Bigamous Trios in the Black-winged Stilt <i>Himantopus himantopus himantopus</i>: II. Contribution of Members of Trios toward Incubation and Chick-caring

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  • セイタカシギの二雌トリオの抱卵・育雛活動
  • Bigamous trios in the black winged stilt Himantopus himantopus himantopus 2 Contribution of members of trios toward incubation and chick caring

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Abstract

The contribution of each member toward incubation and chick-caring was examined within six bigamous trios of the Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus; three trios with joint-nests, two trios with two-simultaneous-nests, and one trio with three-successive-nests. The study extended over a ten-year period from 1997-2007. In the first joint-nesting trio, composed of two parents and a yearling daughter, only the parents incubated the eggs. In the second joint-nesting trio, composed of three adult birds, all members attended one nest, but the dominant female sometimes drove the subordinate female out of the nest when the latter was incubating. In the third joint-nesting trio, composed of two parents and a yearling daughter, all members participated in incubation cooperatively. In bigamous trios with two-simultaneous-nests, one was composed of two parents and a yearling daughter, and the other composed of a male and two females. All members of these two trios participated in incubation of eggs in both nests. In the bigamous trio with three-successive-nests, composed of a pair and an unrelated female, the male attended all three nests, the dominant female attended the first and third nests, and the subordinate female attended the second and third nests. In a joint-nest situation, it seems to be difficult physically for an individual to incubate all eggs of two clutches laid in a single nest. In two-simultaneous-nests and three-successive-nests, the males performed a greater proportion of incubation in the nests of dominant females than in those of the subordinates. In the Black-winged Stilt, the hatching success of bigamous trios did not differ significantly from that of monogamous pairs. One bigamous trio with a joint-nest, one trio with two-simultaneous-nests, and one trio with three-successive-nests were successful in hatching chicks. In the first two cases all members of the respective trios contributed to defending chick-caring territory. In the trio with two-simultaneous-nests, all members participated in brooding, guarding chicks and sentry activities. Bigamous trios are more successful than monogamous pairs in chick-caring activities.

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