The importance of biparental care in a precocial,monogamous bird,the bar-headed goose (Anser indicus)

Summary This study presents the first direct evidence of benefit derived from the male's parental effort during rearing of young in a monogamous, precocial bird species. We compared mothers accompanied by a mate (paired mothers) with single mothers, some of which were artificial widows, in a semicaptive flock of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus). Paired mothers were less often displaced by other birds and suffered fewer interruptions of brooding. Their goslings spent more time grazing and survived with a higher probability. Although one beneficial result of the male's parental effort may be the continued availability and survival of his mate, a more direct benefit arises from higher offspring survival between hatching and fledging.