Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:

Brood parasitism

Female ducks can double their reproduction

Nature volume 414, pages 600–601 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

By engaging in extra-pair matings, the most successful males in some bird species can father twice as many young as are present in their own nest1,2. Here we describe a female parallel in goldeneye ducks (Bucephala clangula), whereby some females can double their reproductive output by combining brood parasitism with normal nesting. This huge reproductive advantage should create strong selection for parasitic tactics.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Reproductive tactics of female goldeneye ducks.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kempenaers, B. et al. Nature 357, 494–496 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sheldon, B. C. & Ellegren, H. Anim. Behav. 57, 285–298 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Andersson, M. & Åhlund, M. Ecology 82, 1433–1442 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Andersson, M. & Åhlund, M. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 97, 13188–13193 (2000).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Eadie, J. M., Kehoe, F. P. & Nudds, T. N. Can. J. Zool. 66, 1709–1721 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Eadie, J. M. Alternative reproductive tactics in a precocial bird: the ecology and evolution of brood parasitism in goldeneyes. Thesis, Univ. British Columbia (1989).

  7. Sorenson, M. D. Anim. Behav. 42, 771–796 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lyon, B. C. Anim. Behav. 46, 911–928 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Brown, C. R. & Brown, M. B. Behav. Ecol. 9, 158–171 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. McRae, S. B. Behav. Ecol. 9, 93–100 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Gothenburg University, Box 463, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden

    Matti Åhlund & Malte Andersson

Authors
  1. Matti Åhlund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Malte Andersson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Malte Andersson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Åhlund, M., Andersson, M. Female ducks can double their reproduction. Nature 414, 600–601 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/414600b

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/414600b

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing