Cooperative males reduce incubation in response to cues of female–female competition

Social groups of the joint‐laying Pukeko P orphyrio porphyrio melanotus typically contain one or two breeding females. Male Pukeko mated to two females father more offspring and therefore benefit from this mating arrangement; however, primary females should not prefer this system, because fewer eggs hatch per female in the larger joint clutches. Here, we investigated male response to simulated egg destruction, a common female competitive …