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© 1994 International Society for Behavioral Ecology

research-article

Nonrandom dispersal of kin: why do European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) brothers nest close together?

C. M. Lessells, M. I. Avery and J. R. Krebs

Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, PO Box 601, University of Sheffield, Sheffield SI0 2UQ, UK RSPB,0 The Lodge,Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX I 3PS, UK

C. M. Lessells is now at theNetherlands Institute of Ecology, Boterhoeksestraat 22, PO Box 40, 6666 ZG Heteren, Netherlands.

ABSTRACT

Dispersal of close relatives within a breeding colony of European bee-eaters, Merops aptaster, was investigated by comparing the spatial separation of breeding relatives with that between the same individual and a control individual hatched nearby in the same year. One-year-old males breed closer to their brothers, but not to their parents, than do controls. The main benefit of breeding in proximity to relatives appears to be enhanced helping behavior: potential helpers are more likely to help and to help more quickly after nest failure when their own nest is close to that of the potential recipient of help. Breeding in proximity to relatives also appears to carry a cost because nest failure is spatially aggregated: this implies that individuals breeding close to relatives are less likely to have a relative available to help should their own breeding attempt fail. There was no evidence that the proximity of relatives enhanced nest establishment, defense against predators, or information transfer.

Key words: breeding dispersal, cooperative breeding, dispersal, European bee-eater, helping behavior, kin favoritism, kin selection, Merops apiaster, natal dispersal.


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