Reproductive Strategies Change With Time in a Newly Founded Colony of Spotless Starlings (Sturnus unicolor)

Variation in avian reproductive strategies is often studied from a comparative perspective, since even closely-related taxa differ greatly the degree of polygyny, extra-pair paternity (EPP) or intra-specific brood-parasitism. However, substantial variation at species level suggests that ecological factors are important shaping these patterns. In this study, we examined temporal plasticity strategies, following population year colony formation to 2 years after this. Parentage data shows polygyny decreased with time, likely as consequence increased competition for nesting sites and mates by new recruits, immigrants higher quality arriving time passed. parallel change, found an increase brood-parasitism quasi-parasitism (QP). We interpret patterns floaters time; birds pursue mixture alternative mating succeed population. also evidence conspecific brood parasitism (CBP), females laid part clutch another nest losing partially resorted lay last eggs nest. Analyses distance between main nests containing secondary polygynous parasitic young showed avoidance contiguous conducting tactics. At same were closer than random distances within colony, suggesting access public information was restricted narrow area around Our study emphasizes how behavioral plastic traits vary not only individual circumstances, but tracking changes density social structure.