Nutrient Reserves and the Energetics of Reproduction in American Coots

• DOI: 10.2307/4086829
• Publication Date: 2012-09-14T11:21:13Z
• Authors: Ray T. Alisauskas; C. Davison Ankney
• Keywords: Avian clutch size; Energetics; Bioenergetics

To investigate the bioenergetics of reproduction in American Coots (Fulica americana) we collected 108 males and 93 females at Delta Marsh, southern Manitoba, 1981. Prenesting nesting birds were analyzed for fat, protein, ash content nonreproductive tissue. For females, these values compared to nutrient requirements reproductive tissue during egg-laying. We suggest that feeding conditions before arrival can affect subsequent output. Fat reserves may function as a threshold influences initiation breeding; protein time influence timing attempt. infer territory quality is important it result termination laying are depleted. By distributing costs clutch formation (through storage) after increased biparental care eggs young) formation, required energy intake concurrent with egg-laying substantially reduced female coots.