Effect of Conspecific Brood Parasitism on Host Fitness for Tufted Duck and Common Pochard

Abstract

Abstract Brood parasitism occurs disproportionately in birds with precocial young and is particularly common in Anseriformes. In part, that pattern may result because precocial hosts, relative to altricial species, incur relatively few costs when caring for precocial eggs. Empirical data do not consistently support that hypothesis, and some parameters have not been adequately compared between parasitized and nonparasitized nests or females. We used a combination of experimentation (egg and duckling additions) and analysis of a larger observational data set to compare reproductive parameters, recruitment, and adult survival between parasitized and nonparasitized female Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) and Tufted Ducks (A. fuligula). Addition of three eggs to nests during the host's laying cycle had no effect on host clutch size, host egg hatch success, or nest success for either species. Nest success was not affected by parasitism intensity for pochards, but we did detect a small drop in nest success for Tufted Duck nests parasitized with >6 eggs. Recruitment probability did not differ between parasitized and nonparasitized nests for either species, and parasitism had no negative effect on adult survival. Between-year nest initiation dates were later for parasitized Tufted Ducks, although the biological consequences of that difference (3.8 days) seem negligible. Moderate levels of parasitism do not negatively affect hosts for these two species.