Shiny cowbirds with the most eggs tend to have higher reproductive success due to competition and care from host parents. Optimal clutch size impacts reproductive success in birds.
The shiny cowbirds that lay the most eggs will likely have the highest level of reproductive success. This is because in the bird world, precocial species that lay many eggs at once and have larger clutch sizes tend to ensure some offspring survive to reproduce, balancing the high predation rates.
For example, cowbirds, by laying more eggs and having slightly larger eggs that hatch sooner than the host eggs, are able to out-compete and receive more parental care, increasing their reproductive success.
Robins laying smaller or larger clutches due to stabilizing selection show how optimal clutch size plays a role in offspring viability and overall reproductive success.
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