A trade-off between immunity and growth has repeatedly been suggested, mainly based on laboratory and poultry science, but also from experiments where parasitism intensity was manipulated in field bird populations. However, as resource allocation to different activities (or organs) during growth is difficult to manipulate, this trade-off has only been experimentally tested by studying the effects of non-pathogenic antigens. By providing some nestling magpies (Pica pica) with methionine, a sulphur amino acid that specifically enhances T-cell immune response in chickens, we investigated this trade-off by directly affecting allocation of limited resources during growth. Results were in accordance with the hypothetical trade-off because nestlings fed with methionine showed a lower growth rate during the four days of methionine administration, but a larger response when fledglings were challenged with phytohaemagglutinin (a measure of the intensity of T-lymphocyte-mediated immune responsiveness) than control nestlings. Surprisingly, we found that control and experimental nestlings fledged with similar body mass, size and condition, but experimental nestlings suffered less from blood parasites (Haemoproteus) and had fewer lymphocytes (a widely used measure of health status) than control nestlings, suggesting a negative effect of blood parasites or other pathogens on nestling growth.

Avian nest building has traditionally been viewed as resulting in natural selection advantages, but it is also been associated with courtship and pair formation. We hypothesize that nest-building activity could be used as a sexually selected display, allowing each sex to obtain reliable information on the condition of the other. In this paper, we test the`good parent' process in a scenario where nest size is a sexually selected trait. Thus, individuals with more extreme displays (larger nests) might obtain bene®ts in terms of either parental investment or dierential parental investment by the partner. We predicted that: (1) species in which both sexes contribute to nest building have larger nests than those in which the nest is built only by one sex, because both sexes are using the nest-building process as a signal of their quality; (2) species in which both sexes work together in the nest-building process invest more in reproduction, because each can assess the other more reliably than in species where only one sex participates in nest building; and (3) in light of the two preceding predictions, nest size should be positively related to investment in parental care. A comparative analysis of 76 passerine species con®rmed that nest size, relative to the species' body size, is larger when both sexes build the nest and that species with a larger nest relative to their body size invest more in reproduction.

Host responses toward brood parasitism have been shown to differ among populations depending on the duration of sympatry between host and parasite, although populations not currently parasitized show rejection behavior against parasitic eggs. The persistence of rejection behavior in unparasitized host populations and rapid increases of rejection rate in parasitized ones have sometimes been explained as the result of gene flow of rejecter genes from sympatry to allopatry (rejecter-gene flow hypothesis). We present data on the rejection behavior of magpies (Pica pica) the main European host of the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius), in 15 populations (nine sympatric six allopatric) across their distribution range in Europe. Rejection rates of mimetic and nonmimetic model eggs were significantly higher in sympatric than in allopatric magpie populations, although differences in rejection rate of both mimetic and nonmimetic model eggs between magpie populations were significantly correlated even after controlling tor phylogenetic effects, with differences between sympatric and allopatric magpie populations being larger for mimetic than for nonmimetic model eggs. Differences in rejection of mimetic model eggs were related to both genetic and geographic distances between populations, but differences in rejection rate of nonmimetic model eggs were unrelated to these distances. However, when comparing only sympatric populations, differences in rejection rate of both mimetic and nonmimetic model eggs were related to geographic distances. A multiple autocorrelation analysis revealed that differences among populations in rejection rates of mimetic model eggs had a strong geographic component whereas the main component of rejection rate of nonmimetic model eggs was genetic rather than geographic. These results support the rejecter-gene flow hypothesis. We discuss differences in rejection rates of mimetic and nonmimetic model eggs that suggest the egg-recognition ability of the host is genetically based, but is affected by a learning process for fine tuning of recognition.

When brood parasites are about to lay an egg, they have to decide which nest to parasitize. The best nest in which to lay will depend on the parenting ability of the host. We have studied selection of magpie (Pica pica) hosts by great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius). Great spotted cuckoos preferentially parasitize large host nests. Nest volume in magpies is a good indicator of territory quality, since there is a negative relationship between magpie nest size and breeding date, and timing of breeding in magpies is known to be positively related to territory quality. Moreover, magpies occupying high-quality territories have high breeding success. Therefore, nest size is positively related to the quality of magpies. Parasitized magpie nests were of greater volume than the nearest neighbouring nest not parasitized by the great spotted cuckoo. In order to test whether the great spotted cuckoos might select high-quality magpie hosts, we manipulated pairs of parasitized and non-parasitized nests with identical laying dates and habitats, introducing into each of the nests the same number of parasitic and non-parasitic eggs. The number of fledglings reared (magpie plus great spotted cuckoo chicks) in naturally parasitized nests was higher than in experimentally parasitized nests. Thus, the probability of survival of the parasite chicks increased if cuckoo eggs were laid in the nests of high-quality hosts originally chosen by the parasite.