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Can anyone answer this?
Benj
Here is where the request comes in: do you
know a person knowledgable about emu behavior who might be able to
resolve 2 quandaries for me? One of our class assignments is to write
a life history of a bird of our choice (excluding birds already chosen by past
students). Naturally, I chose the emu. Oddly, using non-primary
sources (zoo and Auusie governmetn web sites, bird books) there are 2 distinct
opinions on the emu's sociability (they are, and are in groups by choice; they
aren't, but are in groups because habitat preferences create the groups).
There are also, incredibly, 4 different opinions on emu reproductive
behavior: the nest incubated by the male contains (1) only eggs from
the incubating male's territorial mate, and which were fertilized by the
incubating male; or, the nest ALSO contains (2) eggs of "his" female that
were fertilized by other males after the incubating male became "broody" and
lost all interest in mating; (3) eggs he fertilized with other females; and (4)
eggs slipped in by other females who were fertilized by other males. And
perhaps all 4 scenarios actually occur! Each has different likely
consequences for the selection of male and female mating behavior.
It would be wonderful if you can quickly suggest an
individual who might be able to enlighten me on these two issues. If not,
please don't spend time on it! I'll remain ignorant and will leave it as a
"dispute in the general literature". I haven't the days it would
take to do the research in the UCSB library, and count myself lucky to have a
half hour here and there to put into this class. It would be interesting
to know the truth of it, though.
Thanks,
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