Cuckoos, Cowbirds and Other Cheats - Hardcover

N. B. Davies

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0856611352 ISBN 13: 9780856611353

Publisher: T. & A. D. Poyser, 2000

Synopsis

In this fascinating new book, Nick Davies describes the natural histories of these brood parasites and examines many of the exciting questions they raise about the evolution of cheating and the arms race between parasites and their prey. Brood parasites fill their armory with adaptations including exquisite egg mimicry, rapid laying, ejection of host eggs, murder of host young, chick mimicry and manipulative begging behavior: ploys shown by recent research to have evolved in response to host defence behavior or through competition among the parasites themselves. While many host species appear defenseless, accepting parasite eggs quite unlike their own, many are more discriminating against odd-looking eggs and some have evolved the ability to discriminate against odd-looking chicks as well. How is this arms race conducted ? Will defenceless hosts develop defenses in time, or are there constraints which limit the evolution and perfection of host defenses? And why are so few species obliged only to lay eggs in host nests ? Have host defences limited the success of brood parasitism, or is it in fact much more common than we suspect, but occurring mainly when birds parasitise the nest of their own kind ?
All of these puzzles are examined in descriptions of the natural history of each of the groups of parasites in turn. Here is a book with wide
appeal, both to amateur naturalists fascinated by this most singular and macabre of behaviours and by ornithologists and ecologists interested
in the evolution of ecology and behaviour. The story takes us from the classic field work earlier this century by pioneer ornithologists such as
Edgar Chance, Stuart Baker, Herbert Friedmann and others, through to the recent experimental field work and molecular techniques of today's
leading scientists. We visit brood parasites in Europe, Asia, Japan, Africa, Australasia, and North and South America, to look at some of the worlds most interesting birds and some of biology's most interesting questions, many of which still beg answers from ornithologists in the
future.
Brilliant illustrations by David Quinn illuminate the species discussed, showing many behaviours never before illustrated and conveying the
thrill of watching these astonishing birds in the wild.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Cuckoos and cowbirds are amongst the select bird groups renowned as professional parasites, who always lay their eggs in the nests of other species. Occasional parasitic laying is also widespread in many other birds, who gladly parasitise the nests of their own kind when the opportunity arises.
In this fascinating new book, Nick Davies describes the natural histories of all the brood parasites and examines the exciting questions they raise about the evolution of cheating and the arms race between parasites and their hosts. Brood parasites fill their armoury with adaptations including exquisite egg mimicry, rapid laying, ejection of host eggs, murder of host young, chick mimicry and manipulative begging behaviour: ploys shown by recent research to have evolved in response to host defence behaviour or through competition among the parasites themselves. While many host species appear defenceless, accepting parasite eggs quite unlike their own, others are more discriminating against odd-looking eggs and some have evolved the ability to discriminate against odd-looking chicks as well. How does this arms race proceed? Will denfenceless hosts improve their armour in time, or are there sometimes constraints on hosts which allow the parasites to gain the upperhand? And why are so few species obliged only to lay eggs in host nests? Have host defences limited the success of brood parasitsm, or is it in fact much commoner than we suspect, but occurring mainly when birds parasitise the nests of their own kind?
All of these puzzles are examined in descriptions of the natural history of each of the groups of parasites in turn. Here is a book with wide appeal, both to amateur naturalists fascinated by this most singular and macabre of behaviours and to ornithologists and ecologists interested in the evolution of ecology and behaviour. The story takes us from the strange tales of folklore to the classic field work earlier this century by pioneer ornithologists such as Edgar Chance, Stuart Baker, Herbert Friedmann and others, through to the recent experimental field work and molecular techniques of today's leading scientists. We visit brood parasites in Europe, Asia, Japan, Africa, Australasia, and North and South America, to look at some of the world's most interesting birds and some of biology's most interesting questions, many of which still beg answers from ornithologists in the future.
Brilliant illustrations by David Quinn depict many behaviours for the first time and convey the thrill of watching these astonishing birds in the wild.

About the Author

Nick Davies is Professor of Behavioral Ecology at the University of Cambridge, and a fellow of Pembroke College. His previous books include Dunnock Behavior and Social Evolution (with J.R. Krebs) An introduction to Behavioral Ecology. His awards include a University teaching prize, the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London and the medal of the Association for the Study of Animal Behavior. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1994.

About this edition

• Publisher: T. & A. D. Poyser
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0856611352
• ISBN 13: 9780856611353
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 312