Cooperative breeding is an evolutionary paradox because individuals forgo their own reproduction and assist others in the care of young. Reproductive skew theory provides a framework for understanding how cooperative breeding evolves but remains virtually untested in social mammals and birds. Nesomimus macdonaldi, a species of mockingbird found only on Espanola Island in the Galapagos, offers a rare opportunity to test crucial assumptions and predictions of this theory. The basic goal of the proposed research is to measure the effects of alternative behavioral decisions on the survival and reproduction of individual birds within a complex social system. The methods include observations of marked birds, experimental manipulations of brood size, and genetic paternity analyses. This research will contribute to our understanding of animal sociality.
Broader Impacts: This project will directly support the career advancement of a hispanic female graduate student and provide research experiences for undergraduates in Ecuador and the United States. In fact, we have developed a strong international collaboration with Ecuador which has and will continue to benefit students from both countries.
