Interspecific brood parasitism represents a prime example of the coevolutionary arms race where each party has evolved strategies in response to the other. Here, we investigated whether common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) actively select nests within a host population to match the egg appearance of a particular host clutch. To achieve this goal, we quantified the degree of egg matching using the avian vision modelling approach. Randomization tests revealed that cuckoo eggs in naturally parasitized nests showed lower chromatic contrast to host eggs than those assigned randomly to other nests with egg-laying date similar to naturally parasitized clutches. Moreover, egg matching in terms of chromaticity was better in naturally parasitized nests than it would be in the nests of the nearest active non-parasitized neighbour. However, there was no indication of matching in achromatic spectral characteristics whatsoever. Thus, our results clearly indicate that cuckoos select certain host nests to increase matching of their own eggs with host clutches, but only in chromatic characteristics. Our results suggest that the ability of cuckoos to actively choose host nests based on the eggshell appearance imposes a strong selection pressure on host egg recognition.
Egg rejection belongs to a widely used host tactic to prevent the costs incurred by avian brood parasitism. However, the genetic basis of this behaviour and the effect of host age on the probability of rejecting the parasitic egg remain largely unknown. Here, we used a set of 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci, including a previously detected candidate locus (Ase64), to link genotypes of female great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), a known rejecter, with their egg rejection responses in two host populations. We also tested whether host female age, as a measure of the experience with own eggs, plays a role in rejection of common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) eggs. We failed to find any consistent association of egg rejection responses with host female genotypes or age. It seems that host decisions on egg rejection show high levels of phenotypic plasticity and are likely to depend on the spatiotemporal variation in the parasitism pressure. Future studies exploring the repeatability of host responses towards parasitic eggs and the role of host individual experience with parasitic eggs would greatly improve our understanding of the variations in host behaviours considering the persistence of brood parasitism in host populations with rejecter phenotypes.
- MeSH
- genotyp MeSH
- hnízdění * MeSH
- interakce hostitele a parazita genetika MeSH
- mikrosatelitní repetice genetika MeSH
- ptáci genetika parazitologie MeSH
- věkové faktory MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- zygota fyziologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- MeSH
- akryláty farmakologie MeSH
- antitumorózní látky farmakologie škodlivé účinky MeSH
- benzoáty farmakologie MeSH
- brom farmakologie MeSH
- buňky kostní dřeně MeSH
- cyklofosfamid farmakologie škodlivé účinky MeSH
- kostní dřeň účinky léků MeSH
- krevní obraz MeSH
- krysa rodu rattus MeSH
- sarkom Yoshidův farmakoterapie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- krysa rodu rattus MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- MeSH
- alanintransaminasa krev MeSH
- alkalická fosfatasa krev MeSH
- antitumorózní látky farmakologie toxicita MeSH
- aspartátaminotransferasy krev MeSH
- buněčné dělení účinky léků MeSH
- Ehrlichův tumor farmakoterapie MeSH
- experimentální nádory mléčných žláz farmakoterapie MeSH
- experimentální nádory farmakoterapie MeSH
- experimentální sarkom farmakoterapie MeSH
- hepatocelulární karcinom farmakoterapie MeSH
- ketokyseliny krev MeSH
- krysa rodu rattus MeSH
- laktony farmakologie toxicita MeSH
- myši MeSH
- nádory jater farmakoterapie MeSH
- nehodgkinský lymfom farmakoterapie MeSH
- prognóza MeSH
- sarkom 180 farmakoterapie MeSH
- sarkom Yoshidův farmakoterapie MeSH
- sodík farmakologie MeSH
- transplantace nádorů MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- krysa rodu rattus MeSH
- myši MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
