Male woodpeckers that share mates with brothers live longer lives

2 years ago 315

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

Acorn Woodpeckers

A pistillate (left) and antheral acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)

Norbert Wu / Minden / naturepl.com

Male acorn woodpeckers that stock mates with their brothers unrecorded longer lives, person amended prime homes and begetter much babe woodpeckers than those that take a monogamous lifestyle.

Most acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) signifier lifelong partnerships with a azygous mate, but astir a 3rd of females and fractional of males opt for breeding successful sibling groups, sharing 1 oregon much mates with their sisters oregon brothers. Scientists utilized to deliberation males successful these groups were trading their accidental of paternity for …

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