Does the removal of avian brood parasite eggs increase host productivity? A case study with brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater and song sparrows Melospiza melodia near Ithaca, New York, USA
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Published source details
Hauber M.E. (2009) Does the removal of avian brood parasite eggs increase host productivity? A case study with brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater and song sparrows Melospiza melodia near Ithaca, New York, USA. Conservation Evidence, 6, 83-88.
Published source details Hauber M.E. (2009) Does the removal of avian brood parasite eggs increase host productivity? A case study with brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater and song sparrows Melospiza melodia near Ithaca, New York, USA. Conservation Evidence, 6, 83-88.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Remove brood parasite eggs from target species’ nests Action Link |
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Remove brood parasite eggs from target species’ nests
A replicated, controlled study from 1997-1999 in grassy fields in New York State, USA (Hauber 2009) found that song sparrow Melospiza melodia nests paratised by brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater had lower productivity when cowbird eggs were removed, compared to paratised nests when cowbird eggs were not removed (median of 0% of eggs from nests with eggs removed produced nestlings vs. 75% of eggs from nests where cowbird eggs were not removed). There were no differences in the number of song sparrow nestlings surviving to five days old between paratised nests, non-paratised nests and paratised nests with cowbird eggs removed.
