Non-adaptive adoptions of nestlings in the colonial lesser kestrel: proximate causes and fitness consequences

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• 作者：José L. Tella ; Manuela G. Forero ; José A. Donázar ; Juan J. Negro and Fernando Hiraldo
• 关键词：Key words Adoptions? ; ?Intergenerational conflict? ; ?Falco naumanni? ; ?Offspring recognition? ; ?Parental care
• 刊名：Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
• 出版年：1997
• 出版时间：April 1997
• 年：1997
• 卷：40
• 期：4
• 页码：253-260
• 全文大小：416 KB
• 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
• 刊物主题：Life Sciences
  Behavioural Sciences
  Zoology
  
• 出版者：Springer Berlin / Heidelberg
• ISSN：1432-0762

文摘

We examined the causes, costs and benefits of adoption in the altricial lesser kestrel Falco naumanni. Specifically, we tested the intergenerational conflict hypothesis, proposed to explain adoption in some birds. Adoptions involved 76% of the nests and 51% of the nestlings at a mean age of 25 days (12 days before fledging). Nest-switching nestlings were not in poorer body condition, more parasitized or younger than their siblings, and body condition and prey delivery rates of their parents did not differ from those of other parents. In the foster nest, adopted nestlings did not benefit from higher feeding rates or a prolongation of the nestling period. They did not have fewer nest-mates or achieve higher rank within the new brood. Thus, adopted nestlings did not improve their body condition and survival. Adult lesser kestrels seemed unable to finely discriminate beween their own and alien chicks. Foster parents bore the cost of an increase of prey delivery rates, although it did not affect their survival or subsequent reproductive performance. Therefore, our results do not support the intergenerational conflict hypothesis, and suggest that adoption in this species is non-adaptive. Traditionally, the lesser kestrel bred in cliffs where movement among nest-sites was restricted. Nowadays, about half of the colonies are in tiled roofs which facilitate nest-switching by nestlings. The high rate of adoptions may thus be explained as reproductive errors associated with the recent occupation of a new breeding habitat.