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 to five sentences, explain how parasitic behavior may affect the reproductive success of parasitic and nesting females.
Brood parasitism can have both positive and negative effects on the reproductive success of both the parasitic and nesting females. For the parasitic female, laying eggs in another bird's nest can allow her to offload the energy and resources needed to raise hatchlings onto another individual. This can ultimately increase her own reproductive success by saving her time and energy. However, if the nesting female recognizes the parasitic egg or chick, she may reject or remove it from the nest, reducing the parasitic female's reproductive success. Additionally, if the parasitic female's eggs or chicks are raised alongside those of the nesting female, competition for resources and attention can decrease the overall survival rate of all offspring in the nest.
