Incubation is a vital component of reproduction and parental care in birds. Maintaining
temperatures within a narrow range is necessary for embryonic development and hatching …

In recent years, problems associated with the evolution of clutch size have evoked continued
interest. Although it can claim to be one of the oldest topics in life history theory, a variety of …

This fascinating study describes the natural histories of these brood parasites and examines
many of the exciting questions they raise about the evolution of cheating and the arms race …

After the chicken, the House Sparrow is the most widely distributed bird species in the world,
occurring on all continents except Antarctica and on most human-inhabited islands …

In most animals, offspring from a reproductive bout usually hatch, emerge, or are born within
a relatively short time of each other compared to the time required for their development …

Many birds initiate incubation before clutch completion, which results in asynchronous
hatching. The ensuing within–brood size disparity often places later–hatched nestlings at a …

1. Maternal effects often explain a significant amount of variation in offspring phenotype, and
can be important in the evolution of life histories. Incubation of eggs is an important maternal …

Early developmental experiences, such as incubation conditions, can have important
consequences for post-hatching fitness in birds. Although the effects of incubation …

Avian eggshells harbour microbes shortly after laying, and under appropriate ambient
conditions they can multiply rapidly, penetrate through shell pores, infect egg contents and …

This article addresses the relationship between two unresolved problems in avian biology—
the significance of variation among taxa in incubation period and the significance of …