Cuckoos, cowbirds and the persistence of brood parasitism

• Published in: Trends in Ecology & Evolution Vol. 14; no. 9; pp. 338 - 343
• Main Author: Winfree, Rachael
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-09-1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Brood parasitism; Brow-headed cowbird; Common cuckoo; Cost–benefit equilibrium; Cuculus canorus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Host–parasite evolution; Molothrus ater; Vertebrata; Cuculus canorus; Brood parasitism; Common cuckoo; Cost–benefit equilibrium; Evolution; Host–parasite evolution; Molothrus ater; Brow-headed cowbird; Host parasite relation; Vertebrata; Interspecific comparison; Biological evolution; Social parasitism; Tolerance; Review; Aves; Cost benefit analysis
• ISSN: 0169-5347; 1872-8383
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-5347(99)01643-2

Brood parasites provide a particularly good opportunity for the study of host–parasite evolution because they directly affect the reproductive success of their hosts. Two parasitic species, the common cuckoo (
Cuculus canorus) and the brown-headed cowbird (
Molothrus ater), differ widely in their relationships with their hosts, yet share the attribute of having been particularly well studied by biologists. Recent work on the cuckoo and the cowbird has resulted in new answers to the question begged by all brood parasites: why do host species raise parasitic young?