PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - De Haan, Monique AU - Plug, Erik AU - Rosero, José TI - Birth Order and Human Capital Development AID - 10.3368/jhr.49.2.359 DP - 2014 Mar 31 TA - Journal of Human Resources PG - 359--392 VI - 49 IP - 2 4099 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/49/2/359.short 4100 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/49/2/359.full SO - J Hum Resour2014 Mar 31; 49 AB - In this paper we examine the effect of birth order on human capital development in Ecuador. Using family fixed effects models we find positive and persistent birth order effects; earlier-born children stay behind in their human capital development from infancy to adolescence. Turning to potential mechanisms, we find that earlier-born children receive less quality time from their mothers. Additionally, they are breastfed shorter. Poverty plays a key role in explaining these birth order patterns; we observe the largest birth order effects in poor and low-educated families, accompanied with reversed birth order effects in rich and high-educated families.