Rearing conditions have long-term sex-specific fitness consequences in the collared flycatcher

Rearing conditions may exert profound effects on individual performance, however, effects manifested after independence and recruitment are seldom considered. Here, we examine the long-term fitness consequences of rearing conditions in the collared flycatcher, a species where rearing conditions have sex-specific effects on nestling growth (with greater effects in males), but not on morphology at fledging. We performed a brood size manipulation experiment, and followed the recruits during their local lifetime. Brood size manipulation did not influence recruitment probability. However, the experiment had a sex-specific effect on the number of eggs the recruits had during their entire lifetime. While reproductive output was unaffected by rearing conditions in females, males reared in enlarged broods were outperformed by males reared in reduced broods. This effect was mediated by the number of years, in which the recruits were recaptured. Interestingly, at their first reproductive event, re...