What is Brood parasitism? Give an example. What adaptation has evolved in this phenomenon?
Brood parasitism refers to the phenomenon in which one bird species by its eggs in the nests of another bird species Evolution has occurred in such a way the eggs of the parasitic birds resemble those of the host bird in size, color, etc to avoid host bird detecting the foreign eggs & ejecting them from the nest e.g. cuckoo bird lays eggs in the nest of crow. It is considered as a parasitic type of interspecific interaction because in this relationship the parasite i.e. eggs of cuckoo birds depend on the crow’s nest for its food & shelter but the crow is harmed because there is competition for limited food and shelter amongst the crow’s egg & cuckoo’s egg thus, in parasitic interspecific interaction the parasite is benefited while the host is harmed.
