Common cuckoo female host selection is not determined by host quality but can affect cuckoo nestling growth when parasitising Common redstarts
Teresa M. Abaurrea, Angela Moreras, Jere Tolvanen, Robert Leslie Thomson, Rose Thorogood
This study investigates whether Common cuckoo females select high-quality hosts for egg-laying and finds that host selection does not target host quality but may influence cuckoo nestling growth.
Animal Behaviour · Sep 16, 2025Peer-reviewedAnimal Behavior & Cognition