scholarly journals First Evidence of Conspecific Brood Parasitism and Egg Ejection in Song Sparrows, With Comments on Methods Sufficient to Document These

The Condor ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 452-458
Author(s):  
Quresh S. Latif ◽  
J. Letitia Grenier ◽  
Sacha K. Heath ◽  
Grant Ballard ◽  
Mark E. Hauber
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Analysis ◽  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Nest Predation ◽  
Molothrus Ater ◽  
Separate Study ◽  
Conspecific Brood Parasitism ◽  
Egg Ejection ◽  
Song Sparrows ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism ◽  
Egg Marking

Abstract Conspecific brood parasitism occurs in many songbird species but has not been reported in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia). In three separate study areas where breeding Song Sparrows experience heavy nest predation pressure and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism, we observed six instances in which newly laid eggs were attributable to female Song Sparrows other than the nest owners. We also recorded the ejection of a sparrow egg from each of two videotaped nests. In a fourth study area without cowbird parasitism, genetic analysis of parentage revealed no conspecific brood parasitism. Given that egg ejection can accompany conspecific parasitism in Song Sparrows, we suggest that daily nest checks are insufficient to document the frequency of this tactic in some species in the absence of egg marking, videotaping, or genetic analyses. Since standard nest monitoring techniques may fail to detect conspecific brood parasitism, this behavior could be more prevalent than currently thought.

scholarly journals Eastern Bluebirds Eject Brown-Headed Cowbird Eggs

The Condor ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 741-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian D. Peer ◽  
Lyndon R. Hawkins ◽  
Edwin P. Steinke ◽  
Patricia Blair Bollinger ◽  
Eric K. Bollinger
Keyword(s):  
Selective Pressure ◽  
Molothrus Ater ◽  
Conspecific Brood Parasitism ◽  
Sialia Sialis ◽  
Eastern Bluebird ◽  
Egg Ejection ◽  
Cavity Nesting ◽  
Eastern Bluebirds ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The relationship between the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) and its cavity-nesting hosts has received little attention because of the assumption that cowbirds rarely parasitize these hosts. We tested the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), a host that is sometimes heavily parasitized by cowbirds, for egg ejection behavior. Bluebirds ejected 65% of experimentally added cowbird eggs (n  =  20), but ejected no experimentally added conspecific eggs (n  =  66). This suggests that cowbird parasitism, not conspecific brood parasitism, is the selective pressure responsible for egg ejection in this species. This level of rejection may be conservative because bluebirds nest in dark cavities, which may make cowbird eggs difficult to detect by bluebirds.

FIRST EVIDENCE OF CONSPECIFIC BROOD PARASITISM AND EGG EJECTION IN SONG SPARROWS, WITH COMMENTS ON METHODS SUFFICIENT TO DOCUMENT THESE

The Condor ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quresh S. Latif ◽  
J. Letitia Grenier ◽  
Sacha K. Heath ◽  
Grant. Ballard ◽  
Mark E. Hauber
Keyword(s):  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Conspecific Brood Parasitism ◽  
Egg Ejection ◽  
Song Sparrows

Nest Predation and Cowbird Parasitism Create a Demographic Sink in Wetland-Breeding Song Sparrows

The Condor ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 622-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Rogers ◽  
Mary J. Taitt ◽  
Gwen Jongejan
Keyword(s):  
Nest Predation ◽  
Song Sparrows ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism

scholarly journals Creamy-Bellied Thrush Defenses Against Shiny Cowbird Brood Parasitism

The Condor ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 107 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea A. Astie ◽  
Juan C. Reboreda
Keyword(s):  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Hatching Success ◽  
Simultaneous Presentation ◽  
Control Model ◽  
Nest Attendance ◽  
Chick Survival ◽  
Molothrus Bonariensis ◽  
Egg Ejection ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism ◽  
Recognition Errors

AbstractWe studied Creamy-bellied Thrush (Turdus amaurochalinus) defenses against brood parasitism by Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis). Shiny Cowbirds decrease the reproductive success of Creamy-bellied Thrushes, and having historical habitats and ranges that overlap, we expected that thrushes possess antiparasitic defenses. We analyzed nest attendance during prelaying, laying and incubation; responses to the presentation of a model of a female cowbird or a control species close to the nest; nest abandonment associated with parasitism; and responses to experimental parasitism with white or spotted cowbird eggs (with or without the simultaneous presentation of a female cowbird model). Nest attendance was 58%–68% during prelaying and 83%–90% during laying and incubation. Thrushes had a shorter latency in returning near the nest and visited nests more frequently when we presented the cowbird model than the control model. The frequency of abandonment of parasitized nests was low and was not temporally associated with parasitism. Thrushes ejected white eggs more frequently than spotted eggs when parasitism was associated with the presentation of the cowbird model, but there were no differences when the model was absent. Our results indicate that Creamy-bellied Thrushes recognize cowbirds as a threat and eject white but not spotted cowbird eggs. We postulate that the low impact of cowbird parasitism on thrush hatching success and chick survival and the likelihood of recognition errors when parasite eggs resemble host eggs may have prevented the evolution of egg ejection in this host.

