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Monogamous Extra-Pair Copulation Brood Parasitism

Vermilion flycatchers engage in both extra-pair copulation and intra-specific brood parasitism. A study found that 11% of offspring resulted from extra-pair copulation, while between 9.5-19% resulted from brood parasitism wherein females would lay eggs in the nest of another vermilion flycatcher. This behavior may provide genetic fitness for promiscuous birds by increasing the odds their offspring are cared for, as it allows males to outsource egg-laying and females to outsource chick-rearing.

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Jerome Brusas
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41 views1 page

Monogamous Extra-Pair Copulation Brood Parasitism

Vermilion flycatchers engage in both extra-pair copulation and intra-specific brood parasitism. A study found that 11% of offspring resulted from extra-pair copulation, while between 9.5-19% resulted from brood parasitism wherein females would lay eggs in the nest of another vermilion flycatcher. This behavior may provide genetic fitness for promiscuous birds by increasing the odds their offspring are cared for, as it allows males to outsource egg-laying and females to outsource chick-rearing.

Uploaded by

Jerome Brusas
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Vermilion flycatchers are socially monogamous, but engage in extra-pair copulation.

Both males and


females will breed with individuals other than their monogamous mate. A 2002 study found that 11%
of offspring were from extra-paternal copulation. They also practice intra-specific brood parasitism,
where females lay their eggs in the nest of another vermilion flycatcher. Between 9.5 and 19% of
offspring were the result of brood-parasitism. Females often spend long times away from the nest,
which enables others to lay eggs in their nests while absent. This may simply be a form of
parasitism, wherein the pair whose nest is being parasitized gains no benefit. But for promiscuous
birds, this may provide some genetic fitness. For a male mating with many females, and those
females laying many of their eggs outside of their nest, this increases the odds that a promiscuous
male's offspring are laid in his nest. This allows the male to outsource the energy-intensive process
of egg-laying away from his mate and allows a female to outsource the process of raising her chick.
This is supported by examples of males letting females parasitize their nests in exchange for
copulation.[18] The flycatcher is a frequent victim of brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds.[2]
[21]
 Males establish and aggressively defend territory during breeding season. While defending, males
raise their crest and fan their tail out. They will also pump their tail and snap their beak. Males will
chase other males out of their territory by flying after them. Once nestlings are present, they will also
chase off other bird species. Courtship involves the male fluffing his crest and chest feathers,
fanning the tail, and engaging in a fluttery flight while singing to a female. [2][14]

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