Begging and feeding responses vary with relatedness and sex of provisioners in a cooperative breeder

Begging behaviour can provide information on offspring hunger levels and be used by parents to adjust food provisioning efforts. In cooperative breeders, helpers also care feeding the young. However, how of different sex relatedness respond begging has rarely been studied in cooperatively breeding species, which limits our understanding indirect and/or direct benefits that may obtain responding demand. Here, we a bird, sociable weaver, Philetairus socius, investigate nest intervisit intervals breeders types helpers, distinguished relatedness, varied with acoustic begging. Moreover, tested whether these classes provisioners experienced distinct Our results show only males, but not females or any nestlings, returned faster feed after experiencing more calls. When contrasted directly, confirmed statistically supported difference responses between male female breeders. Surprisingly, second-order relatives calls than other related These might find differences when classifying group members according their potential fitness gains. weavers, costs adjusting efforts seem differ life history stage. Experimental detailed investigations begging–feeding interactions are necessary understand origin prevalence across systems.