Two Determined Tree Swallows

Glucocorticoids and parental effort in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor)

Hatching Asynchrony, Egg Size, Growth, and Fledging in Tree Swallows

AssTr•cT.--Marked asynchronous hatching was observed in Tree Swallows (Iridoprocne bicolor), apparently because incubation started before the full clutch was laid. Asynchronous hatching resulted in pronounced size differences of nestlings. Immediately after hatching, the first-hatched nestling was, on average, 94% heavier than the last-hatched. Clearly, a weight hierarchy was established, with ...

Repeatability of extra-pair mating in tree swallows.

Models of sexual selection assume that female mating preferences are heritable and, thus, repeatable for individual females across multiple mating episodes. Previous studies of the repeatability of female preference have examined individuals in captivity and focused presumably on social mate choice. However, extra-pair mating is widespread and can also influence sexual selection. We examined th...

Corticosterone stress response in tree swallows nesting near polychlorinated biphenyl- and dioxin-contaminated rivers.

We assayed baseline and stress-induced corticosterone concentrations from adult female and nestling tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, from New England, U.S.A., sites with different levels of contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Corticosterone was compared over 2 years from a highly contaminated PCB site along the Housatonic River ...

Reproductive Anatomy and Indices of Quality in Male Tree Swallows: the Potential Reproductive Role of Floaters

—Avian populations often consist of breeding residents and nonbreeding floaters. It is usually assumed that floaters are lower-quality individuals that do not reproduce, but floater tactics and potential reproductive success have rarely been examined carefully. To assess the potential reproductive role of male floaters in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), we compared their reproductive organ...