Biology
Parental Investment and Sex-Ratio Allocation in Cooperative Breeding Birds
Quick fact
In some cooperative breeders like the superb fairy-wren, parents produce more sons when helpers are present, because sons are more likely to become helpers, boosting the parents' overall reproductive success.
Why this is interesting
Some bird parents seem to 'choose' the sex of their chicks. In cooperative species, this choice can dramatically impact the survival of the whole family. How do they decide?