Interspecific feeding refers to behaviour reported in wild animals, particularly birds where adults of one species feed the young of another species. This usually excludes the case of birds feeding

brood parasites Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its own ...

. The behaviour has been of theoretical interest since it appears to be provide little evolutionary benefit to the feeding bird. Some researchers have suggested that it is mainly male birds that are lured into feeding a fledgling that begs Such behaviour is also related to

alloparenting Alloparenting (also referred to as alloparental care) is a term used to classify any form of parental care provided by an individual towards young that aren't its own direct offspring. These are often referred to as "non-descendant" young, even th ...

cross-fostering Cross-fostering is a technique used in animal husbandry, animal science, genetic and nature versus nurture studies, and conservation, whereby offspring are removed from their biological parents at birth and raised by surrogates, typically of a diff ...

and brood

adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...

. Several situations have been suggested that lead to this including: # Bird raised in a mixed clutch # Original nest and brood of bird destroyed # Nests in very close proximity # Calling of young birds stimulates behaviour # Orphaned birds adopted temporarily or permanently # Male bird feeding another species while mate incubated # Feeding bird is mateless and finds a mateless bird at nest Shy (1982) listed 65 species of birds involved in interspecific feeding. Riedman (1982) listed 150 species of birds that adopted young that did not belong to themselves.

References

External links

Nuthatch feeding Bluebird nestlings

Levy, Sharon 2002 Parenting paradox. National Wildlife Magazile 40(5)
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