Which sex of the Eastern Wood Duck population maintains strong fidelity to specific natal nesting areas?
Answer
Older adult hens
In the Eastern breeding population, there is a marked difference in territorial loyalty between the sexes. Older adult female ducks, or hens, demonstrate a pronounced homing tendency. This means they frequently return to nest very close to the exact location where they themselves were hatched. Conversely, the males do not share this strong site fidelity; they instead follow their mates from whatever varied origins they arrived from across the continent to the specific nesting site chosen by the female, making the female the primary agent maintaining the genetic integrity of the local Eastern breeding group.
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