Back to Search
Start Over
Postfledging behavior of the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) attended by the Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs): a comprehensive approach to study the least-known stage of brood parasite–host coevolution
- Source :
- The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 130:536-542
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Wilson Ornithological Society, 2018.
-
Abstract
- In contrast to the thoroughly studied incubation and nestling periods, the postfledging period of the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) remains virtually unknown. Here, we report detailed observations of a cuckoo fledgling attended by a male Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). Molecular data (nuclear DNA) showed the fledgling was a male belonging to the Cuculus c. canorus/C. saturatus clade while mitochondrial DNA data confirmed that it did not belong to blue egg gens that parasitizes Redstarts (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), which is the most common local host and the only regular Common Cuckoo host. During one week of observations, feeding rates did not change, body mass decreased (by 10%), and wing length increased (by 16%). Video recordings showed that the provided diet consisted mostly of larvae and that the fledgling also self-fed on lichens. A radio transmitter fitted on the fledgling revealed that daily movement distances ranged from 0 to 650 m and significantly increased with age. We suggest that fu...
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Fringilla
Brood parasite
Larva
Ecology
biology
Host (biology)
05 social sciences
Zoology
biology.organism_classification
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Cuculus
Common cuckoo
Phoenicurus phoenicurus
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Animal Science and Zoology
050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology
Cuckoo
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19385447 and 15594491
- Volume :
- 130
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........92054e65fc31978e265dafa4cf9ef07d