Do Sora nests protect Red-winged Blackbirds from Marsh Wren predation?

We report an apparent protective effect of neighboring Sora (Porzana carolina) nests on Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) nests in an experimental study. We suggest that quail eggs used in Sora nests acted as a supemormal stimulus drawing Marsh Wrens (Cistothorus palustris), the main predator in the system, from Red-winged Blackbird nests.
Nest predation is the most significant source of mortality in many populations of nesting Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) (Caccamise 1976, Martin 1988, Picman et al. 1988, Westneat 1992; reviewed in [...]