[摘要] Although avian eggs exhibit a great diversity of colors and patterns (
Fig. 1), conspicuous eggs are taxonomically widespread, ranging from tinamous (Tinamiformes) to ibises (Ciconiiformes), poorwills (Caprimulgiformes), doves (Columbiformes), and thrushes (Passeriformes) (
Cabot 1992,
Baicich and Harrison 1997). Here, we develop an alternative to previous hypotheses for the evolution of conspicuous eggs: the blackmail hypothesis proposes that conspicuous egg coloration coerces males into providing additional parental care to offset the increased risk of nest predation or brood parasitism.
