The high frequency of extra pair paternity in tree swallows is not an artifact of nestboxes

A common criticism of nestbox studies is one of creating artificial nesting conditions and breeding behavior different from what would be seen under natural conditions, We assessed the frequency of extrapair paternity (percentage of broods with at least one extra-pair young) in 25 families of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting in natural cavities and compared it to that in a nestbox population. We found that 84% of females nesting in natural cavities obtained fertilizations from extra-pair males. These extra-pair males fathered 69% of all nestlings. Studies of tree swallows breeding in nestboxes have shown that 50-87% of broads contained extra-pair young, with extra-pair males fathering 38-53% of all the young. In broods with extra-pair paternity, natural cavities contained a significantly greater proportion of extra-pair young than did nestboxes. Despite differences in nesting habitat and female age structure, the frequency of extrapair paternity did not differ significantly between the natural-cavity and nestbox populations, Therefore, the presence of extra-pair paternity ill tree swallows is not an artifact of nestboxes or of artificial nesting conditions.