Breeding stages affect egg recognition in azure-winged magpies (Cyanopica cyanus).

ABSTRACT: Egg rejection often involves a cognitive process of recognizing foreign eggs, which can vary not only between species or among different individuals of the same species, but also within the same individual during different breeding stages, leading to markedly different responses to parasitic eggs. We conducted a comparative study in Wuhan, Hubei, and Fusong, Jilin, China, on the recognition and rejection behavior of azure-winged magpies (Cyanopica cyanus) at different breeding stages (pre-egg-laying, one-host-egg, multi-host-egg and early incubation stages). In the Fusong population, there was a significant difference in the rejection rate of model eggs by azure-winged magpies at different stages of the egg-laying period. During the one-host-egg stage, the rejection rate (63.6%) was signif

SUBMITTER: Liu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11525317 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature