Two cooperative breeding cases in Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor |
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Authors: | José Luis Romero and Julio Pérez |
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Institution: | (1) Catalan Institute of Ornithology (ICO), Museu de Ciències Naturals (Zoologia), Passeig Picasso s/n, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;(2) Ed. Q (ETSE) Campus UAB, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain |
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Abstract: | During a study of a colour-marked population of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (LSW) in NE Spain we found two cases of cooperative
breeding, in which two females and a male were rearing the brood. One of the females was involved in both cooperative breeding
cases, in two consecutive years. We analysed the feeding contribution of each individual to nestling care as well as feeding
rates to nestlings. In both cases the male showed a (compensatory) reduction in nestling feeding due to the involvement of
the second female. Total feeding rate increased slightly compared to regular (noncooperative) monogamous pairs. The high breeding
success found in the second case (six eggs/six nestlings) is thought to be due to the cooperation of the three adults in nestling
care. The two cooperative breeding cases were found in territories that suffered from significant selective logging of dead
trees. This logging is thought to be a possible anthropogenic example of the ecological constraints hypothesis and a significant
factor that could force atypical cooperative breeding attempts. A locally biased sex-ratio might result in the cooperation
of two females and a male in both cases. No evidence of kinship was found among members of the cooperative breeding teams.
We could not determine whether the cooperative breeding cases were monogamous or polygamous.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. |
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Keywords: | Picoides minor Habitat saturation Mating system Nestling feeding Breeding success |
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