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Avian Research 2019, 10(1): 37 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-019-0178-1
Research | Open Access | Issue | Published: 04 October 2019

Egg recognition in Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus): eggshell spots matter

Show Author's Information Jianping Liu1,  Canchao Yang1,  Jiangping Yu2,3,  Haitao Wang2,4,  Wei Liang1( )
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Keywords:
Egg rejection, Brood parasitism, Egg recognition, Eggshell spots, Parus cinereus
Cite this article:
Liu J, Yang C, Yu J, et al. Egg recognition in Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus): eggshell spots matter. Avian Research, 2019, 10(1): 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-019-0178-1
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Abstract Full text About this article
Background

Brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos (Cuculus spp.) can reduce their host's reproductive success. Such selection pressure on the hosts has driven the evolution of defense behaviors such as egg rejection against cuckoo parasitism. Studies have shown that Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus) in China have a good ability for recognizing foreign eggs. However,it is unclear whether egg spots play a role in egg recognition. The aims of our study were to investigate the egg recognition ability of two Cinereous Tit populations in China and to explore the role of spots in egg recognition.

Methods

To test the effect of eggshell spots on egg recognition,pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata) and eggs of White-rumped Munia painted with red brown spots were used to simulate experimental parasitism.

Results

Egg experiments showed that Cinereous Tits rejected 51.5% of pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia,but only 14.3% of spotted eggs of the White-rumped Munia. There was a significant difference in egg recognition and rejection rate between the two egg types.

Conclusions

We conclude that eggshell spots on Cinereous Tit eggs had a signaling function and may be essential to tits for recognizing and rejecting parasitic eggs.


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About this article

Egg recognition in Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus): eggshell spots matter

Show Author's information Jianping Liu1, Canchao Yang1, Jiangping Yu2,3, Haitao Wang2,4, Wei Liang1( )
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China

Abstract

Background

Brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos (Cuculus spp.) can reduce their host's reproductive success. Such selection pressure on the hosts has driven the evolution of defense behaviors such as egg rejection against cuckoo parasitism. Studies have shown that Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus) in China have a good ability for recognizing foreign eggs. However,it is unclear whether egg spots play a role in egg recognition. The aims of our study were to investigate the egg recognition ability of two Cinereous Tit populations in China and to explore the role of spots in egg recognition.

Methods

To test the effect of eggshell spots on egg recognition,pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata) and eggs of White-rumped Munia painted with red brown spots were used to simulate experimental parasitism.

Results

Egg experiments showed that Cinereous Tits rejected 51.5% of pure white eggs of the White-rumped Munia,but only 14.3% of spotted eggs of the White-rumped Munia. There was a significant difference in egg recognition and rejection rate between the two egg types.

Conclusions

We conclude that eggshell spots on Cinereous Tit eggs had a signaling function and may be essential to tits for recognizing and rejecting parasitic eggs.

Keywords: Egg rejection, Brood parasitism, Egg recognition, Eggshell spots, Parus cinereus

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Publication history
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Publication history

Received: 25 July 2019
Accepted: 17 September 2019
Published: 04 October 2019
Issue date: January 2019

Copyright

© The Author(s) 2019.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

We thank Saihanba National Forest Park of Hebei and Zuojia Nature Reserve of Jilin for their help and cooperation, and Jianwei Zhang, Xintong Li, Jing Yue and Hailin Lu for assistance with field work. We are also grateful to the two anonymous referees for their constructive comments.

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