Missing Moms and Deadbeat Dads: The Evolution of Parental Care in Birds Location: Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, Shannon Terrace, Fish Creek Provincial Park When: Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Contact: Chris Lalonde Contact Number: 403-238-3841 Email: chris@friendsoffishcreek.org WebSite: www.friendsoffishcreek.org The Friends of Fish Creek October 2012 Speaker Series Presented by Dorothy Hill PhD, Assistant Professor Department of Biology, Mount Royal University Birds are model organisms for studying the evolution of parental care. In more than 90% of bird species both parents feed their offspring, and the levels of parental care provided by passerine birds (perching songbirds) are among the highest in the animal kingdom. But not all birds are so nurturing! Brown-headed cowbirds (top left), a local brood parasite found in Fish Creek Provincial Park, lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and leave the parental care of their young to others. Another behaviour with similar consequences involves male birds siring offspring in the nests of the next door neighbours. Come to this presentation and learn how clay-colored sparrows (top right) respond to brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds and what male chestnut-collared longspurs do when faced with extra offspring in their nest..
Event Details. Location:
Fish Creek Provincial Park