Nest parasites are species of birds that lay eggs in the nests of other birds, where their eggs will be incubated and their young fed by the breeding pair of another species. The parasitized pair often do not recognize that there are additional eggs in the nest, or do not recognize the eggs as those of parasites. The parasitized nest often results in fewer offspring surviving for the parasitized breeding pair, but survival of the parasites' offspring. If this represents a case of the "Red Queen," then which of the following would you expect to evolve in the parasitized species?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the parasitized species is experiencing reduced fitness due to nest parasitism, natural selection would favor traits that allow them to recognize and remove foreign eggs from their nests, reducing the chances of raising young from another species. This would increase their fitness by ensuring they are only expending resources on their own offspring. Option B does not address the issue of nest parasitism, option C may not be feasible depending on the breeding biology of the species, and option D is not a solution that would help the parasitized species.

Nest Parasites Are Species of Birds That Lay Eggs in the Nests