Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Rosenfield, Robert N.
• Sonsthagen, Sarah A.
• Stout, William E.
• Driscoll, Timothy G.
• Stewart, Andrew C.
• Frater, Paul N.
• Talbot, Sandra L.

Titel

Combined high rates of alternative breeding strategies unexpectedly found among populations of a solitary nesting raptor

Ist Teil von

• Ecology and evolution, 2024-08, Vol.14 (8), p.e70190-n/a

Ort / Verlag

England: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

Wiley Online Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Social monogamy is the prevalent mating system in birds, but alternative strategies of extra‐pair paternity (EPP) and conspecific brood parasitism (CBP) occur in many species. Raptors are virtually absent in discussions of broad taxonomic reviews regarding EPP and CBP likely because these strategies are mostly absent or at low frequency; CBP is unreported in solitary nesting raptors. In contrast, we found high frequencies of EPP (16%–31%) and CBP (15%–26%) nests among three populations of Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) across the northern breeding range of this solitary nesting, socially monogamous species. EPP and CBP combined occurred in 42%–46% of all nests among populations and hence unexpectedly were nearly equivalent to proportions of genetically monogamous nests. Select covariates failed to predict presence of EPP and CBP in part because virtually all extra‐pair adults were uncaught and likely were floaters. We found no support for the hypothesis that territorial females traded copulations for food to maximize energy intake for increased production. Our unique discoveries enhance knowledge of the extent and diversity of alternative breeding strategies among groups of avian and other animal species. Raptors are virtually absent in discussions of broad taxonomic reviews regarding extra‐pair paternity (EPP) and conspecific brood parasitism (CBP) likely because these strategies are mostly absent or at low frequency. In contrast, we found high frequencies of EPP (16%–31%) and CBP (15–26%) per nest among three populations of Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) across the northern breeding range of this solitary nesting, socially monogamous species. Our unique discoveries enhance knowledge of the extent and diversity of alternative breeding strategies among groups of avian and other animal species.