Benefits associated with escalated begging behaviour of black-billed magpie nestlings overcompensate the associated energetic costs

Martín‐Gálvez, David; Pérez‐Contreras, Tomás; Soler, Manuel; Soler, Juan José

doi:10.1242/jeb.050153

Cited by 27 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 79 publications

(127 reference statements)

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“…In experimental nests, all nestlings were fed with cyproheptadine hydrochloride diluted in mineral water while those in control nests were fed with mineral water. For the experimental treatment, we prepared a solution of cyproheptadine (4 mg per ml of water) and adjusted doses to body mass of experimental nestlings (0.016 mg of cyproheptadine per g of nestling) based on our previous work (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011). For the control treatment, nestlings received the same volume of water as experimental nestlings of the same age.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soler et al 1999Soler et al , 2014Rodriguez-Girones et al 2001;Moreno-Rueda 2010;Noguera et al 2010;Martín-Gálvez et al 2011). These costs would overcome the extra feeding gained from dishonest begging, thereby preventing the escalation of begging intensity (Godfray 1991(Godfray ,1995.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…nestling growth) of exaggerated nestling demands in different environmental contexts implying different costs of parental responses to nestling demands. Briefly, we provoked dishonest offspring demand by experimentally feeding house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings with a pharmacological appetitive stimulant (cyproheptadine hydrochloride, hereafter cyproheptadine) (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011), and explored the effect on nestling growth (i.e. body mass and tarsus length), which can be considered as the net payoff of an inflated and costly signal of need (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011;Mock et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Briefly, we provoked dishonest offspring demand by experimentally feeding house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings with a pharmacological appetitive stimulant (cyproheptadine hydrochloride, hereafter cyproheptadine) (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011), and explored the effect on nestling growth (i.e. body mass and tarsus length), which can be considered as the net payoff of an inflated and costly signal of need (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011;Mock et al 2011). Cyproheptadine acts directly on the hypothalamus by blocking the activity of serotonin on the hunger centre (Delitala et al 1975).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cyproheptadine is also used as an antihistaminic and has minimal side effects in humans, consisting mainly of transient drowsiness (Homnick et al 2004). Its properties as appetitive stimulant have been shown in three species; the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) (Injidi and Forbes 1987;Muralidharan et al 1998; but see, Rao and Varadarajulu 1979), domestic pigeons (Columba livia) (Güntürkün et al 1989) and magpies (Pica pica) (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011). Thus, consistent with previously detected net effects of experimentally exaggerated demands (Martín-Gálvez et al 2011), we expect a net positive effect of cyproheptadine treatment on nestling growth in house sparrow nestlings, but mainly in situations of feeding at relatively low costs for parents (Davis et al 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Context-dependent effects of an experimental increase of hunger level in house sparrow nestlings

Ruiz‐Castellano

Soler

Rösler

et al. 2016

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Exploring the links between parental supply and nestling demands and between nestling demand and food supply is of central importance for understanding the evolution of parent-offspring communication. It has been suggested that optimal food supply by parents and begging effort of nestlings are context dependent, and we here test some predictions of this hypothesis. House sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings were experimentally fed with a pharmacological appetitive stimulant (cyproheptadine) that increases nestling demands, and explore its effect on nestling growth (i.e. body mass and tarsus length), which can be considered as the net payoff of inflated and costly offspring demand. As assumed by the experimental protocol, nestlings with an exaggerated demand were preferentially fed by parents. In accordance with the hypothesis, net benefits in terms of growth were mainly detected in first breeding attempt of parents that successfully reared three broods. Because costs associated with parental feeding should be lower for first breeding attempts and for parents of higher phenotypic quality (those able to successfully rear three clutches), our results provide to our knowledge, the first experimental evidence supporting a dynamic role of costs of food supply affecting net payoff of offspring demands, which may help to understand the mechanisms allowing the evolutionary equilibrium between intensities of offspring begging and parental provisioning. Significance statementBoth feeding and begging for food are costly activities for offspring and parents respectively. Rewards of such behaviours in terms of food receiving and reproductive success should vary depending on ecological conditions (i.e. food availability for offspring and physical condition of parents). Here we pharmacologically exaggerated appetitive of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) nestlings and explore its effect on parental behaviour and on nestling growth (i.e. body mass and tarsus length). The expected benefits were mainly detected for first breeding attempts and only in nests of adults that were able to rear two more broods, that is, when costs of feeding the offspring by adults are lower. Our results provide to our knowledge, the first experimental evidence supporting dynamic outcomes of offspring demands and parental provisioning, which is essential for understanding the evolution of parent-offspring communication.

