hypoleuca

Elevation has contrasting effects on avian and mammalian nest traits in the Andean temperate mountains

Sex-dependent risk-taking behaviour towards different predatory stimuli in the collared flycatcher

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