Habitat-selection hypothesis

Habitat selection hypothesis is an attempt to explain the mechanisms of brood parasite nest selection in cuckoos. Cuckoos are not the only brood parasites, however the behavior is more rare in other groups of birds, including ducks, weavers, and cowbirds.^[1] In habitat selection hypothesis, a female cuckoo retains recognition (is imprinted) of the habitat type in which she was reared, and will subsequently return to this habitat type in order to lay eggs. Habitat might be defined as dry or wet, shrubby or forested, lakeside, etc. This habitat preference increases the likelihood of encountering the suitable host species, as most host species are known to be habitat specific. Thus, habitat selection is thought to allow for random host selection by the female cuckoo (Teuschl et al. 1998; Vogl et al. 2002). In some cases an individual may choose a different habitat from their original recognition based on the reproductive success of other individuals.^[2]

References

• Danchin, Etienne, Thierry Boulinier, and Manuel Massot. "Conspecific reproductive success and breeding habitat selection: implications for the study of coloniality." Ecology 79.7 (1998): 2415-2428.
• Teuschl, Y., B. Taborsky, and M. Taborsky. (1998) How do cuckoos find their hosts? The role of habitat imprinting. Animal Behavior 56: 1425-1433
• Vogl, W., M. Taborsky, B. Taborsky, Y. Teuschl, and M. Honza. (2002) Cuckoo females preferentially use specific habitats when searching for hot nests. Animal Behavior 64: 843-850