I suggest that the cuckoo's parasitic adaptations are of two kinds:'trickery', which is how adult
cuckoos and cuckoo eggs and chicks evade host defences, and involves adaptations that …

Why are some common and apparently suitable resources avoided by potential users? This
interesting ecological and evolutionary conundrum is vividly illustrated by obligate brood …

Being an obligate parasite, juvenile common cuckoos Cuculus canorus are thought to reach
their African wintering grounds from Palearctic breeding grounds without guidance from …

Interactions with conspecifics influence the behavioral repertoire of an organism, as they
apply to foraging techniques, song acquisition, habitat selection, and mate choice. Few …

Nests are structures built to support and protect eggs and/or offspring from predators,
parasites, and adverse weather conditions. Nests are mainly constructed prior to egg laying …

Hosts of brood parasites may vary geographically in their ability to resist parasitism. In
contrast, geographic variation in defenses, such as egg rejection, is not expected to be …

Background Co-evolutionary arms-races result in spatio-temporally dynamic relationships
between interacting species, eg, brood parasites and their avian hosts. However, majority of …

Morphological resemblance of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus to the Eurasian
sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus has been regarded as an example of predator mimicry …

Avian brood parasites pose a serious threat to hosts, substantially reducing their fitness,
which selects for the evolution of host defences. A classic example of a host frontline …

Host quality is critical for parasites. The common cuckoo Cuculus canorus is a generalist
avian brood parasite, but individual females show strong preference for a specific host …