Question

A cuckoo laying eggs in the nest of other species of birds is an example of

• A. Adelphoparasitism
• B. Brood parasitism
• C. Ecotoparasitism
• D. Hyper-parasitism

Answer 1

The correct option is B Brood parasitism

Brood parasites are organisms that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and some fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were it's own, using brood mimicry, for example by having eggs that resemble the host's (egg mimicry). Most birds lay eggs in their own nests. But brood parasites, such as cuckoos and cowbirds, lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species. This often happens with cuckoos.

So, the correct answer is 'Brood parasitism'.