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Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Context-dependent effects of an experimental increase of hunger level in house sparrow nestlings

Ruiz‐Castellano

Soler

Rösler

et al. 2016

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

Self Cite

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Parent–Offspring Conflict, Sibling Rivalry and Coadaptation

Gini

Hager

2014

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Conflict arises in families because of a fundamental relatedness asymmetry. When parents are equally related to all offspring they would prefer to divide resources equitably among young. However, offspring only share half of their genes with siblings. Thus each will be selected to demand the largest share of resources for itself, which conflicts with the interest of both parents and other siblings. Mathematical models have demonstrated that the resolution of this conflict depends on the degree to which parental provisioning and offspring solicitation influences resource allocation. Because levels of parental provisioning and offspring solicitation are affected by underlying genetic variation, they can evolve and coevolve, leading to coadapted parental and offspring traits. The Reactions Norms approach successfully captures both variation and consistency in parent and offspring strategies and is a promising tool for the investigation of family conflict. Key Concepts: Conflict exists within families, with offspring demanding more than parents are willing to provide, and each sibling desiring a larger share of resources than its littermates. Both parents and offspring are able to influence provisioning, and their strategies are determined in part by genes. How conflict is resolved depends on parental and offspring strategies; generally, the equilibrium point is somewhere between the parental and offspring optima. Parental and offspring strategies coevolve to maximise inclusive fitness. The Reaction Norms approach can be used to reconcile conflict and coadaptation.

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Fledgling discrimination in the hoopoe, a potential host species of the great spotted cuckoo

Arco

Peralta‐Sánchez

Martín‐Vivaldi

et al. 2023

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Obligate brood parasites lay their eggs in nests of other species, with host parents bearing the cost of raising their offspring. These costs imposed on hosts select for the evolution of host defenses against parasitism at all stages of the reproductive cycle. The most effective defense is egg rejection at early stages of the breeding cycle, with later-stage defenses (nestling and fledgling discrimination) being less common. In this study, we tested whether the hoopoe (Upupa epops), a potential host of the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) without egg rejection ability, presents defenses after the egg stage. We experimentally parasitized hoopoe nests with great spotted cuckoo nestlings creating mixed broods (with hoopoe and cuckoo nestlings) and broods with only cuckoo nestlings and measured parental feeding behavior and survival of nestlings and fledglings of both species. Cuckoo fledglings were fed fewer often than hoopoe fledglings in mixed broods, and adults approached more often to feed hoopoe fledglings than cuckoo fledglings. Consequently, the survival of cuckoo fledglings in both mixed and only-cuckoo-broods, was significantly lower than that of hoopoe fledglings. These results suggest that hoopoes would discriminate great spotted cuckoo fledglings, with or without direct comparison with their own fledglings. However, the survival of some cuckoos suggests that hoopoes have not reached highly efficient defenses so, other life history traits hindering parasitism by cuckoos may explain low parasitism rates and low levels of defenses in this species. Significance statement Brood parasites lay their eggs in nests of other species, tricking hosts into raising their parasitic offspring. However, hosts may fight back impeding successful parasitism by developing defences at any of the stages of their breeding cycle. We investigated why the hoopoe is not parasitized by the great spotted cuckoo despite this potential host apparently does not show such anti-parasitic defenses. We found that hoopoes have evolved the less common host defense: discrimination of parasite fledglings, even in the absence of their own fledgling for comparison. Our study supports the idea that discrimination during the later stages of the nesting cycle (i.e. nestling and fledgling periods) may be more common that previously assumed.

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Benefits associated with escalated begging behaviour of black-billed magpie nestlings overcompensate the associated energetic costs

Cited by 27 publications

References 79 publications

Context-dependent effects of an experimental increase of hunger level in house sparrow nestlings

Context-dependent effects of an experimental increase of hunger level in house sparrow nestlings

Parent–Offspring Conflict, Sibling Rivalry and Coadaptation

Fledgling discrimination in the hoopoe, a potential host species of the great spotted cuckoo

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