Reproductive success of Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) parasitizing the larger Brown-and-yellow Marshbird (Pseudoleistes virescens) in Argentina

MERMOZ, ME; JUAN C. REBOREDA

Auk

Año: 2003 vol. 120 p. 1128 - 1139

0004-8038

Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) often parasitize larger hosts. It has been proposed that larger hosts are preferred by that parasite because they provide higher reproductive success, but available data are quite variable. We studied the reproductive success of Shiny Cowbirds in nests of Brown-and-yellow Marshbirds (Pseudoleistes virescens), a larger and often multiply parasitized host. To estimate the extent of interspecifi c competition, wecompared the hatching success of parasite eggs in nests with and without reduction of theclutch size of the host as a result of egg punctures infl icted by the parasite, and the survivaland growth of parasite chicks reared with and without host chicks. To estimate the extent ofintraspecifi c competition, we compared Shiny Cowbird egg losses, hatching success, and chick survival in singly versus multiply parasitized nests. Reproductive success of Shiny Cowbirds was 8% with depredation causing 80% of losses. Clutch reduction due to egg punctures were higher in multiply than in singly parasitized nests, but it did not improve hatching success of parasite eggs. Neither survival nor growth of parasite chicks was aff ected by the presence of host chicks. Shiny Cowbird hatching success and chick survival did not diff er between singly and multiply parasitized nests. Parasite chicks were smaller than same-age Brown-and-yellow Marshbird chicks. However, because parasite chicks hatched one or two days before host chicks and had a higher growth rate, they were the larger chicks in the nest. Overall Shiny Cowbird reproductive success in Brown-and-yellow Marshbird nests was apparently higher than that reported in other smaller or similar-sized hosts. We think that host life-history traits like large clutch size, a longer incubation period, and slower growth rate of chicks are responsible for the high reproductive success of Shiny Cowbirds with Brown-and-yellow Marshbirds. Received 17 July 2002, accepted 14 June 2003.