Cooperative breeding behaviors in the Hawaiian Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni)

Abstract

Cooperative breeding is found throughout the world in both invertebrate and vertebrate animals (Canestrari et al., 2008;Junghanns et al., 2017;Tanaka et al., 2018). Cooperative breeding is commonly characterized by nonbreeding individuals that assist others with reproduction, potentially even delaying or foregoing their own breeding to engage in these behaviors (Brown, 1987;Cockburn, 2006;Koenig & Dickinson, 2004). Individuals may delay or forego their own dispersal and reproduction due to limitations in necessary resources for successful reproduction (Gonzalez et al., 2013;Walters et al., 1992), to inherit parental resources or resources in surrounding territories (Kokko & Ekman, 2002;Ligon & Stacey, 1991), or to increase reproductive success in related individuals, a behavior referred to as "kin-selection" (Browning et al., 2012;Hamilton, 1964).In many cooperatively breeding avian species, nonbreeding individuals, referred to as "helpers" (Skutch, 1935), may assist the breeding pair during reproduction through their assistance with nest building, incubation, predator deterrence, and/or provisioning chicks (Koenig

Predation of the endangered Ae'o (Hawaiian Stilt) by a native raptor, the Pueo (Hawaiian Short‐eared Owl) on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA

“…Observers began the audio playback of Pueo calls approximately 20 min before sunset. In response to the calls, several Ae'o immediately reacted defensively, flying to the area and began distraction displays, alarm calling, and mobbing the stuffed owl (Dibben‐Young et al., 2021 ; Harmon et al., 2021 ). At 20:15, after dark, an adult Pueo appeared and perched on the ground about 20–30 m away from the decoy, alarm calling at the stuffed Pueo decoy.…”