Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

login


[close window] [previous abstract] [next abstract]

Lubjuhn T., Bruen J., Gerken T. & Epplen J.T. (2001) Inconsistent pattern of extra-pair paternity in first and second broods of the Great Tit Parus major. ARDEA 89 (1): 69-73
In this study we compare extra-pair paternity rates in first and second broods of 25 individual breeding pairs of the Great Tit Parus major. 24% of the first broods contained at least one nestling due to copulations outside the pair bond in contrast to 60% for second broods. The average proportion of extra-pair young per brood equalled 3.9 ¦ 7.3% for first broods and 24.4 ¦ 28.7% for second broods. Extra-pair paternity was not consistently observed in first and second broods, i.e. > 50% of the breeding pairs had extra-pair young in one but not the other brood. Some possible explanations for this inconsistent pattern are discussed


[close window] [previous abstract] [next abstract]