Article Abstract:
Reproductive success in Purple Martins does not vary substantially with colony size. This indicates that birds have similar fitness regardless of the size of colony in which they breed. The lack of a link between reproductive success and colony size may be attributable to the limited range of colony sizes in this research. It may also indicate that these birds experience some benefits of nesting in large colonies. The Purple Martin relies on nesting cavities it does not build, and its coloniality is therefore most likely to result from shortage of suitable nesting sites.
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Article Abstract:
An examination of hypothetical relationships between blood parasite infections in Purple Martins, extra pair paternity of males, feeding performance of parents and mate-guarding intensity is presented. No evidences were discovered that infections with parasites affected extra pair paternity. Furthermore, infections were independent of provisioning rates by adult males and females and mate-guarding by males.
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Article Abstract:
Whiskered, Least, Parakeet and Crested Auklets unusually engage in courtship and copulation at sea. A new study investigates why auklets choose this unusual location for courtship and copulation but is unable to give possible explanations for such behaviour, which deserves further attention.
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