scholarly journals Geographic Variation in Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus Ater) Parasitism on Dickcissels (Spiza Americana) in Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie

The Auk ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 648-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Jensen ◽  
Jack F. Cully
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Variation ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Molothrus Ater ◽  
Grassland Birds ◽  
Spiza Americana ◽  
Flint Hills ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract The incidence of brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater; hereafter “cowbirds“) within host species typically reflects the continental pattern in cowbird abundance across North America, where parasitism is heaviest in the Great Plains. However, we found considerable variation in cowbird parasitism on Dickcissel (Spiza americana) nests within a subregion of the Great Plains (the Flint Hills), where the highest levels of cowbird parasitism on grassland bird nests had been previously reported. Local parasitism frequencies on Dickcissel nests varied latitudinally across the Flint Hills, ranging from 0% to 92% of nests parasitized. Interestingly, we found no obvious patterns in habitat or host attributes that were associated with this steep geographic gradient in brood parasitism. Cowbird parasitism on Dickcissel nests was not correlated with the vertical density of local prairie vegetation, mean nest distance to edge, proportion of forest to grassland habitat surrounding study sites (≤5 to 10 km), geographic variation in host abundance, or Dickcissel density or nest initiation dates. Parasitism frequencies and intensities (number of cowbird eggs per parasitized nest) on Dickissel nests were only significantly related to variation in local female cowbird density. Dickcissel clutch size and apparent fledging success were negatively correlated with local cowbird parasitism levels. Geographic patterns in cowbird abundance within and among regions should be considered when establishing conservation areas for grassland birds or other cowbird hosts of concern.

Age-dependent costs of cowbird parasitism in Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia)

2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
pp. 505-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Rock ◽  
S.P. Quinlan ◽  
M. Martin ◽  
D.J. Green
Keyword(s):  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Molothrus Ater ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Annual Productivity ◽  
Yellow Warblers ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism ◽  
Breeding Attempt ◽  
Setophaga Petechia

Brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater (Boddaert, 1783)) often reduces the reproductive success of their hosts. We examined whether the ability of females to avoid or mitigate the costs of brood parasitism improved with age in a population of Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia (L., 1766)) breeding near Revelstoke, British Columbia, between 2004 and 2011. Cowbirds parasitized 18% of Yellow Warbler nesting attempts and females rejected 24% of parasitized nests, principally by deserting the nest and initiating a new breeding attempt. We found no evidence that older females were better at avoiding parasitism or more likely to reject parasitized nests than yearlings. On average, brood parasitism reduced clutch sizes by 0.8 eggs, had no effect on nest success, but reduced the number of young fledged from successful nests by 1.3 offspring. Despite age-related improvement in some measures of breeding performance, the costs of brood parasitism at each period of the breeding cycle did not vary with age. There was, however, some evidence, that brood parasitism reduced the annual productivity (total number of young fledged) of older females less than the annual productivity of yearlings suggesting that the cumulative costs of brood parasitism varied with age.

scholarly journals Conflicting Temporal Changes in the Frequency and Intensity of Cowbird Parasitism on Four Common Hosts in Ontario over 130 Years

The Condor ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 238-242
Author(s):  
Celia M. McLaren ◽  
Todd J. Underwood ◽  
Spencer G. Sealy
Keyword(s):  
Molothrus Ater ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Cardinalis Cardinalis ◽  
Vireo Olivaceus ◽  
Song Sparrows ◽  
Limited Support ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cowbird Parasitism ◽  
Northern Cardinals ◽  
Spizella Passerina

AbstractWe tested the hypothesis proposed by Friedmann (1963) that multiple parasitism (nests with more than one parasitic egg) by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) is a recent phenomenon associated with increased densities of cowbirds. We used Ontario Nest Records Scheme data to quantify frequencies of parasitism and multiple parasitism on four common host species over the last 130 years. Frequency of multiple parasitism significantly increased over all decades only in Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina). We also analyzed data separately before and after 1970 because at about this time cowbird abundance began to stabilize and then decline. Pre-1970, multiple parasitism significantly increased on Chipping Sparrows and Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), but neither had significant trends post-1970. There were no significant trends in multiple parasitism on Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus) or Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis). For all time periods analyzed, there were no significant trends in overall frequency of parasitism on any species. Our results provide limited support for the hypothesis that temporal variation in parasitism patterns has followed changes in cowbird density over the past century.

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