Effects of Interspecific Nest Parasitism by Redheads and Ruddy Ducks
- 1 January 1976
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JSTOR in The Journal of Wildlife Management
- Vol. 40 (1) , 33-38
- https://doi.org/10.2307/3800153
Abstract
Of 809 duck nests found at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Farmington, Utah [USA], 290 were parasitized interspecifically-264 by redheads (Aythya americana) and 62 by ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis). Pintail (Anas acuta) and cinnamon teal (A. cyanoptera) nests most frequently incurred redhead parasitism, whereas cinnamon teal and redhead nests were most often parasitized by ruddy ducks. Mallard (A. platyrhynchos), pintail and cinnamon teal nests parasitized interspecifically by ruddy ducks and redheads had significantly reduced (P < 0.05) egg successes. Egg success of cinnamon teal was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) through host egg displacement, primarily as a result of redhead parasitism. Egg displacement resulting from interspecific parasitism had a negligible effect on mallard, pintail and redhead egg success. Redhead and ruddy duck interspecific parasitism did not decrease significantly (P > 0.05) host nesting success by increasing the occurrence of nest abandonment and nest predation.This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Parasitic Egg Laying in the Redhead (Aythya americana) and Other North American AnatidaeEcological Monographs, 1959