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Penguin males with steady pitch make better parents

 

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Courtship calls help penguin females decide which males are likely to be devoted dads, says a study by NESCent Director Allen Rodrigo and colleagues. By listening to male courtship calls, a female can tell how hefty a male is and what kind of father he is likely to be. Fatter males make better fathers because they have the energy reserves to endure long fasts, so are less likely to leave the nest and desert their chicks.
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