Geological Survey in Missoula, Montana-teamed up with biomechanists Kenneth Dial and Bret Tobalske at the University of Montana in Missoula. To understand the reasons behind that difference, the ecologist who first discovered it-Thomas Martin of the U.S.
But these early birds suffer as a result: Their death toll can be as high as 70%, compared with just 12% for species that are late bloomers. Thus, avian parents push their young to leave the nest early-even when they are not quite ready-increasing the chances that at least one will survive literally making sure all their "eggs" are not in one basket. A noisy nest attracts predators that can wipe out the entire year's reproductive efforts in one fell swoop. Young birds can have a tough life-as can their parents. "This work is not only about birds," he adds, "it's about how all animals evolve to make this decision." "There's no single optimal solution," says Rick Relyea, an ecologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, who was not involved with the study. When young birds leave the nest early, they help future generations survive better, but they themselves are more likely to die, according to a new study. It turns out birds face a similar, but slightly more deadly, dilemma. For parents with grown children, sometimes the pain of an empty nest can be better than the pain of a full basement.
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