Mother's little helpers

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Malurus cyaneus. Credit: Please credit Dr. Rebecca Kilner
Malurus cyaneus. Credit: Please credit Dr. Rebecca Kilner

An Australian bird has been found to produce smaller, less nourishing eggs when it breeds in the presence of other ‘helper’ birds that provide child-care assistance. This unique adaptation enables the birds to live longer and breed more often than females without helpers. The research, led by a University of Cambridge academic, today made the front cover of Science.


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