title: Sexual aggression by intruders in hooded crowCorvus cornix.
abstract: The hooded crowCorvus cornixis a west Palaearctic, solitary nesting, monogamous corvid. In the breeding season, populations are characterized by a social organization wherein breeding pairs are territorial and non-breeding individuals, called floaters, live in flocks. During a study of the breeding ecology of the hooded crow, conducted in a protected flooded area, we monitored nests with video cameras. We recorded two separate incidents when intruders attacked a female at the nest. We believe that she remained in the nest in order to prevent the strangers cannibalizing the nestlings by mantling over the brood. The spatio-temporal occurrence of these attacks suggests that the observed behaviour is intraspecific sexual aggression wherein non-breeding males mounted an immobilized female.
authors: Department of Avian Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Zduniak
authors: Department of Avian Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
authors: Jakub Z
authors: JZ
authors: Kosicki
authors: P. O. Box 272, 88000 Eilat, Israel.
authors: Reuven
authors: R
authors: Yosef
keywords: Corvids; Floaters; Sexual aggression; Social organization; Wetlands