Mafia hypothesis

The mafia hypothesis is an explanation of why nesting host species do not reject the eggs of brood parasites. The parasite eggs are accepted by the host to avoid retaliation (egg destruction, nest destruction, and/or the killing of nestlings) by the brood parasite, in an example of coevolution.

Amotz Zahavi proposed it in 1979, and it was tested by Manuel Soler in 1995.

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