Sand‐Colored Nighthawks Parasitize the Antipredator Behavior of Three Nesting Bird Species

On beaches along the Manu River of southeastern Peru, four bird species (Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger; Large—billed Tern, Phaetusa simplex; Yellow—billed Tern, Sterna superciliaris; Sand—colored Nighthawk, Chordeiles rupestris) nest in mixed—species associations. Costs and benefits of the associati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology (Durham) 1992-06, Vol.73 (3), p.785-793
Main Author: Groom, Martha J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal behavior
Animal nesting
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Aves
Beaches
Biological and medical sciences
Bird nesting
Birds
Demecology
Eggs
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hatching
Nighthawks
Parasites
Parasitism
Phaetusa simplex
Predation
Predators
Rynchops niger
Species
Vertebrata
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Summary:On beaches along the Manu River of southeastern Peru, four bird species (Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger; Large—billed Tern, Phaetusa simplex; Yellow—billed Tern, Sterna superciliaris; Sand—colored Nighthawk, Chordeiles rupestris) nest in mixed—species associations. Costs and benefits of the association were distributed asymmetrically among the species. Nighthawks never actively defended their nests against predators. Terns and skimmers defended their nests by aggressively mobbing predators, and indirectly defended nearby or adjacent nests of nighthawks. As a result, nighthawks had greater hatching success when nesting near terns and skimmers. Terns and skimmers spent more time engaged in antipredator behaviors and being vigilant, but less time in parental care, and experienced lowered hatching success when among large nighthawk groups. In addition, both tern species fledged significantly fewer young per successful nest when nesting with many nighthawks. Results of this study demonstrate the first known parasitic relationship among members of a mixed—species nesting group.
ISSN:0012-9658
1939-9170
DOI:10.2307/1940157