Question

female cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, often removing one of the host’s eggs. the cowbird egg hatches first, demanding more food and decreasing the survival of the host’s chicks. what type of symbiotic relationship is this? mutualism competition commensalism parasitism

Explanation:

Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit. Competition is an interaction over resources between species. Commensalism is when one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. Parasitism is a relationship where one organism (parasite) benefits at the expense of another (host). Female cowbirds benefit by having their eggs raised by other birds while the host birds are harmed as their own offspring's survival is decreased. This fits the definition of parasitism.

Answer:

D. Parasitism