Fraction of all species that are obligate brood parasites

Range ~1 % of all bird species
Organism Birds
Reference Stevens M. Bird brood parasitism. Curr Biol. 2013 Oct 21 23(20):R909-13. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.08.025 abstract (P.R909 right column top paragraph)PubMed ID24156805
Comments Abstract: "For many animals, the effort to rear their young is considerable. In birds, this often includes building nests, incubating eggs, feeding the chicks, and protecting them from predators. Perhaps for this reason, about 1% of birds (around 100 species) save themselves the effort and cheat instead. They are obligate brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other species and leaving the hosts or foster parents to rear the foreign chicks for them."
Entered by Uri M
ID 117275