Sunrise nest attendance and aggression by least Bell's vireos fail to deter cowbird parasitism

The Wilson Bulletin
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Abstract

We video-recorded three, natural, brood-parasitism events by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) at nests of Least Bell's Vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus). All instances occurred near dawn, during both egg-laying and incubation stages of the nesting cycle. In each case, an adult vireo was on the nest when the female cowbird arrived. Both members of each parasitized pair vigorously attacked the intruding cowbird, but in no encounter did a pair of vireos successfully defend its nest from parasitism. Thus, Least Bell's Vireos in our study were unable to prevent a female cowbird from parasitizing their nests once the cowbird had reached the nest.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Sunrise nest attendance and aggression by least Bell's vireos fail to deter cowbird parasitism
Series title The Wilson Bulletin
DOI 10.1676/0043-5643(2004)116[0017:SNAAAB]2.0.CO;2
Volume 116
Issue 1
Year Published 2004
Language English
Publisher The Wilson Ornithological Society
Contributing office(s) Western Ecological Research Center
Description 6 p.
First page 17
Last page 22
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