Table 1 Comparison of egg-spot (spot size, spot density, spot coverage and sport distribution) matching between cuckoo and warbler eggs in naturally parasitized nests and their nearest non-parasitized nests
Assessment method | Egg section | Variable | Parasitized | Non-parasitized | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
One-egg assessment | Sharp | Spot size (mm2) | 0.21 ± 0.18 | 0.17 ± 0.19 | t = 1.308, df = 38, p = 0.199 |
|  |  | Spot density (No. of spots/mm2) | 0.37 ± 0.47 | 0.48 ± 0.66 | Z = 0.865, df = 38, p = 0.391 |
|  |  | Spot coverage (%) | 17.37 ± 11.38 | 17.84 ± 14.98 | t = 0.163, df = 38, p = 0.871 |
|  | Blunt | Spot size (mm2) | 0.10 ± 0.14 | 0.24 ± 0.49 | Z = 1.283, df = 38, p = 0.202 |
|  |  | Spot density (No. of spots/mm2) | 0.37 ± 0.43 | 0.42 ± 0.40 | Z = 1.284, df = 38, p = 0.202 |
|  |  | Spot coverage (%) | 8.46 ± 8.70 | 12.61 ± 20.43 | Z = 1.102, df = 38, p = 0.273 |
The whole clutch assessment | Sharp | Spot size (mm2) | 0.21 ± 0.18 | 0.17 ± 0.19 | t = 1.321, df = 38, p = 0.194 |
|  |  | Spot density (No. of spots/mm2) | 0.36 ± 0.39 | 0.43 ± 0.62 | Z = 0.670, df = 38, p = 0.507 |
|  |  | Spot coverage (%) | 17.26 ± 11.45 | 16.99 ± 14.20 | t = 0.107, df = 38, p = 0.916 |
|  | Blunt | Spot size (mm2) | 0.07 ± 0.08 | 0.20 ± 0.39 | Z = 1.493, df = 38, p = 0.137 |
|  |  | Spot density (No. of spots/mm2) | 0.45 ± 0.66 | 0.40 ± 0.39 | Z = 0.670, df = 38, p = 0.507 |
|  |  | Spot cover (%) | 8.86 ± 12.77 | 12.20 ± 19.36 | Z = 1.109, df = 38, p = 0.273 |