scholarly journals Chick Growth and Breeding Success of the Burrowing Parrot

The Condor ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 574-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan F. Masello ◽  
Petra Quillfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Large Mass ◽  
Hatching Asynchrony ◽  
Brood Reduction ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Chick Growth ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Rio Negro ◽  
Nestling Period

Abstract We present the first data on the breeding biology of wild Burrowing Parrots (Cyanoliseus patagonus). We studied chick growth and breeding success at the largest colony of the species in the province of Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina, during the 1999–2000 breeding season. A very high fledging success was observed and related to the absence of nest predation and the colonial breeding system. Safe nest sites were also thought to favor large mass recession of the nestlings before fledging. Mortality during the nestling period tended to be higher for fourth and fifth nestlings of a brood, indicating that brood reduction occurred. Burrowing Parrots in the study colony showed large variability in growth parameters between nestlings, possibly related to the hatching asynchrony observed. Allometric relationships for egg mass, clutch size, relative clutch mass, and nestling period of 29 wild psittaciform species are described and compared with the data from the Burrowing Parrots. Desarrollo de los Pichones y Éxito de Nidificación de Cyanoliseus patagonus Resumen. Presentamos aquí los primeros datos de la biología reproductiva en estado silvestre del loro Cyanoliseus patagonus. Se estudió el crecimiento de los pichones y el éxito de nidificación en la colonia más importante de la especie (provincia de Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina) durante la temporada de cría 1999–2000. Se observó un alto éxito de emplumamiento de los pichones relacionado a la ausencia de depredación en el nido y al sistema colonial de nidificación que presenta la especie. Los sitios de nidificación seguros habrían favorecido la pronunciada pérdida de masa corporal observada en los pichones antes de abandonar el nido. La mortalidad durante el período de nidificación tendió a ser más alta para el cuarto y quinto pichón de la nidada, indicando la existencia de reducción de la camada. Los loros de la colonia estudiada mostraron gran variabilidad en los parámetros de desarrollo de los distintos pichones, estando ésto posiblemente relacionado con el nacimiento asincrónico de los pichones. Se describen también relaciones alométricas para la masa del huevo, el tamaño de la nidada, la masa relativa de la nidada y el período de permanencia en el nido de 29 psittaciformes silvestres y se comparan con los datos de C. patagonus.

Why is brood reduction in Florida scrub-jays higher in suburban than in wildland habitats?

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 1427-1435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew D Shawkey ◽  
Reed Bowman ◽  
Glen E Woolfenden
Keyword(s):  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Food Delivery ◽  
Food Abundance ◽  
Hatching Asynchrony ◽  
Brood Reduction ◽  
Florida Scrub ◽  
Quality Food ◽  
Habitat Differences ◽  
Nestling Period ◽  
Arthropod Abundance

In a population of Florida scrub-jays, Aphelocoma coerulescens (Bosc, 1795), in a suburban scrub habitat, partial brood loss is much more common (averaging about 30% of nestlings from successful nests) than in a natural habitat (averaging about 5%). We hypothesized that this partial brood loss was attributable to starvation of last-hatched nestlings (i.e., brood reduction), and that large differences in partial brood loss were caused by differences in arthropod food abundance between the two sites. To test these hypotheses, we closely monitored nests in suburban scrub in 1999 and performed arthropod surveys and focal-nest observations in both habitats in 1998 and 1999. In suburban scrub, later hatched nestlings were three times more likely to die before fledging than earlier hatched nestlings, suggesting that brood reduction occurred. In both years, arthropod abundance in the suburban scrub was less than half that of the natural scrub. However, patterns of food delivery by parents were not significantly different between sites, suggesting that lower food abundance does not in itself explain higher partial brood loss in suburban habitat. Differences in the number of helpers, a greater degree of hatching asynchrony or the delivery of lower quality food throughout the nestling period may increase the probability that later hatched nestlings starve in suburban scrub.

Ectoparasitic blow flies (Protocalliphora sp.) and nestling Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis): direct effects and compensatory strategies

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (7) ◽  
pp. 921-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Hannam
Keyword(s):  
Brood Reduction ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Compensatory Strategies ◽  
Blow Flies ◽  
Sialia Sialis ◽  
Eastern Bluebird ◽  
Eastern Bluebirds ◽  
Nestling Period ◽  
Host Parasite

Variation in environmental factors such as parasitism can have direct effects on an organism’s fitness. Because parasites draw resources directly from their hosts, they are expected to have negative effects; however, several nestling host – parasite systems show no evidence of direct effects. Absence of direct effects may be explained by compensation strategies used by parents or nestlings themselves. In this study evidence for both direct effects and compensatory strategies in a blow fly (genus Protocalliphora Hough, 1899) – Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis (L., 1758)) system were examined. Nestlings showed no direct effects of blow flies on survival and on size at fledging; however, parasitized broods were significantly anemic. There was no evidence for compensation by parents in the form of brood reduction and there was no support for compensation by nestlings via a hierarchy of tissue preservation. Nestlings did compensate for parasitism by accelerating growth at the end of the nestling period and delaying fledging.

Lack's Brood Reduction Hypothesis and Avian Hatching Asynchrony: What's Next?

Oikos ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trond Amundsen ◽  
Tore Slagsvold
Keyword(s):  
Hatching Asynchrony ◽  
Brood Reduction

scholarly journals Prevalence of Haemoproteus sp. in Galápagos blue-footed boobies: effects on health and reproduction

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
LARISA LEE-CRUZ ◽  
ANDREW A. CUNNINGHAM ◽  
PAMELA MARTÍNEZ ◽  
MARILYN CRUZ ◽  
SIMON J. GOODMAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Physiological Condition ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Infection Status ◽  
Chick Growth ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Blood Smears ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
The 1960S

SUMMARYPopulations of blue-footed boobies in the Galápagos Islands have declined by at least 50% compared with numbers recorded during the 1960s. Recently, concern has been expressed about potential adverse effects of introduced blood parasites; in particular, malarial parasites (i.e.Plasmodiumsp.), which are frequently pathogenic and can cause mortality and morbidity in birds, and blood parasites of the genusHaemoproteus, which can reduce fitness. We screened blue-footed boobies at six breeding colonies within Galápagos for both genera of parasite. At two sites, we also investigated whether there was any relationship between infection status and physiological condition or breeding success. We found a high prevalence ofHaemoproteusspp. in adults and chicks using PCR, although none was found on blood smears. We found no evidence ofPlasmodium.Effects of parasitism on the condition of birds were limited. Also, there was no evidence that infection withHaemoproteusadversely affected breeding success or chick growth. Our results suggest that poor success of breeding birds was not strongly associated withHaemoproteusinfection. However, regular colony monitoring and examination of dead birds are necessary to assess whether acuteHaemoproteusinfection might be responsible for some mortality, particularly of chicks.

scholarly journals Lesser double-collared sunbirdsNectarinia chalybeado not compensate for hatching asynchrony by adjusting egg mass or yolk androgens

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 635-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corine M. Eising ◽  
Raquel Robles ◽  
Maarten Lasthuizen ◽  
Ton G. G. Groothuis
Keyword(s):  
Hatching Asynchrony ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Yolk Androgens

Avian Breeding Adaptations: Hatching Asynchrony, Brood Reduction, and Nest Failure

1981 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Barrett Clark ◽  
David Sloan Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Hatching Asynchrony ◽  
Brood Reduction ◽  
Nest Failure
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