Variation in parental investment preferences for nestlings of the Gray-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus) in alpine environments.

ABSTRACT: In the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Gray-backed Shrike, a shrubland bird species of the plateau, confronts harsh living conditions. The impact of such an environment on their reproductive strategies has long intrigued us. This study reveals significant environmental effects on the investment of the Gray-backed Shrike during their nestling-rearing and egg-laying stages. (1) Based on measurements of 215 shrike eggs from 2017 to 2021, we found that under the cold alpine climate, Gray-backed Shrikes opt for a strategy of larger clutches and bigger eggs as average rainfall decreases. Concurrently, parents display a decreasing hatching order strategy, resulting in significant weight differences among newly hatched nestlings. (2) Marginal and core offspring exhibited no sig

SUBMITTER: Zeng J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11410560 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature