Ornithology

Clutch Size

한배 산란수

Definition

The number of eggs laid by a bird in a single nesting attempt, varying among species and environmental conditions.

Detailed Explanation

Clutch size is an evolutionary optimization balancing offspring quality and parental survival — larger clutches increase offspring number but reduce parent survival and per-offspring investment. Latitude, seasonality, and predation risk shape clutch size: temperate species have larger clutches than tropical species because longer summer days allow more feeding time. Brood reduction — parental failure to feed all chicks — is a starvation-buffering strategy when food is unpredictable.

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