Article Abstract:
An experiment involving tree swallows found that confidence of paternity did not affect the parental care given by male swallows, even when males were allowed to view copulations between their mate and another swallow. There appears to be a low threshold beyond which males cease to provide parental care. This threshold was not reached in the experiment, either in terms of copulations viewed, or in terms of the amount of time males were held captive away from their mates. Previous research found male swallows introduced to an incubating female, where there was zero probability of paternity, killed the nestlings which hatched.
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Article Abstract:
A study exploring the sexual behavior of tree swallows engaging in extra-pair coupling was conducted. Results indicate a similar ratio of couplings between within pair couplings and extra-pair couplings. Females cooperated in extra-pair couplings though they could reject advances and some actually solicit extra-pair copulations. This could assure an increase in genetic variability and reduce the risk of infanticide by other neighboring males.
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Article Abstract:
A study on extra-pair paternity in polygynous tree swallows was conducted using DNA fingerprinting. Results indicate that polygynous males had fewer related nestlings from both nests compared to monogamous males. Possible explanations for this phenomenon include the amount of time spent by polygynous males in each nest. Also, females may have some control over the fertilization of their eggs.
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