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Parent–offspring conflict in avian families

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Abstract

Squabbles and squawks are a common feature of avian family life, so it is no wonder that birds are model species for the study of parent–offspring conflict. But how much do these behaviours really tell us about the evolutionary conflicts of interest between parents and their young? Here, we provide a brief review that is aimed primarily at ornithologists not already familiar with this area of research.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Kate Lessells for encouraging us to organise a symposium at the IOC, the other participants (Lars Hillstrom, Petra Quillfeldt and Ruedi Nager) for their interesting contributions, Susan Hannon for her flexibility in programming the symposium, and Franz Bairlein and the other members of the IOC Organizing Committee for a stimulating and enjoyable meeting in Hamburg. We are very grateful to Martin Fowlie for his comments on the manuscript. R.M.K. was supported by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and H.D. by an UNAM PAPIIT scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ, Cambridge, UK

    R. M. Kilner

  2. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-275, México, D.F. 04510, Mexico

    H. Drummond

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  1. R. M. Kilner
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  2. H. Drummond
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Correspondence to R. M. Kilner.

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Communicated by F. Bairlein.

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Kilner, R.M., Drummond, H. Parent–offspring conflict in avian families. J Ornithol 148 (Suppl 2), 241–246 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-007-0224-3

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