MALE house sparrows 鈥渋nherit鈥� the plumage on their chests from their
fathers鈥攂ut the process has more to do with nepotism than genes.
House sparrows use a 鈥渂adge鈥� of dark feathers on their chests to attract
mates. To study the inheritance of this trait, Simon Griffith of the University
of Uppsala in Sweden and his colleagues fostered some chicks with birds that
were not their biological parents. To the researchers鈥� surprise, these birds
developed badges similar to those of their foster fathers rather than their
biological parents (Nature, vol 400, p 358).
Males with big badges tend to be successful and may help the young birds by
giving them social and nutritional advantages while they are growing their own.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit like inheriting money rather than genes,鈥� says Terry Burke of the
University of Sheffield.
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