Abstract
Body temperatures of 11 bird species, including cuckoos, were measured in an artificial meteorological room. Ratios of change in body temperature to that in air temperature were thereby obtained for each species. Cuckoos demonstrate a remarkably high value, indicating a particularly low ability to regulate body temperature. Viewed in this light, the cuckoo's parasitic behavior is very likely an adaptation to overcome a physiological disadvantage. This in turn might be expected to reinforce delay in evolution of temperature homeostasis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ando S. (1977) Fundamental problems in radio biotelemetry for ecological use. In:JIBP Synthesis, 17 (ed. M. Morisita) pp. 183–212. Tokyo University Press, Tokyo.
Baker E. C. S. (1942)Cuckoo Problems. Witherby, London
Hamilton W. J. &Orians G. H. (1965) Evolution of brood parasitism in altricial birds.Condor 67, 361–382.
Hoehn E. O. &McKeown B. A. (1979) Pituitary prolactin in certain brood parasitic cuckoos.Biochemical and Experimental Biology 15, 307–310.
Lack D. (1968)Ecological Adaptations for Breeding in Birds, Methuen, London.
Payne R. B. (1977) The ecology of brood parasitism in birds.Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 8, 1–28.
Rothstein S. I. (1990) A model system for coevolution of avian brood parasitism.Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 21, 481–508.
Smith N. G. (1968) The advantage of being parasitized.Nature 219, 690–694.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Ando, S. Fluctuation of body temperature and cuckoo brood parasitism. Ecol. Res. 10, 321–325 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347858
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347858