Anti-predator function of not covering eggs in the initial phase of nesting in Grey Partridge Perdix perdix: a field experiment. Issue 1 (2nd January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Černý, Martin; Šálek, Miroslav
• Is Part Of: Bird study. Volume 67:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 104
• Page End: 108
• Publication Date: 2020-01-02
• Subjects: Birds -- Ecology -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Birds -- Conservation -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Birds -- Ecology -- Periodicals; Birds -- Conservation -- Periodicals; Birds -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Birds -- Geographical distribution -- Periodicals; Birds -- Counting -- Periodicals; 598.170941
• DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2020.1780194
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3657

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Capsule: An experiment in the field supports the hypothesis that Grey Partridges Perdix perdix purposely expose their first laid eggs in order to test the predation risk at their nest site. Aims: To test the hypothesis that female Grey Partridges leave first laid eggs uncovered to assess the predation risk at their chosen nesting site. Methods: Four area-independent experiments with artificial nests were used. Predation risk was estimated by daily nest failure rate. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used in statistical analysis. Results: We found that Grey Partridge females could predict nest site safety. At nest sites where the first uncovered egg was depredated, there was a higher predation risk for the whole clutch. Conclusion: Our data statistically support the hypothesis that leaving the first egg uncovered serves to provide a more conspicuous bait for potential predators and could be a female tactic for better recognizing predation risk at a nesting site. Thus, if the first uncovered egg is depredated, the female may start a new clutch elsewhere without wasting investment in the clutch at a site under high predation risk.