Yellow-billed cuckoos typically hatch in mid-July. Emerging cicadas are a primary food source for nesting cuckoos. Wildfires typically destroy ground coverage which raises the ground temperature and encourages Cicada nymphs to hatch earlier. Which of the following best predicts the effect of wildfires on yellow-billed cuckoo populations?
a. the yellow-billed cuckoo population will decline because the decreased ground cover will allow lizards to prey on cuckoo nests.
b. the yellow-billed cuckoo population will decline because cicadas will emerge before the hatching season begins
c. the yellow-billed cuckoo population will grow because the adults will more easily see and eat the cicada nymphs
d. the yellow billed cuckoo population will remain unchanged because cuckoos do not nest in areas affected by wildfires
Answer: C