tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232876417213762500.post6182687473280695845..comments2024-02-28T11:56:51.910+11:00Comments on Avithera: A cuckoo in the gardenAvitherahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09652582822206813391noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232876417213762500.post-25433530703587736732013-11-03T10:10:47.275+11:002013-11-03T10:10:47.275+11:00Thanks for comments The Happy Wanderer. No doubt m...Thanks for comments The Happy Wanderer. No doubt many before us have wondered how the Cuckoo's nest parasitism came about. Not sure how far back in evolutionary terms this development took place in birds however I notice that all of the cuckoo species I have seen have a strong resemblance which probably indicates nest parasitism has only developed once in one species and then branched into more species down the years. I must admit that I am no authority on the subject and for all I know other non cuckoo species may also be nest parasites? One species in Australia, the Pheasant Coucal builds a nest and raises its own young - there are always exceptions to the rule! I notice in Morcombe that the incubation time for the Pallid Cuckoo is 12-14 days which is shorter than the host birds and the egg is larger so the chick is larger than the host bird's chicks. Perhaps, as you say, the incubation time is shorter because the female Pallid C holds back laying the egg to allow for some development of the chick before laying. This would make up for the head start the host bird's eggs have as the Pallid must lay her egg into a nest with eggs.Avitherahttp://www.avithera.blogspot.com.aunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232876417213762500.post-20260075621681298122013-11-03T09:07:08.896+11:002013-11-03T09:07:08.896+11:00An interesting post. I wonder how cuckoos develo...An interesting post. I wonder how cuckoos developed parasitism in evolutionary terms. I saw a program several years ago where researchers had found that the female European cuckoo retains eggs inside her longer than other birds so that the young one hatches in a shorter time and is larger than the host nestlings and thus able to push it/them out of the nest when it hatches. I haven't heard if ours are like that though.Sonjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940828763843098232noreply@blogger.com