Interspecific feeding explained

Interspecific feeding refers to behaviour reported in wild animals, particularly birds where adults of one species feed the young of another species. This usually excludes the case of birds feeding brood parasites. The behaviour has been of theoretical interest since it appears to be provide little evolutionary benefit to the feeding bird.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} Some researchers have suggested that it is mainly male birds that are lured into feeding a fledgling that begs.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}

Such behaviour is also related to alloparenting, cross-fostering and brood adoption. Several situations have been suggested that lead to this including:^[2]

1. Bird raised in a mixed clutch^[9]
2. Original nest and brood of bird destroyed
3. Nests in very close proximity
4. Calling of young birds stimulates behaviour
5. Orphaned birds adopted temporarily or permanently
6. Male bird feeding another species while mate incubated
7. Feeding bird is mateless and finds a mateless bird at nest

Shy (1982) listed 65 species of birds involved in interspecific feeding. Riedman (1982) listed 150 species of birds that adopted young that did not belong to themselves.^[10]

External links

• Nuthatch feeding Bluebird nestlings
• Cardinal feeding goldfish
• Levy, Sharon 2002 Parenting paradox. National Wildlife Magazile 40(5)

Notes and References

1. Interspecific feeding among some Oscines. McNair, D B . Bill Duyck. Chat. 1991. 55. 1.
2. J. Field Ornithol.. 53. 4. 370–393. Interspecific feeding among birds: A review. 1982. Shy, Marilyn Muszalski.
3. Drozdz, R, M. Hromada, Pyotr Tryjanowski. 2004. Interspecific feeding of a Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) fledgling by adult Yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella). Biological Letters. 41. 2. 185–187.
4. Anim. Behav.. 1998. 55. 1451–1459. Adopting adoption. Avita, Eytan. Eva Jablonka. Michael Lachmann. 10.1006/anbe.1998.0729. 9641990. 6. 14318096. 2009-03-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20090809162432/http://email.eva.mpg.de/~lachmann/papers/adoption.pdf. 2009-08-09. dead.
5. Lozano, GA . Lemon, RE . 1998. Adoption of yellow warbler nestlings by song sparrows. Wilson Bulletin . 110. 1. 131–133.
6. Southern, J. . 1952. Spotted Flycatcher feeding nestling blackbirds. British Birds . 45. 366.
7. Watson, J. W., M. Davison, and L. L. Leschner. 1993. Bald Eagles rear Red-tailed Hawks. J. Raptor Res. . 27. 126–127.
8. Eddinger, CR. 1970. The White-eye as an interspecific feeding helper. Condor . 72. 2. 240. 10.2307/1366644. 1366644.
9. Samplonius. Jelmer M. Both. Christiaan. A Case of a Three Species Mixed Brood after Two Interspecific Nest Takeovers. Ardea. 2014. 102. 1. 105–107. 10.5253/078.102.0113. 84192446.
10. Marianne L.. Riedman. 1982. The Evolution of Alloparental Care and Adoption in Mammals and Birds. 2826887. The Quarterly Review of Biology. 57. 4. 405–435. 10.1086/412936. 85378202.