Helpers compensate for age‐related declines in parental care and offspring survival in a cooperatively breeding bird

Offspring from elderly parents often have lower survival due to parental senescence. In cooperatively breeding species, where offspring care is shared between breeders and helpers, the alloparental provided by helpers predicted mitigate impact of senescence on provisioning and, subsequently, survival. We test this prediction using data a long-term study Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis). find that nestling rate female declines with their age. Further, total brood first-year probability decline progressively age breeder, but these are mitigated when present. This effect does not arise because individual provide more in response older dominant females, recruited thereby receiving overall for brood. do such effects male breeders. These results indicate can alleviate fitness costs breeders, which suggests an interplay cooperative breeding.