Cheating Chickadees Are Seduced by Smarts

Mountain chickadees are small birds. They live in mountains. Female chickadees usually choose one male bird to be their mate. They stay together with this male bird. They are often very loyal to him. This means they do not choose other male birds.

But sometimes, a female chickadee meets another male chickadee. This new male is very smart. Scientists know this because they give birds fun puzzles. The smart birds solve the puzzles quickly to get food. When a female sees a smart male, she likes him. She might then have babies with this smart male, even if she already has a mate.

Scientists study this behavior. They think female birds want smart fathers for their babies. Smart fathers may mean strong, clever babies. These babies can find food better and stay safe. So, being smart is good for birds to find a partner.