Synchronisation of parental behaviours reduces the risk of nest predation in a socially monogamous passerine bird.

ABSTRACT: Social monogamy with bi-parental care is the most common breeding pattern in birds, yet cooperation between mates has not been intensively studied to date. In this study we investigate synchronisation of parental behaviours in the blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, a species characterized by bi-parental care and high nest predation. We test the hypothesis that mates synchronize their behaviours to decrease total activity at the nest, which is known to affect predation rate in birds. We examine if blackcap parents synchronise their feeding trips more when nestlings are at the poikilothermic stage, and they may be more vulnerable to nest predation due to their inability to escape and survive outside the nest without parental brooding. We also investigate the alternation of feeding trips by parents

SUBMITTER: Leniowski K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5943351 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature