Image from Google Jackets

Continuous laying and clutch-size limitation in mallards / Todd W. Arnold, David W. Howerter, James H. Devries, Brian L. Joynt, Robert B. Emery and Michael G. Anderson.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublication details: 2002.Description: illustrations ; 28 cmLOC classification:
  • ARN
Online resources: Summary: We assessed nutritional constraints on clutch size in Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) by ob- serving incidence and consequences of continuous laying-the sequential production of eggs in two or more nest bowls. Continuous laying behavior was detected in 278 of 3,064 radiotracked Mallards (9.1%). Continuous laying females produced an av- erage of 12.12 total eggs (SD = 2.70, range 5-18, n = 69), versus 8.90 eggs for normal nesting females (SD = 1.67, range 4-14, n = 587). On average, continuous laying females were 25 g heavier than noncontinuous laying females, and body mass was positively cor- related with egg production among continuous lay- ing females. Nest success was not affected by contin- uous laying, but continuous laying females that abandoned their nests were more likely to be young or to have laid a greater number of eggs. A large component of the breeding Mallard population can lay more eggs than they typically do, and there ap- pear to be minimal consequences of that behavior. These observations appear inconsistent with the egg- formation hypothesis.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-266).

We assessed nutritional constraints
on clutch size in Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) by ob-
serving incidence and consequences of continuous
laying-the sequential production of eggs in two or
more nest bowls. Continuous laying behavior was
detected in 278 of 3,064 radiotracked Mallards
(9.1%). Continuous laying females produced an av-
erage of 12.12 total eggs (SD = 2.70, range 5-18, n =
69), versus 8.90 eggs for normal nesting females (SD
= 1.67, range 4-14, n = 587). On average, continuous
laying females were 25 g heavier than noncontinuous
laying females, and body mass was positively cor-
related with egg production among continuous lay-
ing females. Nest success was not affected by contin-
uous laying, but continuous laying females that
abandoned their nests were more likely to be young
or to have laid a greater number of eggs. A large
component of the breeding Mallard population can
lay more eggs than they typically do, and there ap-
pear to be minimal consequences of that behavior.
These observations appear inconsistent with the egg-
formation hypothesis.

Ducks Unlimited Canada Institute for Wetland & Waterfowl (IWWR) Research Library, P.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, MB R0C 2Z0
(204)467-3276|Fax (204) 467-9028|