Wood duck nest survival and duckling recruitment is minimally affected by interspecific brood parasitism from hooded mergansers and black-bellied whistling-ducks

In the southeastern United States, wood ducks (Aix sponsa) have historically experienced interspecific brood parasitism (IBP) primarily from hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), but the recent northward expansion of black-bellied whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) has added a new complexity to these interactions. We monitored nest boxes in Louisiana to evaluate the influence IBP had on wood duck daily nest survival rate (after, DSR) and duckling recruitment. We monitored 1,295 wood duck nests from 2020−2023 and found 112 (8.7%) were parasitized by hooded mergansers and 148 (11.5%) by whistling-ducks. Parasitic egg-laying by hooded mergansers lowered wood duck DSR, while DSR for nests parasitized by whistling-ducks was comparable to clutches containing only wood duck eggs. We considered the wood duck capture histories of 2,465 marked female ducklings and 540 banded adult females to estimate a duckling recruitment probability for the entire study period. We recaptured 50 duckl..., , , # Wood duck nest survival and duckling recruitment is minimally affected by interspecific brood parasitism from hooded mergansers and black-bellied whistling-ducks

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gtht76hvt](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gtht76hvt)

Metadata for manuscript on interspecific brood parasitism in wood ducks, hooded mergansers, and black-bellied whistling ducks by Dylan L. Bakner, Kevin M. Ringelman, and Larry A. Reynolds.

This metadata file describes the data for a manuscript that evaluates wood duck nest survival and duckling recruitment, and how these vital rates are affected by interspecific brood parasitism from hooded mergansers and black-bellied whistling-ducks. Data and R code to reproduce the analyses described in manuscript are described in detail below.

This manuscript will published in PLOS ONE in 2024.

### **DATA**

**adultEncHist.csv**

This file is an encounter history for 540 adult female wood ducks that were captured and banded from nest boxes. Each column...