Long-term Partnership and Parenting? Is it Really the Most Optimal Way to Live?
Author: Lexi Robertson
Faculty Supervisor: Jaime Chaves
Department: Biology
Birds are known to vary in their breeding strategies, some mate for life whereas other species remain with the same partner but just during the breeding season. Despite these differences in breeding behaviors, little is known about the way these strategies affect offspring survival. Here, I will explore whether long-term vs short-term partnerships affect the success rate of hatchlings in a given breeding season. I will study ten bird species in California, five corresponding to each breeding category (long vs short-term partnerships), and compare hatchling success using data from the most recent breeding season (2023). Specifically, I will look into hatchling numbers from each species using data from eBird as well as from California Fish and Wildlife documented records. My expectation is that the average number of hatchlings rates will be better in long-term partnerships than the short-term pairs. I believe this will be because of the differences in their nesting behaviors and the caregiving provided by the male of the species.By understanding the breeding behavior and parental techniques that contribute to hatchling success we can expand our research into what other factors contribute to this behavioral disparity.