Effects of climatic conditions on nestlings and parental care strategies in a temperate cooperatively breeding songbird

The early-life period is particularly sensitive, with the potential for lifelong consequences. However, the impacts of temperature and rainfall during this time are not well understood. This thesis investigates how climatic conditions affect nestling songbird thermoregulatory costs, growth, and physiology. It also examines how nest site choice and provisioning by adults may moderate and/or mitigate these effects.