The high frequency of extra-pair paternity in tree swallows is not an artifact of nestboxes |
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Authors: | C A Barber Raleigh J Robertson Peter T Boag |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada, CA |
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Abstract: | A common criticism of nestbox studies is one of creating artificial nesting conditions and breeding behavior different from
what would be seen under natural conditions. We assessed the frequency of extra-pair paternity (percentage of broods with
at least one extra-pair young) in 25 families of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting in natural cavities and compared it to that in a nestbox population. We found that 84% of females nesting in natural
cavities obtained fertilizations from extra-pair males. These extra-pair males fathered 69% of all nestlings. Studies of tree
swallows breeding in nestboxes have shown that 50–87% of broods contained extra-pair young, with extra-pair males fathering
38–53% of all the young. In broods with extra-pair paternity, natural cavities contained a significantly greater proportion
of extra-pair young than did nestboxes. Despite differences in nesting habitat and female age structure, the frequency of
extra-pair paternity did not differ significantly between the natural-cavity and nestbox populations. Therefore, the presence
of extra-pair paternity in tree swallows is not an artifact of nestboxes or of artificial nesting conditions.
Received: 2 May 1995/Accepted after revision: 14 January 1996 |
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Keywords: | Cavity nesters Extra-pair paternity Extra-pair young Nestboxes Tachycineta bicolor |
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