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Unpredictable environments lead to the evolution of parental neglect in birds

Author

Listed:
  • Shana M. Caro

    (University of Oxford)

  • Ashleigh S. Griffin

    (University of Oxford)

  • Camilla A. Hinde

    (Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University)

  • Stuart A. West

    (University of Oxford)

Abstract

A nest of begging chicks invites an intuitive explanation: needy chicks want to be fed and parents want to feed them. Surprisingly, however, in a quarter of species studied, parents ignore begging chicks. Furthermore, parents in some species even neglect smaller chicks that beg more, and preferentially feed the biggest chicks that beg less. This extreme variation across species, which contradicts predictions from theory, represents a major outstanding problem for the study of animal signalling. We analyse parent–offspring communication across 143 bird species, and show that this variation correlates with ecological differences. In predictable and good environments, chicks in worse condition beg more, and parents preferentially feed those chicks. In unpredictable and poor environments, parents pay less attention to begging, and instead rely on size cues or structural signals of quality. Overall, these results show how ecological variation can lead to different signalling systems being evolutionarily stable in different species.

Suggested Citation

  • Shana M. Caro & Ashleigh S. Griffin & Camilla A. Hinde & Stuart A. West, 2016. "Unpredictable environments lead to the evolution of parental neglect in birds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10985
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10985
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    Cited by:

    1. Sveinn Are Hanssen & Kjell Einar Erikstad & Hanno Sandvik & Torkild Tveraa & Jan Ove Bustnes, 2023. "Eyes on the future: buffering increased costs of incubation by abandoning offspring," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 34(2), pages 189-196.
    2. Szabolcs Számadó & Dániel Czégel & István Zachar, 2019. "One problem, too many solutions: How costly is honest signalling of need?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, January.
    3. József Garay & Villő Csiszár & Tamás F Móri & András Szilágyi & Zoltán Varga & Szabolcs Számadó, 2018. "Juvenile honest food solicitation and parental investment as a life history strategy: A kin demographic selection model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, March.
    4. Ariane Mutzel & Anne-Lise Olsen & Kimberley J Mathot & Yimen G Araya-Ajoy & Marion Nicolaus & Jan J Wijmenga & Jonathan Wright & Bart Kempenaers & Niels J Dingemanse, 2019. "Effects of manipulated levels of predation threat on parental provisioning and nestling begging," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(4), pages 1123-1135.
    5. Paula Ferrer-Pereira & Ester Martínez-Renau & Manuel Martín-Vivaldi & Juan José Soler, 2023. "Food supply and provisioning behavior of parents: Are small hoopoe nestlings condemned to die?," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 34(6), pages 992-1001.

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