Infanticide by a male parent and by a new female mate in colonial egrets
Fujioka, M.
Auk 103.3: 619-621
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-8038 DOI: 10.2307/4087139Document Number: 275165
Infanticide by avian conspecifics is observed most often in the context of sibling competition, i.e. siblicide. In several mammals, instances of infanticide with mate takeover have been documented. Infanticide in a similar context, including egg destruction, has been reported in some group-living birds. Recently, infanticide by a female was suggested for the polyandrous Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa ). Apparently, "adaptive" parental infanticide is rare among birds, excluding parental nest abandonment. Here the author presents observations of two unusual social interactions in monogamous colonial herons: egg destruction by a male parent of the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis ) and infanticide by a new female mate of the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta ). The study was done at a mixed-species heronry in Mie Prefecture, Japan, 50 km southwest of Nagoya.