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Random egg-laying in host nests by common cuckoo
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AI
DOI：10.1007/s10682-026-10385-4.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Obligate brood parasitic cuckoos (Cuculus spp.) engage in a reproductive strategy of laying eggs in host nests, thereby effectively delegating the responsibilities of incubation and chick-rearing to other host species. The common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) as a generalist within the realm of avian brood parasitism has historically been a central subject of research on coevolution with its various hosts. An ongoing debate exists regarding whether common cuckoos choose host nests following an egg matching strategy. By using three groups of field experiments, this study examined how the common cuckoo lays parasitic eggs in nests of its common host, the Oriental reed warbler (ORW) (Acrocephalus orientalis). Our results demonstrated that the common cuckoo did not exhibit any notable selection preference for experimental nests containing different types of eggs. Thus, our findings provide direct experimental evidence in support of the random egg-laying hypothesis by cuckoos.
Keywords:
Brood parasitism
Egg matching strategy
Egg recognition
Oriental reed warbler
Reproductive strategies
Journal
E
IF:
2.1
Papers:
44
Citations:
0