Helping behaviour in Australian Magpies, Gymnorhina tibicen

Abstract

This study investigated the hypothesis that, within groups of the Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen, individuals are more likely to help close relatives than non-relatives. Observations of helping behaviour were made on nests and fledglings in 12 territories during the 1994 breeding season at Seymour, Victoria, on a colour-banded population of magpies. Genetic variation at a microsatellite locus was used to estimate the degree of relatedness of helpers and non-helpers to fledglings. Helpers were equally as likely as non-helpers to be related to the young they aided. Helpers did not appear to increase the production of non-descendant kin during the year of this study. However, helpers may enhance either the future reproductive potential of breeders by reducing their provisioning effort, or the future survival of young by increasing their fitness.