Cuckoo chicks in Zebra finches: Eggs from other females can be found in every fifth nest
Thursday, September 2, 2010 - 20:28
in Biology & Nature
Some female zebra finches foist a part of their eggs on their neighbors. Scientists in Germany have discovered that in every fifth nest there is one egg that is not produced by its social parents. The female birds act in a very well-targeted way: eggs are being placed in “foster-care” shortly before the hosts commence their own egg laying.