Brain size mediates the choice of breeding strategy in the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio  

作　　者：Joanna T.BIALAS Łukasz DYLEWSKI Marcin TOBOLKA 

机构地区：[1]Department of Zoology,Pozna´n University of Life Sciences,Pozna´n,Pol [2]Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology,University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna,Wien,Austria

出　　处：《Integrative Zoology》2024年第4期683-693,共11页整合动物学(英文版)

基　　金：supported by the National Science Centre,Poland,under Grant 2017/25/N/NZ8/00822.

摘　　要：The brain size of vertebrates represents a trade-off between natural selection for enhanced cognitive abilities and the energetic constraints of brain tissue production.Processing information efficiently can confer benefits,but it also entails time costs.Breeding strategies,encompassing timing of breeding onset and nest-site selection,may be related to brain size.In this study,we aim to elucidate the relationship between brain size,breeding timing,nest-site choice,and breeding success in the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio.Our findings revealed that the timing of the first egg-laying date was associated with female head size,with larger-headed females tending to lay eggs later in the breeding season.Additionally,we observed that breeding success was positively correlated with increased nest concealment.However,this relationship was stronger in males with smaller heads.In turn,nest concealment was not related to head size but primarily influenced breeding onset.These results suggest that the choice of breeding strategy may be moderated by brain size,with differences between sexes.Larger-headed females may invest more time in selecting nesting sites,leading to delayed breeding onset,while larger-headed males may compensate for suboptimal nest concealment.Our study sheds light on the intricate interplay between brain size,breeding timing,nest-site preferences,and breeding success in passerine birds,underscoring the potential role of cognitive capacity in shaping individual decision-making processes.

关 键 词：BIRDS breeding phenology COGNITION nest-site choice speed-accuracy trade-off 

分 类 号：S51[农业科学—作物学]