Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
197,768 studies31 sourcesUpdated 21 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BYEcology and evolution

Breeding Behaviors and Kinship in the Endangered Hawaiian Stilt (Ae‘o; Himantopus mexicanus knudseni)

  • Melissa R. Price1
  • Kristen C. Harmon1
  • Robert J. Toonen2
  • Evan B. Freel2
  • Madeleine A. Emms2
  • ‘Ale‘alani Dudoit2
  • Coral Loockerman2
  • Arleone Dibben‐Young3
  1. 1Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Management University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Honolulu Hawai‘i USA
  2. 2Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe Hawai‘i USA
  3. 3Independent Scholar Moloka‘i Hawai‘i USA
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Understanding the genetic underpinnings of cooperative and noncooperative breeding behaviors is critical for species of conservation concern. We investigated the genetic relatedness of Hawaiian Stilts (Aeʻo; Himantopus mexicanus knudseni ), a threatened subspecies restricted to the Hawaiian Islands, in relation to nesting behavior, given recent behavioral observations of cooperative breeding, potential conspecific brood parasitism, and potential pairing of closely related individuals for nesting. Using RAD sequencing of blood and feather samples, we generated ~6800 SNPs for parentage and relatedness analysis. Observational data documented behaviors including cooperative incubation, helpers‐at‐the‐nest, and potential conspecific brood parasitism, which are rarely reported in Charadriiformes. Parentage, genomic relatedness, and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses revealed instances of conspecific brood parasitism and potential extra‐pair paternity. We also find evidence of inbreeding, with an overall F IS of 0.23 and close genetic similarity between some mates. Ecological constraints and limited dispersal opportunities may promote cooperative breeding, conspecific brood parasitism, and inbreeding in Hawaiian Stilts. These results underscore the importance of maintaining and restoring nesting habitat to reduce pressures that may otherwise intensify inbreeding in this recovering population but also highlight the behavioral flexibility and adaptive capacity in this species.

Related

  1. Asymmetrical Parental Investment Across Breeding Stages in the Globally Endangered Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) in Nepal
    Milan Baral, Anisha Neupane, Sandesh Gurung +1
    Ecology and evolutionPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textEcologyEurope PMCCrossref
  2. Division of labor and low temperatures predict geographic variation in thermal tolerance of a North American paper wasp (Mischocyttarus mexicanus cubicola)
    K. M. Robinson, F. M. Uy, K. M. Baudier
    bioRxivPreprintCC BY-NC-NDFull textEcologybioRxiv
  3. A cellular atlas of Astyanax mexicanus embryogenesis reveals principles of developmental microevolution
    S. Roig Puiggros, G. Royer, J. Prados +5
    bioRxivPreprintCC BY-NC-NDFull textDevelopmental biologybioRxiv
  4. Genome-resolved metagenomics reveals metabolically versatile Actinobacteria with extensive biosynthetic capacity in Hawaiian steam vents
    S. Nagar, C. Zhang, J. H. Saw
    bioRxivPreprintCC BY-NDFull textMicrobiologybioRxiv
  5. Coconut filters woven using Native Hawaiian techniques capture coastal microplastic and sunscreen pollution and support fungal bioremediation
    V. H. Wang, K. E. Christensen, A. S. Amend
    bioRxivPreprintCC BY-NC-NDFull textMicrobiologybioRxiv

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{price2026breeding,
  title = {{Breeding Behaviors and Kinship in the Endangered Hawaiian Stilt (Ae‘o; Himantopus mexicanus knudseni)}},
  author = {Melissa R. Price and Kristen C. Harmon and Robert J. Toonen and Evan B. Freel and Madeleine A. Emms and ‘Ale‘alani Dudoit and Coral Loockerman and Arleone Dibben‐Young},
  journal = {Ecology and evolution},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1002/ece3.74297},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13659274},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Breeding Behaviors and Kinship in the Endangered Hawaiian Stilt (Ae‘o; Himantopus mexicanus knudseni)
AU  - Melissa R. Price
AU  - Kristen C. Harmon
AU  - Robert J. Toonen
AU  - Evan B. Freel
AU  - Madeleine A. Emms
AU  - ‘Ale‘alani Dudoit
AU  - Coral Loockerman
AU  - Arleone Dibben‐Young
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Ecology and evolution
DO  - 10.1002/ece3.74297
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13659274
AB  - Understanding the genetic underpinnings of cooperative and noncooperative breeding behaviors is critical for species of conservation concern. We investigated the genetic relatedness of Hawaiian Stilts (Aeʻo; Himantopus mexicanus knudseni ), a threatened subspecies restricted to the Hawaiian Islands, in relation to nesting behavior, given recent behavioral observations of cooperative breeding, potential conspecific brood parasitism, and potential pairing of closely related individuals for nesting. Using RAD sequencing of blood and feather samples, we generated ~6800 SNPs for parentage and relatedness analysis. Observational data documented behaviors including cooperative incubation, helpers‐at‐the‐nest, and potential conspecific brood parasitism, which are rarely reported in Charadriiformes. Parentage, genomic relatedness, and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses revealed instances of conspecific brood parasitism and potential extra‐pair paternity. We also find evidence of inbreeding, with an overall F IS of 0.23 and close genetic similarity between some mates. Ecological constraints and limited dispersal opportunities may promote cooperative breeding, conspecific brood parasitism, and inbreeding in Hawaiian Stilts. These results underscore the importance of maintaining and restoring nesting habitat to reduce pressures that may otherwise intensify inbreeding in this recovering population but also highlight the behavioral flexibility and adaptive capacity in this species.
SN  - 2045-7758
ER  -