In some species of birds, mothers lay their eggs in the nests of other females. This is called brood parasitism. Sometimes, the nesting female recognizes the other bird’s egg or chick, and other times, she doesn’t. In three sentences, explain how parasitic behavior may affect the reproductive success of parasitic and nesting females. (4 points)
Parasitic behavior can benefit the parasitic female by allowing her to pass on her genes without using her own resources for nesting and incubating eggs. However, it can also negatively impact the nesting female by causing her to raise chicks that are not her own, potentially reducing her overall reproductive success. In some cases, the presence of parasitic eggs or chicks can lead the nesting female to abandon her nest, which can ultimately reduce the overall reproductive success of both females.
