Question

Some species of cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. When the birds hatch, the other species tends to the cuckoo’s young as their own. While the other species takes care of their young, the parent cuckoos collect food for themselves and produce more offspring. How does this tactic affect the survival of the cuckoos and the offspring of the birds that care for young cuckoos?
A) It increases survival for both.
B) It decreases survival for both.
C) It increases survival for cuckoos, but decreases survival of the other birds.
D) It decreases survival for cuckoos, but increases survival of the other birds.

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer would be C) It increases survival for cuckoos, but decreases survival of the other birds.

The host chicks often face lots of competition from the cuckoo chicks in terms of food as well as space. It makes it difficult for the host chicks to survive.

It has also been found that cuckoo chicks beg to be fed more intensely due to which host chick die due to starvation.  

In addition, in some species of cuckoo, cuckoo chicks remove host eggs from the nest within few days of hatching.