This photo taken on Dec. 16, 2020, shows a North Island robin at Zealandia Eco-sanctuary in Wellington, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)
New Zealand's male North Island robins are attentive to their partner's nutritional needs by showing the love on the menu, research from Victoria University of Wellington showed.
WELLINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A research published on Wednesday found New Zealand's male North Island robins cater to their mates' nutritional needs and show their love on the menu.
Many bird species see food as the way to a female's heart, and male North Island robins appear attentive to their partner's nutritional needs, according to the research published in the New Zealand Journal of Zoology.
Researchers from the Victoria University of Wellington have found that male robins share more food with their partners when nutritional needs are high due to the demands of nest-building and egg production.
They also shared more when their mates chirped or begged, suggesting that communication is key, said Ella McCallum, author of the research paper.
This photo taken on Dec. 16, 2020, shows a North Island robin at Zealandia Eco-sanctuary in Wellington, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)
"Males exhibited similar mate-feeding behavior across breeding seasons, but only when paired with the same partner, supporting the idea that they change what's on the menu depending on their mate's needs, and potentially her preferences," McCallum said.
The New Zealand robin is a sparrow-sized bird found only in New Zealand. They are friendly and trusting, often coming to within a couple of meters of people, according to the Department of Conservation.
In many species of birds, the male feeds his partner during courtship. It is hypothesized that courtship-feeding may nutritionally benefit females, strengthen pair bonds, and signal male quality, she said. ■
