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Fluctuation of body temperature and cuckoo brood parasitism
Author(s) -
Ando Shigeru
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/bf02347858
Subject(s) - cuckoo , brood parasite , adaptation (eye) , brood , ecology , biology , parasitism , zoology , host (biology) , neuroscience
Body temperatures of 11 bird species, including cuckoos, were measured in an artificial meteorological room. Ratios of change in body temperature to that in air temperature were thereby obtained for each species. Cuckoos demonstrate a remarkably high value, indicating a particularly low ability to regulate body temperature. Viewed in this light, the cuckoo's parasitic behavior is very likely an adaptation to overcome a physiological disadvantage. This in turn might be expected to reinforce delay in evolution of temperature homeostasis.