Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird

The Screaming Cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) is the most specialized brood-parasitic cowbird, relying almost entirely on the Bay-winged Cowbird (Agelaioides badius) as host. Recently, Screaming Cowbirds have expanded their range to areas where Bay-winged Cowbirds are absent, and they are exploiti...

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Autor principal: Reboreda, Juan Carlos
Publicado: 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo
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spelling paper:paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo2023-06-08T14:29:41Z Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird Reboreda, Juan Carlos Brood parasitism Gnorimopsar chopi Host use Molothrus rufoaxillaris brood parasitism brood rearing host use host-parasite interaction passerine range expansion reproductive status reproductive success specialist survival Argentina Gnorimopsar chopi Molothrus Molothrus rufoaxillaris Turdus merula The Screaming Cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) is the most specialized brood-parasitic cowbird, relying almost entirely on the Bay-winged Cowbird (Agelaioides badius) as host. Recently, Screaming Cowbirds have expanded their range to areas where Bay-winged Cowbirds are absent, and they are exploiting the Chopi Blackbird (Gnorimopsar chopi). Interactions between Screaming Cowbirds and Chopi Blackbirds are largely unexplored, as is the reproductive success of the parasite in this host. Screaming Cowbirds, Chopi Blackbirds, and Bay-winged Cowbirds coexist in northeastern Argentina, providing an ideal system to explore interactions between a specialist brood parasite and an alternative host and to compare the reproductive success of the parasite in its main host and in an alternative host. Screaming Cowbirds parasitized both hosts throughout their breeding seasons (Chopi Blackbirds, mid-October to mid-January; Bay-winged Cowbirds, mid-November to mid-March). Frequency of parasitism was lower in Chopi Blackbirds than in Bay-winged Cowbirds (46% vs. 74%). Nest survival was higher in Chopi Blackbirds than in Bay-winged Cowbirds (37% vs. 15%). In successful nests, survival of Screaming Cowbird eggs and chicks was high and relatively similar in both hosts (Chopi Blackbirds: eggs, 99%; chicks, 90%; Bay-winged Cowbirds: eggs, 93%; chicks, 93%), but hatchability was lower in Chopi Blackbirds than in Bay-winged Cowbirds (52% vs. 92%). Considering (1) nest survival and (2) egg survival, hatchability, and chick survival in successful nests, the reproductive success of Screaming Cowbirds (i.e. proportion of eggs that resulted in fledglings) was 0.17 in Chopi Blackbirds and 0.12 in Bay-winged Cowbirds. Our results indicate that the Chopi Blackbird is a frequent host of the Screaming Cowbird, and parasitism of this alternative host may help explain the range expansion of this parasite in areas of Brazil where the Bay-winged Cowbird is absent. © 2015 American Ornithologists' Union. Fil:Reboreda, J.C. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. 2015 https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
topic Brood parasitism
Gnorimopsar chopi
Host use
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
brood parasitism
brood rearing
host use
host-parasite interaction
passerine
range expansion
reproductive status
reproductive success
specialist
survival
Argentina
Gnorimopsar chopi
Molothrus
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
Turdus merula
spellingShingle Brood parasitism
Gnorimopsar chopi
Host use
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
brood parasitism
brood rearing
host use
host-parasite interaction
passerine
range expansion
reproductive status
reproductive success
specialist
survival
Argentina
Gnorimopsar chopi
Molothrus
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
Turdus merula
Reboreda, Juan Carlos
Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird
topic_facet Brood parasitism
Gnorimopsar chopi
Host use
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
brood parasitism
brood rearing
host use
host-parasite interaction
passerine
range expansion
reproductive status
reproductive success
specialist
survival
Argentina
Gnorimopsar chopi
Molothrus
Molothrus rufoaxillaris
Turdus merula
description The Screaming Cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) is the most specialized brood-parasitic cowbird, relying almost entirely on the Bay-winged Cowbird (Agelaioides badius) as host. Recently, Screaming Cowbirds have expanded their range to areas where Bay-winged Cowbirds are absent, and they are exploiting the Chopi Blackbird (Gnorimopsar chopi). Interactions between Screaming Cowbirds and Chopi Blackbirds are largely unexplored, as is the reproductive success of the parasite in this host. Screaming Cowbirds, Chopi Blackbirds, and Bay-winged Cowbirds coexist in northeastern Argentina, providing an ideal system to explore interactions between a specialist brood parasite and an alternative host and to compare the reproductive success of the parasite in its main host and in an alternative host. Screaming Cowbirds parasitized both hosts throughout their breeding seasons (Chopi Blackbirds, mid-October to mid-January; Bay-winged Cowbirds, mid-November to mid-March). Frequency of parasitism was lower in Chopi Blackbirds than in Bay-winged Cowbirds (46% vs. 74%). Nest survival was higher in Chopi Blackbirds than in Bay-winged Cowbirds (37% vs. 15%). In successful nests, survival of Screaming Cowbird eggs and chicks was high and relatively similar in both hosts (Chopi Blackbirds: eggs, 99%; chicks, 90%; Bay-winged Cowbirds: eggs, 93%; chicks, 93%), but hatchability was lower in Chopi Blackbirds than in Bay-winged Cowbirds (52% vs. 92%). Considering (1) nest survival and (2) egg survival, hatchability, and chick survival in successful nests, the reproductive success of Screaming Cowbirds (i.e. proportion of eggs that resulted in fledglings) was 0.17 in Chopi Blackbirds and 0.12 in Bay-winged Cowbirds. Our results indicate that the Chopi Blackbird is a frequent host of the Screaming Cowbird, and parasitism of this alternative host may help explain the range expansion of this parasite in areas of Brazil where the Bay-winged Cowbird is absent. © 2015 American Ornithologists' Union.
author Reboreda, Juan Carlos
author_facet Reboreda, Juan Carlos
author_sort Reboreda, Juan Carlos
title Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird
title_short Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird
title_full Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird
title_fullStr Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird
title_full_unstemmed Reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite Screaming Cowbird in an alternative host, the Chopi Blackbird
title_sort reproductive success of the specialist brood parasite screaming cowbird in an alternative host, the chopi blackbird
publishDate 2015
url https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00048038_v132_n1_p16_DiGiacomo
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