Abused Nazca Booby Youngsters Become Abusers Themselves

A recent study detailed in the October issue of The Auk reveals that Nazca booby youngsters that are attacked and abused by their parents tend to display the same type of behavior towards their own youngsters later on.

This type of tendency has been observed in humans, where a rough family history is known to increase individuals' risk of becoming rough and violent themselves. Thus far, instances of this happening in nature have not been documented, ScienceNow reports.

Wake Forest University experts found that adult Nazca boobies tend to engage in such behavior even with chicks belonging to other “couples.” “A bird's history as a target of abuse proved to be a strong predictor of its adult behavior,” evolutionary biologist David Anderson says.

“You don't expect to see animals wasting time, bothering with a neighbor's chick, when it could be doing something that benefits its fitness, like finding a mate.” he goes on to say.