How Do Oriental Reed Warblers Recognize Cuckoo Eggs?

ABSTRACT: Oriental reed warblers (Acrocephalus orientalis) are favorite hosts of common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus). However, the cognitive basis and underlying mechanisms of the host egg discrimination behavior remain not well understood. In this study, we conducted egg recognition experiments using three egg mimicry levels (non, poorly, and highly mimetic eggs) to observe Oriental reed warbler behavior (rejection or acceptance) at three breeding stages (pre-egg-laying, single host egg, and multiple host eggs). Results showed that oriental reed warblers accepted all highly-mimetic (conspecific) eggs across all stages, while rejecting most non- and poorly mimetic eggs. Rejection rates for nonmimetic eggs were 100% in both pre-egg-laying and single-egg stages, and 86.7% in the multiple-eg

SUBMITTER: Yan H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12703115 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature