Parental provisioning in the Dunnock Prunella modularis: the effects of a variable mating system

The feeding rates to nestlings by adult Dunnocks Prunella modularis in monogamy, cooperative polyandry (the beta male helped) and uncooperative polyandry (where the beta male did not help) at various chick ages were examined. The presence of a helper at the nest did not lead to a significant reduction in the provisioning rate by the other parents. During the first four days of chick feeding, females in all the mating systems examined appeared to provision the chicks at a higher rate than males.