Nest defence against conspecific intruders in the common pochard Aythya ferina: natural observations and an experimental test

0335995 - ÚBO 2010 RIV PL eng J - Journal Article
Honza, Marcel - Piálková, Radka - Albrecht, Tomáš - Neužilová, Š.
Nest defence against conspecific intruders in the common pochard Aythya ferina: natural observations and an experimental test.
Acta Ornithologica. Roč. 44, č. 2 (2009), s. 151-158. ISSN 0001-6454. E-ISSN 1734-8471
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA6093403; GA AV ČR KJB600930611
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519
Keywords : waterfowl * brood parasitism * intraspecific parasitism * breeding strategy * egg rejection
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 1.018, year: 2009
http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.3161/000164509X482713

We investigated antiparasitic tactics in ground nesting Common Pochard females towards intraspecific brood parasitism. The behaviour of the tested females towards the experimental dummy was compared with their responses towards the stuffed female Ring-necked used as a control. The reactions towards both dummies were similar: Pochard females typically swam silently around their nests and observed the dummy. The lack of differences between the measured parameters recorded in the experiments with conspecific and pheasant dummies may indicate that female Pochards do not recognize the conspecific intruder as a specific threat. In addition, the responses of the incubating female towards the conspecific female on her nest were studied using continuous video recordings. The data indicate that active sophisticated anti-parasitic tactics have not evolved in Pochards, although there is some level of defence towards intruding conspecific parasites.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0180329