No Seasonal Variation of the Sex Ratio in the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Broods

Cepková, Monika; Balážová, Mária; Melišková, Mária; Rubáčová-Turčoková, Lucia

doi:10.3161/00016454ao2019.54.2.002

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Blood samples (20-40µl) were obtained by brachial venipuncture and preserved in 96% ethanol. For more details see Cepková et al (2019Cepková et al ( , 2022.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Extra-Pair Paternity and Polygamy in the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Cepková

Melišková

Rubáčová

2022

Ardeola

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SummaryMonogamy was considered to be the most common mating system in birds. However, molecular techniques revealed numerous cases of extra-pair fertilisations (EPFs) in most bird species as well as multiple partners during breeding season. In this study, we examined the population of the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis breeding along the Danube River system in Slovakia during three consecutive breeding seasons (2016-2018). We analysed 618 individuals – 70 adults and 548 nestlings from 87 broods. Overall, six nestlings (1.09%) from three different broods (3.45%) were fathered by other than the pair male. None of the nestlings had a mother other than the pair female. Besides that, we detected two simultaneously polygamous males (5.13%). In seven cases (9.72%) we revealed mate change between different broods: female change in three cases (4.17%) and male change in four cases (5.55%). The occurrence of extra-pair nestlings as well as polygamy was not associated with the synchronicity of breeding attempts at the beginning of the season, while the type of mating strategy seems to be associated with nest density. At the same time, male body condition was unrelated to the type of mating strategy in which he was engaged. Conversely, polygamous males had higher genetic diversity (observed heterozygosity) than monogamous ones. No difference in genetic diversity was found between monogamous and polygamous females. There was no difference in breeding success before and after the change of partner. In addition, polygamous individuals did not have more young than monogamous birds, suggesting that having more than one partner does not ensure greater breeding productivity. This is probably why polygamy remains a minority strategy in the Common Kingfisher.—Cepková, M., Melišková, M. & Rubáčová, L. (2023). Low extra-pair paternity and polygamy in the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis. Ardeola, 70: 41-58.

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“…Blood samples (20-40µl) were obtained by brachial venipuncture and preserved in 96% ethanol. For more details see Cepková et al (2019Cepková et al ( , 2022.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Extra-Pair Paternity and Polygamy in the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Cepková

Melišková

Rubáčová

2022

Ardeola

Self Cite

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“…For example, Cepková et al . (2020) and Que et al . (2019) found no variation in sex ratios throughout the breeding season.…”

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confidence: 96%

Sex ratio of Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) is mediated by phenology and clutch size

Bartlow

Jankowski

Hathcock

et al. 2021

Ibis

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Mothers may produce more of one sex to maximize their fitness if there are differences in the cost of producing each sex or there are differences in their relative reproductive value. Breeding date and clutch size are known to influence offspring sex ratios in birds through sex differences in dispersal, social behaviours, differential mortality and available food resources. We tested whether breeding date, clutch size and drought conditions influenced offspring sex ratios in a sexually size‐monomorphic species, the Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana, by interrogating a 21‐year dataset. After controlling for differential mortality, we found that hatch dates late in the breeding season were associated with the production of more females, suggesting that the value of producing males declines as the breeding season progresses. When clutch size was taken into account, small clutches yielded significantly more females late in the breeding season than in the early and middle parts of the breeding season, which produced significantly more males. Large clutches early in the season tended to produce more females, although this was not significant. Drought severity was not correlated with sex ratio adjustment. We propose and discuss several explanations for these patterns, including male offspring, but not female offspring, acting as helpers, increased female nestling provisioning late in the breeding season, differences in food abundance and egg‐laying order. Future work will help to uncover the mechanisms leading to these patterns. Identifying patterns and mechanisms of sex ratio skew from long‐term datasets is important for informing predictions regarding life‐history trade‐offs in wildlife populations.

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