Egg tossing or egg destruction is a behavior observed in some species of birds where one individual removes an egg from the communal nest.[1] This is related to infanticide, where parents kill their own or other's offspring.[2] Egg tossing is observed in avian species, most commonly females,[3] who are involved with cooperative breeding or brood parasitism.[1] Among colonial non-co-nesting birds, egg-tossing is observed to be performed by an individual of the same species, and, in the case of brood parasites, this behavior is done by either the same or different species.[4][5] The behavior of egg tossing offers its advantages and disadvantages to both the actor and recipient.
^Schmaltz, Gregory; Quinn, James S.; Lentz, Cindy (2008-07-01). "Competition and waste in the communally breeding smooth-billed ani: effects of group size on egg-laying behaviour". Animal Behaviour. 76 (1): 153–162. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.12.018. S2CID53167950.
^Brown, Charles R.; Brown, Mary Bomberger (1988). "The Costs and Benefits of Egg Destruction by Conspecifics in Colonial Cliff Swallows". The Auk. 105 (4): 737–748. doi:10.1093/auk/105.4.737. JSTOR4087387.