Hepatic Cuckoo Morph

Female common cuckoos exist in multiple morphs - gray and rufous (hepatic) forms - that specialize on different host species. Each morph produces eggs matching specific hosts, with the lineage maintained through female inheritance. This polymorphism enables the species to exploit multiple hosts simultaneously while each individual maintains specialist precision.

The polymorphism reveals how parasites can be simultaneously specialists and generalists. At the population level, cuckoos parasitize diverse hosts. At the individual level, each female is a specialist with eggs matching specific hosts. This population-level diversity masks individual-level specialization - a strategy unavailable to monomorphic species.

The business parallel applies to portfolio strategies maintaining specialized divisions. A conglomerate can simultaneously serve diverse markets through specialized subsidiaries, each adapted to specific customer segments. Like cuckoo morphs, each division is a specialist while the corporate whole is a generalist. Portfolio diversification operates through component specialization.

Cuckoo polymorphism also demonstrates frequency-dependent dynamics. Rare morphs have higher success because hosts haven't evolved defenses against them. As morphs become common, host defenses improve, reducing success. Business strategies similarly show frequency-dependence - unconventional approaches succeed partly through novelty.