Jose Javier Palomino

Food acquisition by common cuckoo chicks in rufous bush robin nests and the advantage of eviction behaviour

The common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, is a brood parasite that monopolizes parental care of its host species: soon after hatching, the chicks remove the host offspring. Although cuckoo chicks trick their foster parents into providing enough food, it is unknown whether cuckoo begging behaviour represents an advantage over that of the host chicks in a hypothetical competitive scenario. We studied the feeding behaviour of rufous bush robins, Cercotrichas galactotes, when rearing their own and parasitic chicks in natural and in experimental nests where a cuckoo and a host brood were presented simultaneously to parents. In natural parasitized and nonparasitized nests, the feeding rate for cuckoo chicks did not differ from that of a single host chick of the same age, but cuckoos were fed with a different diet and with larger prey. Thus, cuckoo chicks received a similar amount of food to that received by a whole host brood. Cuckoo chicks in experimental nests did not receive a diet, prey size or feeding rate different to that received by a single host chick and thus received considerably less food than cuckoo chicks in unmanipulated nests. These results suggest that cuckoo chicks could not outcompete host chicks, at least when parasitizing this host species, and thus that their eviction behaviour is beneficial. We discuss various explanations for the inability of cuckoos to outcompete host chicks.

Song structure in the Hoopoe (Upupa epops) — Strophe length reflects male condition

The structure of Hoopoe (Upupa epops) song is analysed in a colour ringed population in southern Spain. The song of males in this species is very simple, with a repertoire size of one. The strophes of a male only differ in the number of elements that they include (strophe length), and strophe length is the main song feature differing between males. During the prelaying period each individual used mainly strophes of only two lengths, between 2 and 6 elements per strophe, and mean strophe length of males during this period was highly repeatable. However, some males changed the range of strophe types produced and decreased their mean strophe length after unsuccessful breeding or spending long periods of time singing (unpaired males). These changes show that strophe length is phenotypically plastic, and suggest that singing long strophes is energetically more costly than singing short ones. The significant relationship between strophe length and body condition, and the fact that long strophes were associated with longer previous pauses than short strophes, also suggest that increasing strophe length is costly. All these findings are in accordance with the hypothesis that strophe length reflects male condition in the Hoopoe, although it is not clear what the actual cost of singing long strophes is. Die Struktur des Gesangs des Wiedehopfs wurde in einer farbberingten südspanischen Population untersucht. Der Gesang des Männchens ist sehr einfach und umfaßt nur ein Repertoire. Die Strophen eines Männchens differieren nur in der Anzahl Elemente (Strophenlänge), und die Männchen unterscheiden sich vor allem in der Strophenlänge voneinander. In der Vorbrutphase verwendeten die Männchen meist nur zwei verschieden lange Strophen, bestehend aus 2 und 6 Elementen je Strophe, und die durchschnittliche Strophenlänge war in dieser Phase sehr konstant. Nach Brutverlust oder bei kontinuierlich singenden, ledigen Männchen kam es zu einer Verkürzung der mittleren Strophenlänge. Die Strophenlänge ist phänotypisch plastisch, und lange Strophen zu singen scheint energetisch aufwendiger als kurze Strophen. Der enge Zusammenhang zwischen Strophenlänge und männlicher Konstitution einerseits und die Beobachtung, daß lange Strophen mit langen Pausen korrelieren andererseits, zeigen ebenfalls, daß längere Strophen energetisch aufwendiger sind. Die wirklichen Kosten dafür sind jedoch noch nicht bekannt.

Communal parental care by monogamous magpie hosts of fledgling great spotted cuckoos

Fledglings of the brood-parasitic Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) often formed groups with other fledgling cuckoos. Group size ranged from one to five fledglings that originated from one to four different host nests. Each group of cuckoo fledglings was attended by a group of Black-billed magpies (Pica pica). Frequently, a fledgling group was attended by more magpies than ones involved in nestling care. The feeding rate of fledgling cuckoos increased with the number of cuckoos per group and number of adult magpies attending the group. Flocking behavior presumably was advantageous for cuckoo fledglings because each fledgling in larger groups received more food.

Determinants of reproductive success in the Rufous Bush Robin(Cercotrichas galactotes)

Over a 3-year period, we studied determinants of reproductive success in a population of the migratory Rufous Bush Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes) parasitized by the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). Seasonal reproductive success (as measured by the number of fledglings produced) depended on the number of successful broods raised. Many breeding attempts failed owing to predation, probably by cuckoos, which mainly affected first and replacement clutches. Clutch size did not follow the general trend for multi-brooded species (mid-season peak), but showed a maximum early in the season, perhaps a consequence of delayed arrivals due to the negative effects of nest predation and parasitism through cuckoos. Interannual differences in several variables of breeding success might be explained by marginally significant between year differences in the number of nests depredated and/or parasitized. Breeding success appeared to be independent of parental body size, but female condition (as measured by the number of light bands) had a powerful effect, with females in poor condition having less fledglings in the season, and lower fledging success (proportion of nestlings that fledged) and nesting success (proportion of eggs that produced fledglings), than females in prime condition. Furthermore, age influenced breeding success, with old individuals producing more and heavier fledglings in the season than did yearlings. Poor breeding success or partner condition were unlikely to initiate divorce, but rates of nest predation, which are probably linked to the male contribution in nest defence, appeared to increase the probability of divorce. Von 1993 – 1995 wurde in einer vom Kuckuck (Cuculus canorus) parasitierten Population des Heckensängers (Cercotrichas galactotes) im südliche Spanien untersucht, welche Faktoren den Bruterfolg bestimmen. Der Gesamtreproduktionserfolg (Anzahl flügge Jungvögel) war abhängig von der Anzahl erfolgreicher Bruten. Viele Brutversuche blieben wegen Prädation, wohl durch den Kuckuck, erfolglos, was vornehmlich Erst- und Ersatzbruten betraf. Die Gelegegröße war nicht, wie bei anderen Mehrfachbrütern, zur Mitte der Brutzeit am größten, sondern zu Beginn. Ursache hierfür könnte eine verspätete Rückkehr der Vögel ins Brutgebiet sein, die ihrerseits eine Folge der frühen Nestprädation und der Parasitierung durch den Kuckuck sein könnte. Jährliche Unterschiede werden mit Unterschieden in der Prädationsrate und/oder der Parasitierungsrate erklärt. Der Bruterfolg war unabhängig von der elterlichen Körpergröße. Die Kondition der Weibchen, gemessen an den Wachstumsstreifen im Großgefieder, hatte jedoch einen starken Einfluß. Schwächere Weibchen hatten einen signifikant geringeren Schlüpf-, Ausfliege- und Gesamtbruterfolg als konditionell stärkere Weibchen. Zudem hatten ältere Vögel einen besseren Bruterfolg und kräftigere Junge als Jungvögel in ihrem ersten Brutjahr. Nestprädation, aber nicht geringer Bruterfolg oder physische Kondition der Partner, erhöhte die Scheidungsrate von Paaren.