Importance of colony size and breeding synchrony on behaviour, reproductive success and paternity in house sparrows Passer domesticus (original) (raw)

A Comparative Study of the Breeding Ecology of the House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus L.): Timing of Breeding and Breeding Success

Israel Journal of Zoology, 2005

Breeding activity of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) occurred between March and August; up to four successful clutches per pair were found in each breeding season. Timing of breeding activities and breeding patterns were compared for the years 2001 to 2003. Of the 656, 760, and 600 (total 2016) eggs laid in the three years, 334 (50.91%), 426 (56.05%), and 362 (60.33%) (total 55.65%) hatched; 224, 276, and 209 (total 709) nestlings fledged, giving a breeding success in terms of eggs laid of 34.2%, 36.1%, and 34.8% (total 35.2%); 67.1%, 64.8%, and 57.6% (63.2%), respectively, in terms of the eggs hatched. The mean number of fledglings per clutch was 2.70 ± 0.13, 2.42 ± 0.09, and 2.36 ± 0.11 (2.49 ± 0.06). The mean nestling weight at hatching and before fledgling (day 15) was 1.81 g ± 0.40 (n = 59) and 21.10 g ± 0.30 (n = 94), respectively. These data provide a base against which future population changes can be monitored.

The effect of breeding density and male quality on paternity-assurance behaviours in the house sparrow, Passer domesticus

Journal of Ethology, 2011

Several factors can influence the risk of cuckoldry through extra-pair paternity for male birds. The number of neighbouring males is thought to affect the chance of females engaging in extra-pair copulations, and species which breed both socially (colonially) and solitarily provide an ideal opportunity to test the effect of close proximity on extra-pair behaviour and paternity guards. In this study, the extent to which male house sparrows, Passer domesticus, used two alternative strategies, namely frequent copulation and mate-guarding, to ensure paternity was investigated. We also examined how males vary the two paternity guards according to their breeding sociality. Pairs at the dense colony started to copulate at a higher rate at the beginning of the fertile period than those of the medium-sized colony and solitary breeding pairs. Male house sparrows appear to fine-tune their strategies according to the breeding density. Both strategies are alternatively used in the weak fertile period but are simultaneously used in the peak fertile period. Our results suggest that males modify their strategy according to their individual abilities: mate-guarding intensity was positively correlated with the black breast badge size.