Extrapair paternity in insular African Blue Tits Cyanistes teneriffae is no less frequent than in continental Eurasian Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus

Birds breeding on islands often exhibit lower rates of extrapair paternity than their mainland counterparts, perhaps explained by low genetic variation, slower life histories and reduced sexual selection in island populations. Extrapair paternity was apparent in 39% (12/19) of broods, and encompassed 15% (21/137) of nestlings, in a population of African Blue Tits Cyanistes teneriffae, in Tenerife, Canary Islands. There were no cases of intraspecific brood parasitism. The incidence of extrapair young lies in the upper range of that reported from mainland populations of the closely related Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus. We conclude that there is no strong island effect on the genetic mating system in the Cyanistes species group but that extrapair paternity rates in Cyanistes are greater at southern latitudes.