In times of ecological uncertainty, brood parasites hedge their bets

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau) Some birds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species and let the host parents raise their young. A new study finds that in times of environmental flux, these brood parasites 'diversify their portfolios,' minimizing the risks of their unorthodox lifestyle by increasing the number and variety of hosts they select as adoptive parents.